Such a ‘shanda’

That Rabbi Haskel Lookstein backed out of delivering the opening prayer at the Republican National Convention under pressure of a petition signed by 600 alumni of the Ramaz day school (“Lookstein cancels Republican convention appearance, speech,” July 17) is, to use the word used by the petitioners themselves, a shanda (disgrace).

The national nominating convention of a major political party, regardless of the candidate, is a celebration of freedom and democracy. An invitation to a rabbi to participate by offering a prayer is a public manifestation and recognition of the freedom of religious worship mandated by the US Constitution. This should be appreciated by all Jews, regardless of their political affiliation.

The public attention created by the petition may reflect on the Jewish community in such a way as to cause the desecration of God’s name through the misconduct of Jews, a halachic status that goes even beyond the vague and subjective “shanda.” The fact that the petitioners did not take this possibility into consideration is an indication that political correctness trumped good sense (pun intended).

In most years, the candidate chosen by a party is not known for sure until several days after the invocation is given. In today’s politically correct environment, this brings up the absurd, but apparently possible Kafkaesque, scenario in which some Jews may not like the candidate chosen, at which time the rabbi would be petitioned to revoke his invocation.

Finally, on the topic of the convention, the fact that the Republican platform does not include support, or even mention, of the two-state solution indicates that the party has wisely decided not to take sides on an issue that divides even the Israeli public. JAY SHAPIRO Jerusalem