Rep. Lauren Boebert (Republican), who has already been involved in a number of controversies since joining Congress last year, made an apparent anti-Semitic remark towards a group of Jews visiting the US Capitol.
YWN spoke with Ezra Friedlander, who was one of the Orthodox Jews inside the elevator when the incident occurred, and received the following exclusive details.
Friedlander, a Hasidic Jew from Boro Park Brooklyn, who is a professional lobbyist, says that he and a group of people – including another Orthodox Jew – were being escorted by Rep. Tom Suozzi of New York. In the elevator, Boebert looked at them “head to toe” and then asked if they were at the Capitol to do “reconnaissance.”
“You know, I’m not sure to be offended or not,” one of the group members told Buzzfeed News. “I was very confused.”
“When I heard that, I actually turned to the person standing next to me and asked, ‘Did you just hear that?’” he said.
Friedlander tells YWN that Boebert clearly profiled them. “I am not a Rabbi, nor claim to be a Rabbi, but I dress in a long Hasidic grey suit, wearing a Yarmulka and a beard”, Ezra told YWN.
For her part, Boebert said that she was making “a joke” in reference to Democrats’ claims against her that she provided tours of the Capitol to Jan. 6 rioters, and had nothing to do with the group being comprised of Jews.
“I saw a large group and made a joke. Sadly when Democrats see the same, they demonize my family for a year straight,” Boebert said.
“I’m too short to see anyone’s yarmulkes,” she added.
Friedlander told YWN that her response of “being too short to see my Yarmulka”, is pathetic, as I have a long suit and beard and can’t be mistaken for anything else other than an Orthodox Jew.
The attached photo (Ezra with Rep Hakeem Jeffries) was taken less then five minutes after the incident. Friendlander says it is “clear as whistle that I am an Orthodox Jew and she chose to make it her duty to make a disparaging remark”.
This is how she sees Ezra Friedlander the lobbyist – doing reconnaissance”, he added.
Friedlander notes that the individuals who reached out to the media were staffers of other members of congress who were appalled at the remarks made. He and the other Orthodox Jew who the comments were directed at suddenly started receiving calls from the media.
Friedlander emphasizes that “I’ve been a presence in Washington for years and although members of Congress on occasion address me as ” rabbi” it’s always expressed endearingly and in fact I always feel “welcome” by everyone across the ” geographical and ideological spectrum”.
Although Congress is not open for visitors due to ongoing Covid restrictions, Friedlander was in Washington yesterday and escorted by Rep. Tom Suozzi who spoke on the House Floor to mark the 41st anniversary of the day the former hostages in Iran were released on January 20 back in 1981.
Bi-partisan legislation was introduced by Representatives Tom Suozzi and Don Bacon to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the former hostages in Iran an effort that is being spearheaded by Ezra Friedlander in his professional capacity as a professional lobbyist.
“I was appalled that my dress code and general appearance was deemed necessary by a sitting member of Congress to be the subject of a joke” continuing “I don’t see the humor” and reiterating that he considers that ” Congress as body” is not reflective of that one individual member and looks forward to being present in Washington representing his client in a professional manner.
THE FOLLOWING VIDEOS OF FRIEDLANDER WERE TAKEN YESTERDAY IN THE CAPITOL ON THURSDAY, WHERE THE READER CAN SEE HOW HE WAS DRESSED:
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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44 Responses
This article never identifies Boebert as a Republican. The article does not identify Rep. Tom Suozzi as a Democrat, either. Friedlander was accompanied by Suozzi.
This is pathetic.
STOP 🛑 WITH FAKE NEWS PLEASE!
Some liberal Jews need to get a grip who they befriend and who they make enemies with.
For her part, Boebert said that she was making “a joke” in reference to Democrats’ claims against her that she provided tours of the Capitol to Jan. 6 rioters, and had nothing to do with the group being comprised of Jews.
IF she also made that joke to other groups then she is right. Why is acceptable for Democrats to accuse her of leading reconnaissance tours but not acceptable for her to joke about it or even accuse others of it?
I don’t know if she meant it that way. Why can’t be give her the benefit of the doubt?
Um, no, sorry – no antisemitism here. Stop crying when there’s nothing to cry about. I’d have made the same comment to EF if I cared enough to acknowledge him.
I wonder what Mr. Friedlander wants to be when he grows up?
ALL YOU HATERS!!!
IF THIS WAS SAID BY ILHAN OMAR YOU WOULD BE CALLING FOR HER BLOOD NOW. ALL OF A SUDDEN A TRUMP SUPPORTER IS EXPOSED AS AN ANTI-SEMITE AND YOU GIVE HER A GREEN PASS.
SHAME ON ALL YOU SELF-HATING JEWISH KAPOS.
AND I VOTED TRUMP. TWICE.
I AM DISGUSTED BY ANYONE WHO DEFENDS THIS GUN-TOTING VILE ANTI-SEMITE WHO MADE “A JOKE”.
SHAME ON YOU BLIND JEWS.
I don’t know the context except the slant that ywn put in the headlines. Even if it was anti dentist I don’t think it helps the cause one iota because half the country sees this type of attack as attention seeking. Especially when there is another side. It’s crying wolf and the next real attack will be ignored by half the country.
Much ado about nothing. These kind of snowflakish antisemitism accusations actually engender anti-semitic attitudes. Because Halakha he, Eisav Sonei LiYaakov, when they are not expressing such sin’ah, accusing them of such is prone to bring it out.
Ezra Friedlander is literally called an askan for hire, he is on the payroll of Jerry Nadler and Chuck Schumer on a monthly basis as he has a retainer with them he worked for Scott Stringer he does NOT represent Frum Jews with his obvious partisan affiliations. Boebort is a friend of our community for fighting and calling out the REAL anti Semite Ilhan Omar something Shomer Israel Chuck Schumer never did.
While many of us agree with your comments, whats with the bold font all caps shouting.
Sadly, Boebert is no longer an outlier but indicative of the vile trash that is appearing on both ends of the political spectrum, Dem and Republican. When the extreme “fringe” keeps growing larger, like a spreading tumor, you either find a way to surgically remove or it will metastasize and ultimately destroy the body.
This is a non-story. Can’t we all use a joke from time to time?
I agree with @Ferd.
Lets call a spade a spade. She said something disgusting. It was said by al Sharpton, we would be all in a wedgy now. She has a free pass because she wears a maga hat and carries a gun (that she would use in a heartbeat against a Jew – see the Halacha in the Torah She’eisav sonei es yakov) and screams Trump propaganda all day.
Why are we giving her a free pass? Because some of you don’t like Ezra for cozying up to people you don’t like? What does that have to do with her being a (now admitted) anti-Semite?
She admitted to saying it. lolol. Says it was a joke.
some joke.
i dont like ezra either. but this needs to be called out.
For a change people don’t bother reading anything.
The article clearly says that Ezra never reached out to the media, but the republican congressional staffers did.
Apparently, they thought this was disgusting, but the people on YWN love her comments. Sure sure. Imagine this came from Obama.
What a bunch of small-minded Jews. You have brains the size of a needle. The older I get, the more shocking it becomes. How Dumb we actually are.
karl ben marx said it best
Yawn. Can’t wait to hear all the nitty gritty details on his exclusive interview on the Zev Brenner show.
Lets call a spade a spade. She said something disgusting. It was said by al Sharpton, we would be all in a wedgy now.
Big difference between someone like Al Sharpton, Ilhan Omar and other such people who have always been
consistently hostile to us and someone who is saying she made a joke based on accusations made against her.
The former does not deserve the benefit of the doubt. With the latter you are better off not making self fulfilling prophecies and calling them anti-Semites. And yes she does have a point when she says she was widely baselessly accused in the media of leading such tours with no one expressing outrage on her behalf so why can’t she do the same? If Al Sharpton or Ilhan Omar were in that situation I would agree with the validity of what they are saying as well.
In general the Democrats are doing a great job at driving Trump supporters into extreme and dangerous groups by referring to and treating them as extremists. And I despise Trump and voted Democrat in the last election.
this what happens when the advocate who supports jerry nadler needs a reminder that he is jewish
Total garbage many non jews have beards. nothing anti semitic here. please get a grip on yourself.
Cancer that’s a joke. As for the guy who calls us small minded jews, that’s what democrats do just call people silly names. This rhetoric doesn’t work, everyone can see through it
Is it any wonder how there was such a thing as Jewish kapos? Now I understand how such a phenomenon was possible. Many Jews identify with the Jew haters. They think they’ll ingratiate themselves when they lap at their feet.
This “joke” is a “joke” out of hatred. A joke is not bad until it is said out of hatred and evil intentions.
The Congressional Gold Medal was established to give honor to heroes, worthy Americans, not to become a business, or a cash cow for people like Friedlander. After he arranged for it to be given to Anwar Sadat, responsible for the deaths of thousands of Jews, a few years ago, he should hide his head in shame. Instead, he is trying to cash in again with more gold medal business. Congress should ban businesses like his from profaning the medal by making it a private enterprise.
Given her history, maybe she meant it in a _good_ way? Did she friend him on Gabe to share intelligence?
Also, we might be too self-conscious? I thin kippahs are known to represent Jews, but there are so many dudes walking in beards and strangely-fashioned jackets – do you expect people to recognize the type of chasidus by your socks?!
@besalel if it was a liberal, you wouldn´t give the benefit of the doubt.
Please excuse my ignorance,
What exactly did Boebert say that was anti-Semitic?
Please someone explain to the layman.
Thanks.
What exactly is antisemitic here?
Can yeshivaworld not become another ADL, please…
The GOP has begun a party of lunatics and nut jobs. McCarthy is so desperate to be speaker that he grovels to these misfits and has lost any courage he may have had. America needs a new sane centrist party quick
Big deal, just a joke. Yes it’s in bad taste, but a lighthearted joke nevertheless.
Save cries of “antisemitism” for the real thing.
It context it’s actually very funny. People in the comments calling boebert anti semitic, are saying things like small minded jews, blind jews, jewish kapos, if she would say that, you would call her anti semitic.
Sometimes I wish I wasn’t so smart it’s a burden.
Oh. It wasn’t made against Jews, it was made against E.F., a very well-known DEMOCRAT OPERATIVE.
Lauren Boebert is a fringe Republican.
Unlike the better-funded Democrats, she is at least anti-Big Government, which poses a far more significant threat to the Oilam Torah than one weirdo Colorado Congresswoman’s side comments.
Boebert and several of her colleagues have been accused of escorting some of the January 6th rioters with “guided” (aka reconnaissance) tours of the capital in the preceding days. Her comments were beyond stupid given recent event and she claims they were meant to parody those who accused her but the words themselves were not literally anti-Semitic.
Friedlander can seek the comfort and company of Hillary to counsel him following this traumatic encounter.
All democrats straight to hell. Regardless of their race, religion, or beard’s length. The enemy is the democrat. Any democrat. All democrats. From the smallest to the biggest. The rest is all a distraction.
To anyone who followed the events of last year, it is obvious that she was joking. I realized that — as I’m sure did many others — before I even read the rest of the article and saw she explained herself likewise. Come on, guys… nothing to see here…
People like Boebert are not our friends. Unless you are white a Christen, you are suspect. It is not about right versus left, she is an antisemite.
(should read White and Christen)
The guy with Friedlander is Mendy Carlebach, of messianic NJ Habad, which is not even recognized by the mainstream Lubavitch. These people are fringe characters. We (the Jewish people) have enough problems and challenges already as it is, we don’t need clowns running around manufacturing alleged incidents for the fake news media.
Ferd, you are aptly named. I do not believe for a moment that you ever voted for Trump. The giveaway that you are a hateful person and a liar is that you use “gun-toting” as a pejorative. Only a farsholtener hoplophobic Democrat would ever make such a remark, as if there were something wrong with being armed. And such a person would never vote for a Republican.
You have NO RIGHT to call Boeberg an antisemite. This is a blood libel by Friedlander and the usual Democrat operatives here. There are NO antisemites in the Republican Party. None at all. There haven’t been since Pat Buchanan left, 30 years ago. James Baker is gone. In the modern GOP antisemitism is simply not tolerated, and anyone who harbors such thoughts makes sure to keep them hidden. Unlike in the Democrat Party, where antisemitism has always been openly accepted and antisemites are honored and lauded.
There is nothing even slightly antisemitic about her question to Friedlander. Here was a group of people being guided around the House by a Democrat, at a time when no visitors were allowed, so the question asks itself. Even if she knew he was Jewish, so what? What’s so special about Jews that one can’t make such a remark to them? Is it impossible for Jews to be doing reconnaissance at the Congress?!
@Abish & @Yossi – I’m also confused. I don’t see it as offensive, nor is it funny. It’s a STUPID comment. I sat with Ezra Friedlander in his home when he was first starting out as a lobbyist in NYC, trying to get some funding for a particular project. He is determined but he is for sale. Fair enough, this is his profession & he’ll work for anyone (presumably not for the Squad!). What’s wrong with that?
I think this whole things is storm in a teacup. I get the sense Mr. Friedlander was confused as well. It seems to me the Congresswoman was trying to be funny and failed miserably. Get over yourselves! There’s enough real hatred on Capitol Hill without creating it.
This banshee would love to kill any and everyone who is not a white christian pro trump gun totting loudmouthjust like her.
All this indicates: is a bad taste of “humor”. Period.
A lesson for us all – follow chazal:
סייג לחכמה שתיקה
this isn’t antisemitic nor offensive – especially considering how few people are allowed into the Capitol at this time