So Michele Bachmann Walks Into A Synagogue In Chicago...
By Samantha Abernethy in News on Oct 1, 2012 4:30PM
Conservative Evangelical Christian Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) walked into a synagogue in Lakeview during a Yom Kippur service last week, infuriating some congregants. Some walked out of the service, and one man, Gary Sircus, launched a local campaign to support Bachmann's opponent Jim Graves, who had a 400 percent uptick in donations from the Chicago area last week.
Making the conservative anti-gay politician's appearance even more awkward, the service "featured a fictional father and son dialogue about Israel, including a piece celebrating Israel's openness to the gay and lesbian community." Sircus said he felt supporting Graves was "the best way to 'honor' Ms. Bachmann's visit."
Michele Bachman's at Anshe Emet for Kol Nidre.In honor of this unholy person being in my synagogue, I've made a contribution to Jim Graves
— Gary Sircus (@gsircus) September 26, 2012
"The holiness of the room and the holiness of the evening was greatly diminished for me, if not completely destroyed," said Gary Sircus, who stormed out of the synagogue where he has observed the High Holidays for 25 years. "Our congregation values and embodies tolerance, compassion, respect for individual rights, intelligence, science — all of the things that I think Michele Bachmann stands against."
Rabbi Michael Siegel publicly greeted Bachmann, in accordance with a common synagogue practice of greeting public officials in the audience.
"I am aware of the fact that our congregation's policy in regards to public officials clearly caused pain to some members of our community on the most precious day of reconciliation on the Jewish calendar," Siegel told the Tribune. "That we regret deeply."