By Prof. Alan Dershowitz
(DECEMBER 2, 2021 / JNS) I have been called “Israel’s best defender.” Yet New York’s Temple Emanu-El, the most important Reform synagogue, has silenced my voice while amplifying the voice of one of Israel’s most toxic detractors. Here are the facts:
For several years, I was the “defense lawyer” for biblical characters who were put “on trial” at Temple Emanu-El. The trials—of Abraham, Moses, David, Noah and others—were the most popular and well-attended events at the temple. Upwards of 1,500 people would attend, listen to the evidence and then vote “guilty” or “not guilty.” I was the “defense attorney,” and different “prosecutors” were selected to present the case against the “defendant. They included former Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman, cable-news TV commentator Chris Cuomo, former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer and others. King David was found guilty; all the others were found innocent. The audiences loved these trials, and the expectation was that they would continue for many years, culminating with “the Trial of God” Himself.
In the fall of 2019, the Trial of Joseph’s brothers for selling Joseph to the Egyptians was scheduled and announced. A prosecutor was selected, and I was preparing my case. Then the temple decided to be “cute” and make the trial relevant to current headlines. So they advertised it (without consulting with me) as the Trial of Joseph’s brothers for “trafficking” Joseph. After some objections were raised to a trial of trafficking in light of the Jeffrey Epstein case at the time, I suggested putting a different biblical character on trial. Instead, synagogue leadership decided to “postpone” the event. Rabbi Joshua Davidson assured me that the trials would soon resume.
The coronavirus hit the following year, and no in-person events took place. When events resumed this fall, I called asked the rabbi to schedule another trial; he said there would be no more. I asked why. He told me that the president and the board had decided against any more trials involving me. I then offered to speak on other issues—I had recently written books on Israel, freedom of speech and the vaccine mandates. He said he would get back to me.
A few days later, he informed me that I could not speak there on any subject, pursuant to a decision made by the president of the board, Harris Diamond, a retired executive for a company that advertised petroleum, surgery soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and big pharma. He assured me that no one—certainly not he—believed I had done anything wrong. He said there were media reports that I had been accused of having sex with a woman connected to Jeffrey Epstein, and that the synagogue didn’t want to be identified with or tainted by any accusation, even if false.
