Congregants at Chicago’s Anshe Emet synagogue were treated to a surprise when Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann walked through the doors… in the middle of Yom Kippur services. While it’s unclear why Bachmann (R-MN) – a devout evangelical Christian – would choose to visit a Conservative synagogue on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, The Chicago Tribune reports she was nonetheless welcomed by Rabbi Michael Siegel, as is customary in that congregation.
Bachmann, known for years in Minnesota as being, well, special, stumbled into the national spotlight during the 2012 presidential election where she set the tone for the dignified, totally un-cringe-worthy GOP primary. Here is Congresswoman Bachmann, a state senator at the time, spying on a Gay Rights rally by hiding in the bushes:
image via Minnpost.com
Despite Yom Kippur’s emphasis on atonement and forgiveness, not everyone at Anshe Emet was happy to see the Congresswoman (presumably there’s some residual resentment over her epic mispronunciation of “chutzpa”). Chicagoist reports congregant Gary Sircus was so incensed that he put his money where his mouth is – the campaign coffers of Bachman congressional opponent Jim Graves.
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
Despite no word from the Bachmann campaign as to why the congresswoman was compelled to go to synagogue, the Tribune reports at least one concrete outcome from Michelle’s visit – a “400 percent uptick in donations [to Bachmann opponent Jim Graves' campaign] from the Chicago area last week.“
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4 comments
Debbie
Oct 2, 2012
You know Grandma’s expression, but is it good for the Jews? This article and all those similar are not good for us. A politician respectfully visits one of our congregations on the holiest day of our year and is treated with disrespect. Regardless of my opinion of Michelle Bachman, this whole incident is a shanda.
euwei
Oct 4, 2012
It’s time for you lefties to take stock of yourselves.
Cong. Bachmann had every right to be there and to be made welcome.
Gary Sircus and his fellow Self-Hating Lefty Jews created a CIRCUS and in fact DESECRATED Yom Kippur with their HYPOCRITCAL WALK-OUT.
Their religion ,as they aptly proved,is LEFT-WING Democratic HATE,NOT Judaism.
They didn’t walk out on Bachmann,THEY WALKED OUT OF YOM KIPPUR because of their HATRED .
@LEFTY JEWS:Do you even know what you do?
You would gladly get on the train to the GAS CHAMBER chanting “YES WE CAN”,especially if leading LEFTIES were there to see you off.
Megan
Oct 7, 2012
Fair point, EUWEI. And yours is in no way an over-to-top reaction to their over-the-top reaction. Actually, do you know where abouts I can catch this Obama bus to the gas chambers?
ck
Oct 11, 2012
I usually walk out for a breather during the Rabbi’s speech so I can understand walking out on Michelle Bachman. It’s not “hotspa” at all!
But wait. If I write this in all caps, will my point be better understood? Let’s see…
I USUALLY WALK OUT FOR A BREATHER DURING THE RABBI’S SPEECH SO I CAN UNDERSTAND WALKING OUT ON MICHELLE BACHMAN. IT’S NOT “HOTSPA” AT ALL!
@EUWEI I’d understand your point better if you lived in Israel, like I do. Actually, I was kidding. Your point is totally idiotic. HA HA! I mean what’s so Jewish about the Republicans? Their leader belongs to a religion that retroactively converts Holocaust victims to Judaism. Their Evangelical Christian supporters believe Jews will be left behind during the rapture (Oh no!), and their social and monetary policies are like, the complete opposite of our shared Jewish values, which I cherish in case you were wondering.