Hebrew Voices #48 – Jewish Freedom in America

In Hebrew Voices #48, Jewish Freedom in America, Nehemia Gordon and Tel Aviv University Professor Michael Kochin, explain how Jonas Phillips, an 18th century Jewish merchant gave us freedom of religion, how George Washington set us free from the tyranny … Continue reading →

In Hebrew Voices #48, Jewish Freedom in America, Nehemia Gordon and Tel Aviv University Professor Michael Kochin, explain how Jonas Phillips, an 18th century Jewish merchant gave us freedom of religion, how George Washington set us free from the tyranny of religious "toleration", and how the Regressive Left is ushering in a new era of religious persecution. They also discuss how President Trump's "Muslim Ban" fits with the American Constitution, and the history of US immigration law.

I look forward to reading your comments!

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Hebrew Voices #48 – Jewish Freedom in America

You are listening to Hebrew Voices with Nehemia Gordon. Thank you for supporting Nehemia Gordon's Makor Hebrew Foundation. Learn more at NehemiasWall.com.

Benjamin Netanyahu: Le ma’an Zion lo ekhesheh, u’l’ma’an Yerushalayim lo eshkot. (For Zion’s sake I will not be silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest. Isaiah 62:1)

Nehemia: Shalom, this is Nehemia Gordon with Hebrew Voices, and I am coming to you this week with Professor Michael Kochin of Tel Aviv University, the Department of Political Science. He did his undergrad at Harvard University and his PhD at the University of Chicago, and today, we’re going to be speaking about the cornerstone of American Jewish history. Shalom, Professor Kochin.

Professor Kochin: Hi, Nehemia.

Nehemia: We’ll be talking today about this letter written by a Jew named Jonas Phillips, who wrote to the Constitutional Convention as they were formulating the Constitution of the United States. So what was the issue here, Michael? Why is it that he wrote this letter? And then I’ll read a little bit of the letter.

Professor Kochin: So what bothers Jonas Phillips is something they have in Pennsylvania and the other states, except New York. They have religious tests for office that prohibit Jews from taking office under the state government.

Nehemia: Now, they don’t actually say Jews can’t participate in government, but the way they word it makes it impossible for a Jew to participate, right?

Professor Kochin: To take office you have to swear an oath that you believe in the Old and New Testament, which Phillips explains in his letter as something no Jew could swear.

Comments

DavidSeptember 1, 2024 at 11:29 PM

The problem I hear from you Nehemia is that you are equating religion with the oath that said I beleive in the old and new testament. The old and new testatment was never nor is not a religion! It is the old covenant writings, revealed, given to mankind by Yahovah, and the new covenant writings also given by the same Eloheim. His word is not a religion! In fact the men who were given the responsibility to write our constitution (covenant) were well versed in Blackstones commentaries, in which he writes, and I quote ” religion is a duty that we owe our creator, and the manner in which we discharge that duty. ” The writer writing James said that “religion pure and undefiled is to take care of the widows and the fatherless and keep oneself from the world.” Micah was told to write in what we call the sixth chapter that the ” whole duty of man is to do justice, show mercy and walk humbly before Yahovah.” There are many places in both the covenant writings that reiterate both of these duties. But like our forefathers we chose to call the covenant writing of our Eloheim a religion. The oath of office was not a religion that is the lie that is being propogated today and that is why we have so many problems. OUR RELIGIONS devisions brought about by man Not Yahoveh!!!!!!!!

Brandy K AndrewJuly 6, 2024 at 7:27 PM

I am looking up selah and was wondering how you pronounce it and define it?

Saul ReedJune 28, 2023 at 10:55 AM

One of my biggest prayers is that one day Jews, Christians, and Muslims will one day stop bickering with each other and realize that from the perspective of secular people (atheists, liberals, humanists, etc) there is NO difference between us. They see all “Abrahamic” people of all 3 Abrahamic religions as “bad people who are loyal to a strict, scary and dictatorial God” and thus should be considered incompatible with and enemies of modern liberal and secular societies. Those who attack Jews will eventually target Christians and Muslims. Those who attack Christians will eventually come after Jews and Muslims. Those who attack Muslims will eventually target Jews and Christians.

AnonJune 28, 2023 at 9:51 AM

Professor Kochin: So now there’s a religious test for occupation. Do you subscribe to the currently fashionable beliefs, and if you don’t, then the government feels free to deprive you of a livelihood. So that’s where we are in terms of the politics of these things right now in the United States, and it’s kind of dispiriting when you compare it to what Washington said in 1790.

Ezracha Bat Ephrayim Watchwoman On the WallJuly 7, 2017 at 6:33 AM

Knowing that “religion” is the reason we are all separated (Jews and Christian’s), I wouldn’t brag about this Constitutional amendment, since the USA is a Christian nation founded on rights that only the God of the Jews can bless us with and remove.. Fortunately for the Jew, Christian’s recognize their brotherhood. By the same token, Jews tend to stay to themselves and repel Christian’s in ther inner circle, their close family friends, and their lives in general, which is why they have neighborhoods segregated, just like Mexican’s and Muslim’s who are here illegally ad do not want to assimilate into our United States Constitution and our laws. They want to keep their own such as sharia, and infringe on OUR people. People come to the USA to worship YHWH, The Elohim of Jews and Christian’s, and not be forced by their original homeland st communist type governments. It is not just my belief, but it is written in my heart by YHWH Himself, that USA IS EPHRAYIM. As a “believer” in TORAH and the fact that Yahushua IS The Messiah, I reject religion, all of it! The world has sought to divide us and keep Christian’s from YHWH our Elohim and His Torah, and as well, the Jews from our Moshiach. If the rule still existed, at least the Christians recognized the “Old Testament,” where the Jew has never recognized the RE-NEWED Testament. As Solomon proclaimed, “There is nothing new under the sun.” The division continues, thanks to people on both sides within their separate state run religions, brought over here from their places of origin, and we are one step closer to Babylon’s New World Order, forced state religion of self, except in their religion they hate themselves, they hate Jews, and they hate Christian’s. That’s why the leftists Democrats today hate our President Trump. President Trump IS A WALL, standing as a protection between USA and the NWO.

danielJuly 2, 2017 at 2:02 AM

The greatest ‘unknown’ American revolutionary patriot also was a member of Mikveh Israel in Philly (and I think buried in the cemetery there), almost single-handedly financed the endgame at Yorktown … Haym Salomon! So where did the Jews go when expelled from England? I know that quite a lot went to Scotland. I really love these untold facts of history. The facts are there, but someone else controls the narrative(fake news?). The world’s greatest archaeologist was an amateur named Ron Watt, and most people never heard of him or think he has been debunked. Also, I heard some of Bernie Sanders grilling the Christian nominee in the Senate and it was utterly disgusting how Sanders was allowed to go on, and on, and on and no one challenged him. Thanks Nehemia – always good stuff.

MaryJune 30, 2017 at 7:04 PM

Good job, thank you!

Darlene DeSilvaJune 30, 2017 at 8:24 AM

One of the things going through my mind as you were speaking is that I have always been concerned about who is elected to any position in government. If Israel elected people to office that no longer cared for Torah…maybe shops could remain open on Sabbath. Slow erosion can happen over time. Look at the United States founded on men and women who loved and lived the teachings of the Bible….not sure if Thanksgiving was actually the Fall Feast. Christmas is a pagan holiday and was outlawed here. Elect enough people in office that no longer love the creator and His instructions and you end up with what you see in America today. We had a Muslim for a President that tried to destroy this country and was an enemy to Israel. What if enough Judges and officials are elected that start changing laws and let’s Sharia law judge over certain people. We do have a Constitution but it has been disregarded for years….someone’s religious beliefs are very important to know before you elect them.

Robert KJune 29, 2017 at 11:35 AM

This is an enlightening and timely podcast. Many Thanks to both Nehemia and Professor Kochin for sharing their research of this most relevant topic.

Linda Goode SpragueJune 28, 2017 at 1:29 PM

This is one of the best (they are al excellent) audios from Nehemia about our American and Jewish History. Certainly digs deep into our roots and brings to light why our country functions as it does.

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