Ho, ho… no.
A Middle East expert and longtime resident was fired from his position as Santa Claus of his small Long Island community this year after criticizing representatives of a Jewish organization for spreading “propaganda” in favor of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Longtime Sag Harbor resident Ken Dorph had been growing his beard for the Chamber of Commerce’s visit to Santa Claus, in which he would ride a fire truck to the town’s iconic windmill , where I would greet little children in December. 9.
But just three days before the event, Dorph, 70, received an email from the president of the Chamber of Commerce, informing him that he had been relieved of his duties, the New York Times reports.
She offered no explanation for the abrupt change of plans, only telling Dorph that he was too blunt for the role.
But apparently when word spread that Dorph would be playing Santa, members of a local synagogue began bombarding event organizers with emails objecting to his casting as jolly old St. Nicholas.
They claimed he made people uncomfortable during a Nov. 30 talk at the synagogue about the war in Israel when he harshly criticized speakers from the American Jewish Committee, a nonprofit advocacy group that supports the Jewish people and Israel. , from his seat in the audience.
Ken Dorph, 70, was fired from his position as Sag Harbor’s Santa this year. Ken Dorph/Facebook
“It was very antagonistic, putting them down,” said Rona Klopman, 85, a temple member who attended the event virtually but did not participate in the email campaign.
“I could see why people wouldn’t feel comfortable with him as Santa, who is supposed to be a jolly guy trying to keep peace in the world,” he told the Times.
At the event, titled “Answering Tough Questions About Israel,” Dorph frequently expressed frustration with the American Jewish Committee’s hour-long presentation, according to a video obtained by the Times.
He stressed that he was heartbroken by the war with Hamas and “desperately wanted it to end,” but objected to speakers’ characterizations of several issues, including the exact wording of Hamas’s charter and the relevance of West Bank settlements to the Current situation. conflict.
It all reportedly came to a head during a question-and-answer session, when Dorph shouted: “Honestly, you two could have just been propaganda for the Netanyahu government. “I am dismayed.”
Dorph had been growing a beard for the role when he criticized representatives of a Jewish organization for spreading “propaganda.” Ken Dorph/Facebook
Some audience members were visibly shaken, as speakers attempted to engage politely but sternly with Dorph, who has spent more than four decades working in the Middle East as a financial sector consultant.
Dorph later acknowledged that he should have left the synagogue when he became upset with what he was hearing, but said he expected a forum for debate given the title of the presentation.
Instead, he said, it was more like a workshop designed to equip pro-Israel advocates with answers to the difficult questions they might face.
“I never said a bad word or stood up or threatened anyone, but it was hot under the collar and I regret it,” Dorph told the Times.
Afterward, Ellen Dioguardi, president of the Chamber of Commerce, said she received 11 emails from synagogue members asking her to “find a different Santa Claus,” the most complaints the chamber had ever received.
Some parents even stated that they would not attend the event if Dorph was involved.
Dorph attended the Adas Israel Temple event “Answering Tough Questions About Israel” on November 30 as a guest. google maps
Amid the backlash, Dioguardi told the Times: “We were able to find an anonymous Santa without distractions and had a great event focused on the simple joy and wonder that is the Christmas season.”
But Dorph still seems upset about the change in plans.
“I felt ambushed… and of course, I am deeply disappointed by those who thought that canceling Santa, behind my back, was a valid response to my speech against AJC propaganda (which it was),” he wrote on Facebook.
“I would have preferred to continue this discussion over drinks.”
He added that “a reporter who saw a video of the exchange at the temple said there was ‘less heat than the average for Sag Harbor.’ [Zoning Board of Appeals] meeting,’ but of course we know that in the Hamptons, questioning variances for pools and pickleball courts generates emotions similar to accusations of ethnic cleansing.”
The Chamber of Commerce chose another “anonymous” Santa Claus for its annual event. ChamberOfCommerceSagHarbor/Facebook
Dorph told the Times that he now hopes to educate people about Arab cultures, perhaps by creating a website or podcast.
He also said he was proud to stand out in the community of fewer than 3,000 residents, including as a white, gay father of two adopted black children.
Dorph then went on to point out that this was not the first time St. Nick had lost his job.
“In ‘Miracle on 34th Street,’ Santa got written off because he was drunk,” Dorph said, referring to the classic Christmas movie.
“They canceled me because I said something in a completely independent environment.”
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Source: vtt.edu.vn