Article on Secretary of War

From: (Name withheld)
Date: April 29, 2026 at 8:34:14 PM MDT
To: [email protected]
Subject: Article on Secretary of War

Hey Mikey,
I saw that article you wrote.
I am an orthodox Jewish rabbi.
You are the worst kinda Jew.
You are Erev Rav. A fake Jew.

Pretty dirty tbh.

Pete Hegseth has done more for the Jewish people than you ever will.

Shalom achi

Response from MRFF Supporter Rabbi Joel Schwartzman

From: Rabbi Joel Schwartzman
Subject: RE: Article on Secretary of War
Date: April 30, 2026 at 7:55:29 AM MDT

Yo (Name withheld)!  When you identify yourself as an “orthodox Jewish rabbi,” you reveal just what a fraud you are.  Tell me, friend, do you know any other kind of rabbi than a Jewish one?  Your self-identifier is most laughable.  The rest of what you have to say is simply and equally pathetically wrong.

Pete Hegseth’s framing of this war with Iran as a “crusade” is despicable on many levels, but let’s begin with a simple one.  Making the war a religious battle between Christianity and Islam is certainly not going to win the United States many friends in the Middle East most of whose inhabitants are Muslim.  Hegseth mis-characterizes what this war is about and you as an alleged Jew buy into his false framing?  Mikey Weinstein and the MRFF rightfully take Hegseth to task about this direly stupid and bigoted position which has served to alienate millions rather than win supporters.

In point of fact, Hegseth has done nothing for us Jews except to enrage the region with a false flag claim.  His flag has an enormous, white nationalist, far-right evangelical Christian cross on it.  It besmirches and damages the efforts of every service person who is engaged in this conflict, for, it surely isn’t for Hegseth’s flag for which they are fighting.  Theirs is a defense of the United States, its Constitution and its values, not of religion.  The fact that you don’t get that makes you look like a fool.

So, once again, my orthodox (normally spelled with an capital “O”), Jewish rabbi (oy, what a farce!) comrade, you are certainly entitled to your opinion, but you belong in that category of ignorant people who attempt to throw barbs when you have absolutely no understanding of what you are saying.  My advice is for you to write less screed and do more study.  Any Orthodox Jew worth his salt, especially a rabbi,  would agree that your attempt to enter into this arena is wholly misguided.  They might even say that it is sick.  I can’t even say that it was a “nice try.” From any Jewish perspective, it misses the mark and, as a rabbi you’d know that constitutes “sinning.”

Rabbi Joel R. Schwartzman, Ch, Col (Ret), USAF

Response from MRFF Supporter Rabbi Arthur Flicker

From: ARTHUR FLICKER
Date: April 30, 2026 at 9:58:05 AM MDT
To: [email protected]
Subject: Mikey Weinstein

Shalom Rav

I have been honored to be the rabbi for the Weinstein family for nearly 25 years. Mikey’s father, Mikey and both of Mikey’s sons served in the US Military helping to protect us and allow us the freedom to express our opinions, as you have recently done in an email to Mikey

I will tell you that I completely disagree.

Jews and other religious minorities in the US military have, unfortunately, faced discrimination and pressure to convert for the entirety of our 250 years of American history. During my service in the US Army, my commanders attempted to prevent me from observing the HHD.

Today, Secretary Hegseth has pushed a pro fundamentalist Christion agenda within the DOD. He holds Christian services regularly, in the Pentagon, using his own personal invitations and using only fundamentalist Christian leaders, some of whom advocate for a Christian US government, using Christian law, including taking away the vote from women. He has publicly called for a military that holds a sword in one hand and a New Testament in the other. He has called the war against Iran as a holy war against Islam. 

I know, not only from my own experiences, but also from stories I am told personally by current members of the military as well as the reports told my MIkey, that the current leadership of the military has no problems ignoring military law and attempting to force Jewish military personnel to attend Christian Bible classes and other programs.

My father and uncle served in WWII. I served. I have a cousin buried in Normandy. All done to protect our Constitutional rights to religious freedom. Mikey is continuing that tradition by fighting for the rights of military personnel to pray, study, believe whatever they wish. That, my colleague, is VERY good for the Jewish People. 

Mikey and his family have faced numerous threats, including on their lives, to provide this help for Jewish military and all who wish it. I would hope you would congratulate and thank him for that, rather than condemning him.

Shabbat Shalom