Op-ed | No regrets: Rosh Hashanah, and contrition, confession, and change | amNewYork
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Op-ed | No regrets: Rosh Hashanah, and contrition, confession, and change | amNewYork
"But Jewish tradition is clear: a genuine transformation does not happen overnight or for convenience. It requires contrition, confession, and change. Without all three, there is no teshuvah or repentance, only posturing. As the Jewish community enters the Days of Awe with Rosh Hashanah on Monday evening, followed by Yom Kippur, we are reminded that transformation begins with accountability. We reflect, we acknowledge, we confess, and then we commit."
"Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, has repeatedly stated that his views have evolved. But what he presents is not regret. It is repositioning. The first step in acknowledging your mistakes is to express regret for past actions. Consider his record. In 2020, during the protests over George Floyd's murder, Mamdani declared on social media that the NYPD was racist, anti-queer & a major threat to public safety, adding: Defund it. Dismantle it. End the cycle of violence."
Genuine transformation requires contrition, confession, and change; without all three there is no teshuvah or repentance, only posturing. The Days of Awe call for reflection, acknowledgment, confession, and commitment to a new path as the foundation of accountability. Leaders should demonstrate the same framework of accountability expected of individuals. Zohran Mamdani has described his views as having evolved, but his shifts read as repositioning rather than expressed regret. His 2020 calls to defund and dismantle the NYPD contrast with his current vow to maintain police headcount and keep the commissioner, without meaningful contrition. He has also shifted positions on decriminalizing prostitution, specialized high-school entrance exams, and affiliation with the Democratic Socialists of America without offering contrition.
Read at www.amny.com
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