Ho, ho – no.
A Middle East expert and longtime resident was removed from his position as the Santa Claus of a small Long Island community this year after he criticized representatives of a Jewish organization for spreading “propaganda” for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Ken Dorph, a longtime resident of Sag Harbor, has grown his beard for the Chamber of Commerce Tour with Santa Claus — where he will ride a fire truck to the village’s iconic windmill, where he will greet young children on Dec. 9.
But just three days before the event, Dorph, 70, received an email from the president of the Chamber of Commerce, telling him he had been relieved of his duties, the New York Times reported.
He offered no explanation for the sudden change in plans, only telling Dorph he was too loud for the role.
But apparently upon being told that Dorph would be playing Santa, local synagogue members began bombarding event organizers with emails protesting his selection as St. Jolly old Nick.
They claim he made people uncomfortable during a Nov. 30 speech at a synagogue about the war in Israel when he criticized a speaker from the American Jewish Committee — a nonprofit advocacy group that supports Jews and Israel — from his seat in the audience.
Ken Dorph, 70, was fired from his position as Sag Harbor’s Santa Claus this year. Ken Dorph/Facebook
“He was very antagonistic, belittling them,” said Rona Klopman, 85, a temple member who attended the event virtually but was not involved in the email campaign.
“I can see why people wouldn’t be comfortable with him as Santa, who’s supposed to be this jolly guy trying to keep the world at peace,” he told the Times.
At the event, titled “Answering Tough Questions about Israel,” Dorph frequently voiced his frustration with the American Jewish Committee’s hour-long presentation, according to a video obtained by the Times.
He stressed that he was saddened by the war with Hamas and “desperately wants it to end,” but objected to the speaker’s characterization of several topics – including the exact wording of the Hamas charter and the relevance of the current West Bank settlements. conflict.
Things reportedly came to a head during the question-and-answer session, when Dorph yelled: “Honestly, you two could be propaganda for the Netanyahu government. I was surprised.”
Dorph had grown his beard for the role when he denounced representatives of a Jewish organization for spreading “propaganda.” Ken Dorph/Facebook
Several members of the audience looked shaken, while the speaker tried to speak politely but firmly with Dorph — who has spent more than four decades working in the Middle East as a consultant in the financial sector.
Dorph later admitted he should have left the synagogue when he was upset by what he heard, but said he expected the forum for the debate to be given the title of the presentation.
Instead, he said, it felt more like a workshop designed to equip pro-Israel advocates with answers to tough questions they might face.
“I never cursed 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” — the most complaints the chamber has ever received.
Some parents also claimed they wouldn’t have come to the event if Dorph was involved.
Dorph attended the Temple Adas Israel event “Answering Difficult 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 Claus without interruption, and put on a great event focused on the simple joy and wonder that is the holiday season.”
But Dorph still seems upset about the change of plans.
“I feel ambushed … and of course, I’m very disappointed in those who thought that canceling Santa — behind my back — was a legitimate response to my speaking out against the (actual) AJC propaganda,” he wrote on Facebook.
“I’d rather continue this discussion over drinks.”
He added that “a reporter who saw the video of the exchange at the temple said that it was ‘less hot than the Sag Harbor average [Zoning Board of Appeals] meeting,’ but of course we know that in the Hamptons, questioning the distinction for swimming pools and pickleball courts evokes emotions akin to accusations of ethnic cleansing.”
The Chamber of Commerce went with another “nameless” Santa Claus for its annual event. SagHarborChamberOfCommerce/Facebook
Dorph told the Times he now hopes to educate people about Arab culture, perhaps by creating a website or podcast.
He also said he was proud to stand out in a community of under 3,000 residents – among other things as a gay, white father of two black adopted children.
Dorph later pointed out that this was not the first time St. Nick lost his job,
“In ‘Miracle on 34th Street,’ Santa gets canceled because he’s drunk,” Dorph said, referring to the classic Christmas movie.
“I was canceled because I said something in a completely free atmosphere.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
