“When Rabbi Shifren recounts his life journey he takes one both on an adventure and a path of inspiration. It is refreshing to hear about how one discovers G-d in unexpected places. His life’s experiences and humor make him uniquely able to present an empowering message of hope and purpose.”
Rabbi Eliezer Wolf, Chabad of Aventura, Florida, November, 2015
Controversial rabbi to speak at Republican meeting
Rabbi Nachum Shifren holds contentious views, and he does not deny it.
The orthodox Jew spoke out against the hostile Muslim state, at a counter-sharia demonstration in Dearborn, Michigan — known as the Muslim capitol of America — a half decade ago. He said he was speaking to the jihadist community and believes he would have been harmed had it not been for the police.
He also authored a book published in 2001 about his tenure as a school teacher within the Los Angeles Unified School District. It was there he saw constant death threats from students, along with other professional adversity.
“I am obviously a controversial figure,” Shifren said. “I get the message out.”
On Wednesday, he will be in Angels Camp — to speak about jihad in the schools.
Shifren is also known as the “Surfing Rabbi,” a nickname that stuck after he got his ordination from a seminary in Jerusalem in 1991.
“It’s an education thing,” said Shifren, who ran for the California U.S. Senate seat as a member of the Tea Party in 2012.
The point of his presentation, set at 7 p.m. in the Fireside Room at the Greenhorn Creek Resort, is to raise awareness about a subject that might be neglected in the region. Shifren said that a jihad attack is not likely to occur in rural location.
“Calaveras County is not a place they’ll be active,” Shifren said. “Jihad states are more active in the main cities of America.”
Shifren said that the subject could be relevant to the acommunity though threat levels are virtually nonexistent. He believes that since the country is at war with what he considers the radical Islam, they should understand what is going on just as the youth understood the concepts of World War II in the early 1940s.
Shifren was invited to speak by the Republican Party of Calaveras County. Vicky Reinke, chairwoman of the organization, said the rabbi was recommended by the chair of the Amador Republicans.
He is a good friend of the chairperson, Reinke said. And he was in town.
Reinke said that the subject does not apply locally, and she is not worried about the schools locally. But, because it is such a prominent national and international topic, they decided to invite the rabbi.
“We try to bring in things to help. So many people come into our meetings and want to talk about what is happening in Washington, D.C.,” Reinke said. “I’ve never met him. He’s never met me. I think the topic is very pertinent. I’m anxious to meet him. It will be a different perspective. I think it’s good for people to understand.”
