Is the Law of the Land the Law for KJ?

Ten years ago, Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun’s Rabbi Haskel Lookstein made national headlines by withdrawing from his commitment to deliver an invocation at the 2016 Republican National Convention. A decade later, his successor, Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz, has made the opposite decision with increasing fervor.

To those with any knowledge of New York Jewish life, it came as no surprise that Lookstein was asked to deliver the RNC invocation in 2016. He had overseen Ivanka Trump’s conversion and was a nationally recognized rabbinic figure. However, Lookstein bowed out when faced with opposition from many KJ congregants and Ramaz alumni who argued that his presence would condone Trump’s hate-filled rhetoric. In a July 15, 2025, email, Lookstein wrote that “politics divides people” and that his “life had been devoted to uniting a community.” Lookstein stated that he accepted the speaking request out of respect for Ivanka but had since asked to be relieved of his commitment.

Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun is home to some of the most politically well-connected Jews in the country, and indeed, the world. Its broader community includes or has included Attorney General Michael Mukasey, Senator Joseph Lieberman, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, and Israeli President Isaac Herzog. KJ’s pulpit is one of national import, and Lookstein’s public about-face marked a rare misstep for an otherwise savvy leader who regularly interfaced with elected officials.

Yet, while communal politics and propriety alone were sufficient to cause Lookstein to rethink his political engagement in 2016, it is not clear that the law itself is even capable of constraining his successor a decade later.

On several occasions over the past year, Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun has posted impassioned videos of Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz on Instagram and other social media platforms speaking about matters of public concern. Many of these videos address support for Israel and rising antisemitism, which are well within the bounds of the law. However, other posts have increasingly gone past mere education, lobbying, or issue advocacy into the prohibited realm of political activity.

For example, in a June 9, 2026, Instagram post from Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun’s official account, Steinmetz explicitly called for viewers to “vote for Espaillat” and “give money to Senator Susan Collins.” The words were written across the screen in bright yellow letters so as to remove any doubt as to what was said.

In another video from August 2025, Steinmetz engaged in a lengthy attack against then-candidate Zohran Mamdani, urging viewers to mobilize themselves, their friends, and the friends of their friends to vote as part of a movement to “beat Mamdani.” The video had nearly 5,000 likes on Instagram alone.

On June 14, 2026, Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun posted a photo of Steinmetz with an “I Voted” sticker and a caption that called upon viewers to participate in the election to replace retiring Congressman Nadler. Steinmetz replied to the post nearly immediately, stating, “In my personal capacity, I have endorsed @micahlasher Micah Lasher for Congress, and urge all my friends to vote for him.” The public biographical line on Steinmetz’s Instagram account, as of this writing, states “Rabbi, Kehilath Jeshurun, NYC” without any modifier or disclaimer.

As recently as June 15, the synagogue posted a clip of Steinmetz on Shai Davidai’s podcast explaining that his decision to get involved in politics was motivated by the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack. Steinmetz stated that “there’s always a time when there’s an exception [to avoiding politics], and this was the exception.” The podcast has over 28,000 Instagram followers.

To some, these statements might seem trivial. However, they are not. 501(c)(3) organizations benefit from both tax-exempt status and the deductibility of donations to them. In exchange, such organizations are prohibited from engaging in political activity through a provision known as the Johnson Amendment. The IRS website makes this clear by stating that “all section 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office.” Written or verbal public statements in favor of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office violate this law and failure to abide by it can result in the revocation of an organization’s tax-exempt status.

Non-profit professionals know this law well, which is why it is so shocking to see what appear to be repeated violations from such an established institution. What is more, these are not spur-of-the-moment posts from a single individual. Rather, they are highly stylized videos with graphic overlays, background music, and other videographic enhancements that feel more like political attack ads than informative materials from a house of worship. Whether or not these posts have been discussed and approved by KJ’s Board remains unclear—although they certainly should be a matter of great concern.

To be fair, not everyone supports the Johnson Amendment. President Trump has repeatedly called for it to be abolished, and some have claimed that it is an unconstitutional restriction on free speech. A recent lawsuit almost resulted in a private agreement for the IRS to allow certain churches to engage in some measure of political activity in certain contexts. However, even that limited liberalization was subsequently overturned. The Johnson Amendment is therefore good law that is binding upon all 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Those who seek to safeguard their tax-exempt status and promote communal unity would be wise to adhere to it.

-After all, the law of the land is the law, even when inconvenient.