The Israel-based Modern Orthodox network Ohr Torah Stone pushed back strongly against allegations made by conservative commentator Candace Owens, who claimed that the group’s founding rabbi tried to bribe Christian pastors to speak out against her during church sermons, JTA reports.
Owens, who has previously courted controversy with remarks widely regarded as antisemitic, repeated the claim both on her podcast and on her X account. She posted what she said was a copy of a letter from Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, allegedly sent to an unidentified pastor, suggesting the rabbi offered Bitcoin as an incentive for pastors to deliver anti-Owens and anti-Tucker Carlson messages.
“Noticing an increase in anti ‘Candace and Tucker’ content,” Owens wrote in her post on X, sharing screenshots of the supposed email. “Today we showed you verifiable proof that Rabbis in Israel are offering, among other things, BITCOIN to pastors to preach against us on Sunday. Read the email from Rabbi Shlomo Riskin! THIS IS DEMONIC.”
Rabbi Riskin, originally from the United States, founded Ohr Torah Stone and served as its first chancellor. The organization also created the Hertog Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation, the interfaith initiative referenced in the email Owens publicized.
In the document shared by Owens — which she claimed was authenticated via “screen recordings” — the sender offers the pastor “a donation of $2,500 in Bitcoin to your congregation” in return for a summary or recording of remarks that would promote “awareness, compassion, and caution when engaging with media voices that spread division under the cover of opinion.”
The message goes on to single out Owens and Carlson directly, accusing them of using speech that “lately has crossed a line” and “veered into rhetoric that echoes classic antisemitic tropes.”
Rabbi Kenneth Brander, President and Rosh Yeshiva of Ohr Torah Stone, took to X to categorically reject the accusation, calling it “entirely false, baseless, and defamatory.”
A spokesperson for Ohr Torah Stone reiterated the denial in a comment to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), stating that the email Owens shared “does not originate from the organization.”
Following a request from JTA for clarification, Rabbi Brander issued a statement via email, slamming the accusations. “Rabbi Riskin and Ohr Torah Stone don’t spend time thinking about Candace Owens,” the statement said. “We are entirely focused on our mission of educating the next generation, supporting agunot [women whose husbands deny them a Jewish divorce], and building bridges between all segments of society and different faiths.”
“We do not engage in smear campaigns, and we certainly don’t make unsolicited offers — Bitcoin or otherwise — to anyone. The claim is absurd and bears no connection to reality,” the statement added.
Although once considered a prominent voice in conservative political circles, Owens has lost favor with some on the right due to her rhetoric, which critics say increasingly flirts with antisemitism. Nevertheless, she remains influential on social media, boasting around 6.9 million followers on X.
{Matzav.com}
I wonder what his mentor and role-model Yeishu would say to him.
You are both lunatics no bribery necessary to criticize u
Why is this ugly antisemite newsworthy? Please don’t post pictures of reshaim.
She is such a “nisht”, I can’t imagine anyone who has just a little something else to do or be busy with even remembering the fact that she exists (existed?). But I guess when news is slow for you, this is a way to kick it up a notch
What makes her an anti-semite? She has nothing against the Jewish people. She does have strong opinions against the Zionist government which is her constitutional right. That does not make her an anti-semite. Stop playing the anti-semite card!
“What makes her an anti-semite?” – contxet and history of her videoes. She is the person (and I watched that video myself) who accused Israel of confining Muslims into the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem and forbidding Muslims from moving to anywhere else in Jerusalem. Her alleged source was some alleged Rabbi who allegedly gave her a tour.
Are you retarded? She hates Jews too. Even the things she says about Israel don’t make her anti semitic ( which is a pretty dumb take ) she has plenty to say about rabbis and the Talmud to make her anti semitic. Don’t forget she’s a Catholic nut. It should be pretty obvious.
No need to give this little black girl any additional attention. She should of gotten a good spanking as a kid.
The article calls this a “letter” and also calls it an “email”. Which is it?