Several Twitter users mocked one of former President Donald Trump’s impeachment lawyers after he did an Orthodox Jewish ritual during his speech on the floor of the Senate.
The lawyer, David Schoen, paused and took a sip of water while holding the back of his head as he delivered his arguments.
Trump attorney David Schoen, who is an Orthdox Jew, covers his head to take a drink, as is Halchically required pic.twitter.com/Z5IjxMrCRE
— The Jewish Voice (@JewishVoice) February 9, 2021
This prompted some on Twitter to mock him.
Gotta love when you add a clarification to a false tweet, but you don't delete the tweet because you're too thirsty for clicks pic.twitter.com/kTMH9vTOOw
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 9, 2021
Found another one! Clicks are too good to pass up! pic.twitter.com/TWTG2LfgI9
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 9, 2021
Annnnnd another! Of course, Aaron Rupar couldn't delete his tweet because he's perhaps the Most Extremely Online person ever pic.twitter.com/cvEPLugdEN
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 9, 2021
Does the water fall out of his head, or…??
— S.E. Cupp (@secupp) February 9, 2021
Jewish Twitter users, however, quickly noted that Schoen, an Orthodox Jew, was saying a blessing over the water while covering the back of his head because he wasn’t wearing a yarmulke.
“He covers his head when drinking water because that’s what many observant Jews do,” American Jewish Committee Managing Director of Global Communications Avi Mayer tweeted. “It is generally followed by the recitation of a blessing and is an expression of religiosity. Don’t be jerks.”
He defended his use of the term “jerks” in a subsequent tweet, stating, “I invite you to check out the responses to that very tweet, including the folks who’ve characterized Schoen’s religious observance as ‘weird,’ ‘f*cking weird’ and ‘religious nonsense.’ In other words, jerks.”
David Schoen is an Orthodox Jew. He covers his head when drinking water because that's what many observant Jews do. It is generally followed by the recitation of a blessing and is an expression of religiosity. Don't be jerks.
— Avi Mayer (@AviMayer) February 9, 2021
To those who object to my use of the word "jerks," I invite you to check out the responses to that very tweet, including the folks who've characterized Schoen's religious observance as "weird," "f*cking weird" and "religious nonsense." In other words, jerks.
— Avi Mayer (@AviMayer) February 9, 2021
Jerusalem Post Senior Contributing Editor Lahav Harkov tweeted that when she was in high school, she would see Orthodox men do the ritual Schoen did every day. “In light of some of the reactions I’m seeing — I don’t think people are especially ignorant for not knowing what he’s doing. I don’t even think the vast majority of American Jews, who are not observant, would know.”
In light of some of the reactions I’m seeing – I don’t think people are especially ignorant for not knowing what he’s doing. I don’t even think the vast majority of American Jews, who are not observant, would know.
— Lahav Harkov (@LahavHarkov) February 9, 2021
The progressive Jewish organization Bend the Arc: Jewish Action tweeted, “Please stop mocking David Schoen for engaging in Jewish ritual as an observant Orthodox Jew. Please continue calling him out for making a mockery of our democracy & the concept of public speaking.”
Please stop mocking David Schoen for engaging in Jewish ritual as an observant Orthodox Jew.
Please continue calling him out for making a mockery of our democracy & the concept of public speaking.
Our Jewish community rejects his attempts to defend Trump’s violent incitement.
— Bend the Arc: Jewish Action (@jewishaction) February 9, 2021
After leaving office, Trump was impeached for the second time for allegedly inciting the January 6 riot that led to the storming of the Capitol building. If convicted, Trump would be unable to run for office ever again.
