Marjorie Taylor Greene Mocked for Yom Kippur Gaffe

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene was ridiculed on social media after posting a Yom Kippur message that included an image of a Hanukkah menorah.

Many people were quick to point out that the firebrand Republican's post on X, formerly Twitter, included a menorah, which has nothing to do with Yom Kippur. Some social media users mocked the lawmaker, saying that it would be similar to a person wishing Christians a Happy Easter with a photo of a Christmas tree or Santa Claus.

Yom Kippur, the holiest of days on the Jewish calendar, begins at sundown on Sunday and ends Monday night. It's a holiday observed by fasting and atoning for sins.

MTG Mocked for Yom Kippur Post
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene arrives for a House Republican caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol on September 14, 2023 in Washington, DC. Greene on Sunday was mocked over her post on social media about... Kevin Dietsch/Getty

Greene, on her RepMTG account on X, posted the holiday message on Sunday.

"To all those preparing for the solemn day of Yom Kippur, I wish you a meaningful fast," Greene posted, originally with an image of a menorah. "Gamar Chasima Tova!"

Newsweek reached out via email on Sunday to Greene's representatives for comment.

While the picture of the menorah has since been deleted, some critics said the congresswoman should have also apologized for the gaffe.

The Georgia Republican has been criticized numerous times for supporting far-right remarks and conspiracy theories, including her "Jewish space lasers" controversy.

After left-leaning Media Matters unearthed one of Greene's old Facebook posts in 2021, it continues to ignite waves of criticism over her posting a baseless conspiracy theory tinged with antisemitic tropes. In the now-deleted post, Greene implied that the Rothschilds, a wealthy Jewish banking family frequently targeted in antisemitic conspiracy theories, had a hand in profiting from California wildfires.

Greene said when the post was shared to Facebook in 2018 that she was just a "regular American" and she "did not know" the Rothschild family had been at the center of antisemitic conspiracies since the 19th century.

Greene's Yom Kippur post ignited a new wave of backlash on social media Sunday evening.

Representative Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat, responded to her holiday message on Sunday afternoon. In his post, Moskowitz corrected the Republican for her slip-up and used it as an opportunity to deride his frequent rival.

"That's a picture for Chanukah," he posted on X. "Different Jewish Holiday. Yom Kippur is where you atone for your sins. Lord knows you will be very busy."

Far-right activist and congressional candidate Laura Loomer taunted Greene in response to the post, referring to the congresswoman as "Ms. Jewish Space lasers."

"Ms. Jewish Space lasers posted a menorah on Twitter today for #YomKippur," Loomer posted. "Wrong Jewish holiday, @mtgreenee Yom Kippur is about atonement. Something I don't think you know much about."

Political satirist Jeremy Newberger also took a jab at Greene, quipping, "Hurry up, let's light the Yom Kippur menorah."

Brett Meiselas, the co-founder of the anti-Donald Trump political action committee Meidas Touch, lashed out at Greene in a reply to her deleted post.

"Menorah? Wrong holiday, you anti-Semitic POS." Meiselas wrote.

In a follow-up post, Meiselas continued his criticism of Greene, referring to the lawmaker as an "anti-Semitic maniac."

"Frankly, Jews don't need an anti-Semitic maniac who gives speeches at Nazi events sending out holiday messages in the first place," he posted, referencing Greene in 2022 speaking at a far-right conference founded by white nationalist Nick Fuentes.

Bill Prady, co-creator of The Big Bang Theory, took aim at Greene's "bad Hebrew" in a post on X.

"She deleted the Hanukkah menorah, but she kept the bad Hebrew. 'ChaTima,' Prady posted.

Uncommon Knowledge

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About the writer


Maura Zurick is the Newsweek Weekend Night Editor based in Cleveland, Ohio. Her focus is reporting on U.S. national news ... Read more

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