Rabbi Asher Meza is an outspoken rabbi known for his controversial takes on Judaism — his website purports to be “the only Orthodox organization in the world that actively encourages Jewish Conversion among the masses” — and politics. Staunchly Republican and committed to conservative values, his views consistently raise eyebrows among his more moderate coreligionists. Recently, Rabbi Meza expressed positive feelings for the far-right wing organization the Proud Boys in a Zoom class he was giving, saying of himself, “I may be a future proud boy. I already went to 2 meetings.”
TribeHerald caught up with him today to ask him about this, his opinions on the recent protests in Boro Park, and on politics in general:
Author Andrea Karshan recently wrote regarding the class where Rabbi Meza initially referred to himself as a potential future Proud Boy:
The first few times I attended Rabbi Asher Meza’s zooms, which are live-streamed on YouTube, I must admit I did kind of fall for the trap. Rabbi Meza is a captivating speaker, full of Torah knowledge with an interesting take on Judaism. Many people call his views on Judaism heresy…
After attending a few zooms and looking at a few videos on his YouTube channel, I thought to myself this Rabbi shouldn’t be guiding any converts which seems to be the main thing he does as a Rabbi besides YouTube videos. Meza does mass conversions once a month where he lives in North Miami Beach..He is very supportive of Messianic Jews as long as they are “following the Torah”. He doesn’t believe that lineage matters. He thinks being a secular Jew has no Jewish value…He has said in his zooms (live-streamed on YouTube, sometimes deleted later) that he would convert ex-convicts including felons and “reformed” pedophiles…
Meza said that he may one day be a future Proud Boy. He said he had attended two Proud Boy meetings, then corrected himself and said it was only one. He said he was with the Proud Boys two days before then and was joining them again on Sunday at a BLM protest. He called it “his chapter” of the Proud Boys. He said that he is a prospect member of the Proud Boys. He said it would take a few months to become a full member. Meza says, if you agree with what he teaches, join the Proud Boys. But he says the Proud Boys expect you to be able to fight. He said the Proud Boys are violent. Meza also says if you want to make a difference join the Proud Boys. And then he shared their website on the show. “Moshiach will be a Proud Boy” Meza said laughing.
In his interview with TribeHerald, Rabbi Meza notes that he is anti-mask, questions COVID policy, discusses Black Lives Matter, and refers to the Proud Boys as an “anti-racist” organization whose regional leader is in contact with him. The full, unedited interview is above. I attempt to let him have free reign to share his views, for viewers to be able to hear him, virtually unchallenged.