Archive 2014

Rabbinical Assembly Prays for Safe Return of Kidnapped Israelis

rabbsuperuser — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 19:27:08 +0000

Rabbinical Assembly Prays for Safe Return of Kidnapped Israelis rabbsuperuser Mon, 06/16/2014 - 15:27

In response to the kidnapping of three Israeli students, Eyal Yifrach, Naftali Frenkel, and Gilad Shaar, the Rabbinical Assembly issued the following statement (along with this prayer).

Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, Executive Vice President, said:

We join with our Israeli brothers and sisters, our Jewish brethren around the world, and concerned governments and NGOs in condemning the kidnapping of three innocent students. We join with millions of others in praying for their safe return. In light of Israeli and American assessments that the kidnapping was carried out by terrorists, possibly Hamas, we also call for the full measure of justice to be brought upon the perpetrators of this cowardly attack once they are conclusively identified.

Rabbi William Gershon, President, added:

It is despicable that the enemies of Israel choose to attack her by striking at children and students of Torah, which represent two of our most precious values. Yet we take solace in the knowledge that, as it has done before, the State of Israel will work tirelessly to bring back these boys. We pray that the words of Jeremiah, that our children will find hope and return to their homes, will come to pass, and that Eyal, Naftali, and Gilad will soon be peacefully reunited with their families.

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Prayer for Safe Return of Kidnapped Israelis

rabbsuperuser — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 18:10:24 +0000

Prayer for Safe Return of Kidnapped Israelis rabbsuperuser Mon, 06/16/2014 - 14:10

The Rabbinical Assembly released the following prayer (along with this statement), written by Rabbi Tamar Elad Appelbaum and translated by Rabbi Peretz Rodman, for the safe return of the missing students.

God of Israel,
Beneficent sovereign of all Creation,
enable us now
to have true faith
and to pray and to call out to You
with plea after plea,
so that our cry might rise
to the very Gates of Mercy,
to Mercy itself.
And all reality shall be turned around
so that relief, rescue, and life
may be the lot of those young men,
Ya’akov Naftali ben Rahel (Frenkel),
Gil-ad Micha’el ben Bat-Galim (Shaar)
and Eyal ben Iris Teshura (Yifrach).
Act on their behalf, Lord,
take up their cause without delay,
and may You grant them life and blessing forevermore.
So may it be Your will,
and let us say: Amen.

אֵל אֱלֹהֵי יִשְֹרָאֵל
מֶלֶךְ ֹשֶרַחֲמָיו עַל כָּל מַעֲשָֹיו
תֵּן בָּנוּ בָּעֵת הַזֹּאת
ֹֹשֶתִּהְיֶה בָנוּ מִדַּת אֱמוּנָה
וְנִתְפַּלֵּל וְנִתְחַנֵּן אַחֲרֶיךָ
,תְּחִנָּה אַחַר תְּחִנָּה
כְּדֵי ֹשֶתַּעֲלֶה ֹשַוְעָתֵנוּ
וְתָבֹא עַד מְקוֹם ֹשַעַר הַחֶסֶד
.עַד נְקֻדַּת הַחֶסֶד
וּתְהַפֵּך אֶת הַכֹּל לְמַעַן יָבֹאוּ
רֶוַח וְהַצָּלָה וְחַיִּים לַנְּעַרִים
(יַעֲקֹב נַפְתָּלִי בֶּן רָחֵל (פְרֶנְקֶל
(גִּיל-עַד מִיכָאֵל בֶּן בַּת גַּלִים (ֹשַעַאר
.(אֶיָל בֶּן אִירִיס תֹּשוּרָה (יִפְרָח
עֲשֵֹה לְמַעַנָם אֱלֹהֵינוּ
עֲשֵֹה וְאַל תְאַחֵר
וְהוֹשִיעֵם אֱלֹהֵי יִֹשְעֵנוּ
.וְאַתָּה תַּנְחִילֵם חַיִּים וּבְרָכָה עַד הָעוֹלָם
.וְכֵן יְהִי רָצוֹן וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן

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Rabbinical Assembly Extends Congratulations to President-elect Reuven Rivlin

rabbsuperuser — Tue, 10 Jun 2014 19:22:13 +0000

Rabbinical Assembly Extends Congratulations to President-elect Reuven Rivlin rabbsuperuser Tue, 06/10/2014 - 15:22

In response to the Israeli Knesset’s election of Reuven Rivlin as the country’s next president, the Rabbinical Assembly issued the following statement.

Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, Executive Vice President, said:

The Rabbinical Assembly extends warm congratulations to Reuven Rivlin on his election as Israel’s next president. We hope that he will continue the tradition set by President Shimon Peres and the vast majority of Israeli presidents of open dialogue between his office and the Rabbinical Assembly. We look forward to cultivating a working relationship with President-elect Rivlin that will strengthen the solidarity of the Jewish people, across movements and continents, and that will recognize the healthy pluralism that exists among our people.

Rabbi William Gershon, President, added:

The Rabbinical Assembly anticipates meaningful open dialogue with President-elect Reuven Rivlin and is eager to work with him on the issues Israel faces today and moving forward. We are encouraged that he has close familial ties to the Conservative/Masorti Movement including Rabbi Solomon Rivlin, z”l, ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary, who served as a United Synagogue Regional Director and Gerald Rivlin, z”l, an esteemed lay leader, Conservative synagogue president, and benefactor of the Jewish Theological Seminary.

We look forward to forging a new relationship with Israel’s latest President as he steps into this new leadership role. We wish President Shimon Peres and the Peres Center for Peace continued success in his work to cultivate tolerance and cooperation between Israel and its Mideast neighbors.

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RA Praises Israeli Response to Palestinian Unity Government, Calls for International Rejection of Terrorism

rabbsuperuser — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 20:29:54 +0000

RA Praises Israeli Response to Palestinian Unity Government, Calls for International Rejection of Terrorism rabbsuperuser Mon, 06/02/2014 - 16:29

NEW YORK – In the aftermath of the announcement of a Palestinian unity agreement between the Fatah-run Palestinian Authority and the terrorist organization Hamas, and in response to the formation of a new Palestinian government, the Rabbinical Assembly issued the following statement:

Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, Executive Vice President, said:

We support Prime Minister Netanyahu’s refusal to recognize the new Palestinian unity government. This cautious approach is the most logical course of action given the violent track record of Hamas, an organization responsible for murdering and terrorizing countless Israelis. We hope to see evidence soon of President Mahmoud Abbas’s claim that the new cabinet will renounce violence and recognize Israel’s right to exist, but we believe that such words must be backed up with actions before Israeli, American, or international governments fully endorse them. We hope that this deal foreshadows Hamas renouncing its anti-Semitic hatred of Israel and its reliance on terrorism, but in the meantime we view its unrepentant attitude toward past actions as a roadblock to true peace.

Rabbi William Gershon, President, added:

It is unacceptable to unreservedly embrace this government as it would give implicit sanction to Hamas’ previous actions at a time when we should be working to ensure that all representatives of the Palestinian government have forsworn commitments to violence and destruction. We call on world leaders to consider the gravity of Hamas’s stated goal of destroying the State of Israel and its inhabitants, and to withhold unconditional support from this new government until Hamas renounces its murderous platform.

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Rabbinical Assembly Condemns Russian and Chinese Veto of UN Resolution on Syria

rabbsuperuser — Tue, 27 May 2014 20:08:23 +0000

Rabbinical Assembly Condemns Russian and Chinese Veto of UN Resolution on Syria rabbsuperuser Tue, 05/27/2014 - 16:08

In response to the failure of a proposed resolution to the UN Security Council to refer the Syrian civil war to the International Criminal Court, the Rabbinical Assembly issued the following statement.

Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, Executive Vice President, said:

We are saddened and angered by the Russian and Chinese governments’ obstruction of justice through their votes to veto the Security Council’s referral of the bloodshed in Syria to an international prosecutor for investigation. Jewish tradition teaches the importance of the principle “lo ta’amod al dam re’echa,” not to stand by the blood of one’s neighbor, and it is unconscionable for Russian and Chinese officials to deny justice to the more than 160,000 Syrians who have died as well as those who will die in the future as a result of our inability to end this conflict. As noted by US ambassador to the UN Samantha Power, atrocities have been committed by all sides, and we as an international community must hold those parties accountable for their cruel disregard for human life and dignity. To turn a blind eye to this situation is a violation of our deeply held Jewish—and indeed, our basic human—value for life.

Rabbi William Gershon, President, added:

It is a tragedy that after cooperating with international partners last year to dismantle the Syrian government’s supply of chemical weapons, the Russian government, as the first party to announce it would veto this resolution, has led the charge to obstruct justice in the latest round of diplomatic efforts. We call upon Russian and Chinese officials to change their actions in order to bring justice to the 160,000 murdered Syrians, as well as the two million who have been displaced by fighting, and we urge the United States government, the UN, and our other international partners not to let this setback deter them from their efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people.

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Rabbinical Assembly Reacts to Santa Barbara Shooting

rabbsuperuser — Sun, 25 May 2014 19:06:15 +0000

Rabbinical Assembly Reacts to Santa Barbara Shooting rabbsuperuser Sun, 05/25/2014 - 15:06

In the aftermath of the most recent gun violence tragedy, that took place on Friday night at University of California, Santa Barbara, the Rabbinical Assembly issued the following statement:

Rabbi Bill Gershon, President stated:

As we mourn the deaths of six young adults and pray for the recovery of 13 other victims, we call upon gun advocates to look upon the scourge and the sorrow of a nation awash in lethal weapons. In our sorrow and our outrage we hold up the words of Richard Martinez, father of victim Chris Martinez whose plaintive query haunts us: “When will this insanity stop?”

Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, Executive Vice President, added:

It is no longer possible for the gun lobby to merely point to the individual shooters and distance themselves from the moral responsibility of a pandemic of gun violence. The suffering of individuals with personal demons is repeatedly escalated to a national tragedy due to the ready availability of lethal weapons. The Bible enjoins us not to “place stumbling blocks before the blind” and yet this injunction is abrogated every day as our country is so inundated with weapons meant for war and violence that our nation no longer enjoys a day of peace. The Rabbinical Assembly stands with people of faith and conscience and demands that attention be paid to the rights of Americans to walk the street without the fear that a nation awash in guns might turn any troubled individual into a domestic terrorist whom our nation has set loose upon itself.

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Conservative Movement Reacts to a Weekend of International Anti-Semitic Attacks

rabbsuperuser — Sun, 25 May 2014 19:03:41 +0000

Conservative Movement Reacts to a Weekend of International Anti-Semitic Attacks rabbsuperuser Sun, 05/25/2014 - 15:03

In response to a weekend of multiple anti-semitic attacks on Jews and Jewish institutions including the brutal murder of four people at the Jewish Museum in Brussels and the savage beating of two Jews outside a synagogue in Creteil, France, Masorti Olami, the World Council of Conservative/Masorti Synagogues, Chir Hadach the Masorti Community in Brussels, and the Rabbinical Assembly, the international association of Conservative/Masorti rabbis issued the following statement:

Patrick Poty, The President of the Chir Hadach, remarked:

The Masorti Community of Brussels is shocked by the anti-Semitic attack at the Jewish museum in Brussels, a place devoted to teaching about Judaism and the history of the Jews of Belgium. We extend our sympathy and offers of assistance to the families of those tragically murdered.

Rabbi Tzvi Graetz commented:

As people of faith around the world watch the historic visit of Pope Francis to Israel in the company of our Masorti colleague Rabbi Abraham Skorka and Muslim leader Omar Abboud, we must remark on the urgent need of religious leaders to speak out against anti-Semitism and all crimes motivated by hate.

Rabbi Julie Schonfeld added:

On May 14^th, 2014 at our convention in Dallas, the Rabbinical Assembly passed a Resolution on Disturbing Trends in Europe of Concern to Jews and Other Religious Minorities in which we noted " a precipitous rise in the number of physical attacks against Jews and Jewish institutions.” We call upon all governments in Europe and around the world to take increased measures to ensure the safety of their Jewish communities.

The Conservative/Masorti Movement in Europe and around the world stands together in solidarity with bereaved families of victims and with our brothers and sisters whose safety is endangered as they go about lives of peace and productivity. We stand ready to work with leaders of all faiths to educate and to end the scourge of hatred and bigotry that endangers not only Jews, but all people.

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RA Applauds House of Representatives’ Actions to Combat Human Trafficking

rabbsuperuser — Thu, 22 May 2014 18:32:55 +0000

RA Applauds House of Representatives’ Actions to Combat Human Trafficking rabbsuperuser Thu, 05/22/2014 - 14:32

In response to multiple bills passed by the House of Representatives Tuesday that would help combat human trafficking within the United States, including the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2014 (H.R. 3530) and the Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act of 2014 (H.R.3610), the Rabbinical Assembly released the following statement.

Rabbi Julie Schonfeld said:

We applaud the House of Representatives’ efforts to bring to scale the fight against modern slavery, one of the most insidious forms of organized crime and human rights abuse that can be found in the world today. Through bills that refocus legal penalties on criminal traffickers rather than enslaved victims, increase access to welfare and protective services for survivors, and strengthen protections for vulnerable children within the child welfare system, among other measures, these bills take aim at some of the root problems that allow trafficking to maintain its grip over innocent lives.

The Jewish community has an abiding obligation to emulate the Godly qualities described in the Bible, where God "saw our suffering and brought us out of Egypt with an outstretched arm." We hope that these measures will be followed up with further legal action, such as the implementation of recommendations on human trafficking made last year by the President’s Advisory Council on Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships in the report Building Partnerships to End Modern-day Slavery. These include increasing the strength of the federal bureau devoted to combating trafficking, establishing government certification guaranteeing that consumer products were produced using slavery-free supply chains, and promoting awareness of the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline as the best resource for learning about trafficking and reporting abuses.

Rabbi William Gershon added:

The Rabbinical Assembly has advocated for greater attention to human trafficking from the US government, international bodies, and NGOs with resolutions in 2002, 2006, and 2013, and our Social Justice Commission and Human Trafficking Task Force have long worked to raise awareness of this important issue among our members. We congratulate members of the House of Representatives who successfully oversaw the passage of this bill, and hope that similar legislation will soon clear the Senate so that President Obama will sign it into law. Modern slavery is one of the most important humanitarian issues we face today, as demonstrated by the recent kidnapping of schoolgirls in Nigeria and many other examples. We must work to continue making people conscious of the terrible human toll that slavery takes and combat it with all available resources.

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On Eve of Papal Visit to Israel, Rabbinical Assembly Reflects on Catholic-Jewish Ties

rabbsuperuser — Mon, 19 May 2014 19:36:59 +0000

On Eve of Papal Visit to Israel, Rabbinical Assembly Reflects on Catholic-Jewish Ties rabbsuperuser Mon, 05/19/2014 - 15:36

In advance of the upcoming Papal visit to Israel on May 25th, the Rabbinical Assembly released a statement today offering reflection on Pope Francis’ commitment and engagement with the Conservative Movement, including his close relationship with Rabbi Abraham Skorka.

Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, Executive Vice President, said:

We are hopeful that the first visit by Pope Francis to the State of Israel, the Jewish homeland, will deepen ties between the Pope, the Vatican and the worldwide Jewish people. Just one year ago, I was privileged to be part of the first Jewish delegation to have an audience with Pope Francis, who is the first leader of the world Catholic community who comes to his knowledge of Judaism through enduring relationships with Jews and Jewish leaders. Escorting Pope Francis on this historic trip to the birthplace of the Abrahamic faiths are two longtime friends and collaborators: Conservative/Masorti Rabbi Abraham Skorka, Rector of the Conservative Movement’s Seminario Rabinico Latinoamericano, and Omar Abboud, a respected leader of Argentina’s Muslim community. Pope Francis’ open engagement with ideas, even ones that differ from central Catholic ideals, is exemplified in the choice of Jewish interlocutor whose Conservative Jewish ideology embraces both tradition and change. Traveling and being in dialogue with leaders of the Abrahamic faiths conveys a profound message that is the basis of Rabbi Skorka’s Conservative Judaism—that history leads us to a more mature understanding of our faith and our shared role in building a better world.

Rabbi William Gershon, President, added:

The Pope’s itinerary for his trip to Israel demonstrates his commitment to dialogue that builds understanding, exemplified by an itinerary that includes faith leaders representing the Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox communities, as well as with Israeli political leaders. We hope that this visit will yield deeper understanding and appreciation, not only between Israel and the Vatican, but also among people of many faiths and convictions.

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Rabbinical Assembly Alarmed by Rate of Global Anti-semitism Revealed in ADL Study

rabbsuperuser — Thu, 15 May 2014 19:40:32 +0000

Rabbinical Assembly Alarmed by Rate of Global Anti-semitism Revealed in ADL Study rabbsuperuser Thu, 05/15/2014 - 15:40

Calls for increased education and dialogue worldwide

In response to an Anti-Defamation League survey released this week revealing alarming rates of global anti-Semitism The ADL Global 100: An Index of Anti-Semitism, the Rabbinical Assembly issued the following statement.

Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, Executive Vice President, said:

We are shocked and saddened by the information in ADL’s recent poll revealing the extremely high levels of misunderstanding and outright hatred of Jews that still pervade the modern world. Some of the beliefs documented by the survey, including that Jews have undue control over politics, media, and other industries and that we have manipulated the memory of the horrors of the Holocaust for personal gain, peddle in the oldest and most vulgar stereotypes, which have time and time again been proven false. We have long been aware of the problem of anti-Semitism in the world—indeed, just this week we passed a resolution in solidarity with our European brethren in light of the increasing Judeophobia they face—and this study confirms our worst fears about how much work still remains to be done.

Rabbi William Gershon, President, added:

We recognize that some of the misunderstanding of Jews and Judaism reflected in this study is the result of malice and hatred, but that much of it is also due to a lack of education and understanding. We call on communities worldwide, Jews and non-Jews alike, to condemn the spread of false information when they encounter it. Equally so, we call upon these communities—our friends, our neighbors, and our governments—to continue seeking increased understanding through dialogue, education, and friendship. We must use what resources we have to combat hate through peace and to remember that every human is created in God’s image, and worthy of dignity and respect.

This past week at its annual convention, the Rabbinical Assembly passed a resolution affirming its support for their colleagues in Masorti Europe who are striving for further understanding, acceptance and respect for religious traditions of both European Jews and Muslims and fighting against religious restrictions and academic boycotts. The group has called on the European Council and European Commission to move forward from merely reprimanding Hungary and to take action and impose consequences if current trends are not reversed, and have called on the European Union to uphold Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, guaranteeing freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.