Comments on: ‘Rabbis Speak Out’ on Gaza stop speaking out on Gaza (with an update)

By: citizen

citizen — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

Anyone wishing to send a message to the two good rabbis can just go to the site Phil links to above and email them--I'd guess they
would like a thanks for their attempt to aspire to jewish ethics
in the wake of the Gaza massacre.

By: Mohammad

Mohammad — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

In my opinion, the two Rabbis should just sign the statement by themselves and put it up on their own.

My question is why on earth these Rabbis, on such a high level of religious authority, would like to allow ordinary non Jews to conflate Israel with Judaism ? What is the real purpose of this kind of silence and disagreement?

By: Rabbi Brant Rosen

Rabbi Brant Rosen — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

From Rabbi Brant Rosen:

There is a story here, and that is essentially that the core group of rabbis could not agree on a final wording of the statement that would allow us all to participate as signers. It is deeply saddening to us all, particularly to Rabbi Gluskin and me. I know for a fact that there are many brave rabbis out there who have opposed this Israel's outrageous war in Gaza, as well as their destructive policies toward the Palestinians.

Please bear with us. Despite all evidence to the contrary, we are finding our voice. You haven't heard the last of us...

By: John Lewis-Dickerson

John Lewis-Dickerson — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

Rabbis Rosen and Gluskin:

Thank you for your efforts!

By: citizen

citizen — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

To the two Rabbis: Put your own statement up on your web site and sign it as a postscript to your current notice. That by itself will go a long way in allowing more discourse–otherwise it just looks like you two were just muzzled–as if a group of thugs clubbed Luther just as he was nailing his protest to the church door.

By: chris berel

chris berel — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

I accept the fact that the Rabbis, all authorities on Judaic law, have a disagreement as to exactly how to comment on an action that was clearly initiated by Hamas, yet perhaps the response was too overwhelming to be considered just.

Many of the Rabbis may feel that the response itself was just, but the vehemence was overboard.

Some of the Rabbis may be of the opinion that any response but rolling over an playing dead was inappropriate for Israel.

Regardless, the beauty of judaism allows such widely contradictory opinions.

By: roy belmont

roy belmont — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

Chris B:
Advocating for what the Rabbis were speaking out against is not part of a symmetry of beauty, in Judaism or anywhere else, including humanity itself.
There is no symmetry there from which beauty can be drawn, there is only a sewer, a pit full of bloody horror, and valiant efforts to crawl out of it.
Beauty's in the hearts of those doing the crawling, not in those justifying and rationalizing sinking still further down in that grotesque muck.

By: Dan Kelly

Dan Kelly — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

The assault on Gaza was planned for at least six months. It is a continuation of the land grab that Israel has been engaged in since its inception. Hamas had nothing to do with it (aside from being used as a pretext to the invasion). All these FACTS come directly from Israeli government and military sources.

By: chris berel

chris berel — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

Sorry, but you lost me while you were crawling through the muck.

I don;t know what the Rabbis argued, all I can say is that they are all supposed to be experts on Judaic law. And that law allows a wide range of opinion.

By: Dan Kelly

Dan Kelly — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

Good idea, citizen. I just sent off a quick thank you myself.