Thirteen American rabbis have initiated an important new project called Ta’anit Tzedek – The Jewish Fast for Gaza. The rabbis are calling for a communal monthly fast in support of the following goals:
- To call for a lifting of the blockade that prevents the entry of civilian goods and services into Gaza;
- To provide humanitarian and developmental aid to the people of Gaza;
- To call upon Israel, the US, and the international community to engage in negotiations without pre-conditions with all relevant Palestinian parties – including Hamas – in order to end the blockade;
- To encourage the American government to vigorously engage both Israelis and Palestinians toward a just and peaceful settlement of the conflict.
Rabbi Brant Rosen, who we love on this site, is one of the people behind the effort. He explains, “Israel’s treatment of the Palestinian people in Gaza amounts to nothing less than collective punishment. While we condemn Hamas’ targeting of Israeli civilians, it is immoral to punish an entire population for the actions of a few. This blockade has only served to further oppress an already thoroughly oppressed people. As Jews and as human beings of conscience, we cannot stand idly by.”
The water-only fast will take place every third Thursday of the month, from sunrise to sunset. In addition to fasting, organizers are asking people to donate the money they would have spent on food to the "Milk for Preschoolers Campaign" sponsored by American Near Eastern Refugee Aid, a relief effort to prevent malnutrition among Gazan preschool children.
Sign up to support the Fast here. To help the effort, Mondo reader Michael Levin has created this menu (pdf) to accompany the fast. Much food for thought.
Related posts:
- British Jewish leadership cancels rally, speaks of ‘besieged’ people of Gaza!
- Finally! – A rabbinical statement on Gaza
- ethnocentricism of Jewish leadership
- How neoconservatism destroyed American Jewish moral leadership, Chapter 532
- Post-Gaza, Palestinian issue has finally entered the American progressive bloodstream
{ 66 comments }
When will Muslims fast for Sderot?
When I fast in Ramdhaan, I pray for all humanity – Does that count? PS. I hate fasting in summer
They are a bunch of phonies. A fast every third thursday of the month and only during the day time? What a weak commitment. What are you missing a meal a month? This "Rabbi" believes in something called Reconstructionist Judaism where Jewish Law is not binding, but instead you decide what to follow. Typical progressive weirdo. http://jrf.org/showres&rid=141
July 16th is the next one.
Thanks Richard. The good rabbi looks to peace and justice as the most sacred value to support.
the suffering of Israelis is not even close the same level of suffering of the Palestinians. S'Derot =/= Gaza and don't even post as if you'd care eitan, you were MOCKING the malnutrition of Palestinian children in another entry you're only concerned with playing rhetorical games (like Witless) when you see yourself as a humanist first and not a Jew and see other human beings as human beings and not as 'non-Jews' then will you have the right to make even a superficial, dishonest comparison as you just did
Strahl, I believe the suffering of Jews is on par with other people's suffering. I submit that Muslims and all others should stand up for the people of sderot and the Jews in Judea and Samaria under threat of ethnic cleansing.
Phil, Adam. Will you be joining me in the fast? I support the civilians of Gaza. A component of my fast will include the public statement of the tragedy of Hamas governance for Gazan civilians.
Richard, I do appreciate your highlighting of the HAMAS tragedy and I think it is a step in the right direction.
Strahl is only concerned because he has no power. He is impotent.
Actually, starting a sneak attack on Gaza right when Palestinian children were getting out of school was the real tragedy. I would go futher. The Israelis have been the real tragedy for the people of Palestine. Highlighting that is a step in the right direction.
Yeah and all those black phonies from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Student Non-Violence Coordinating Committee sat at all those lunch counters like clockwork. You could have set your waches by their predictable behavior. Has it hard for you that Ann Coulter's book sales are going down?
Mythbuster, In fact I was praising Richard and not speaking to you. I think it's fair to assign responsibility for HAMAS for the actions it has undertaken.
Strahl: The Eintan-bot continues to string words together in the hope that it will produce a sentence recognizable to humanity. Note how his program requires him to repeat "ethnic cleansing" in every post. He probably calls his bladder a "thief" whenever it empties.
Mythbuster, I don't appreciate your personal attacks. Please note that I have not made any personal attacks about you.
The malnourishment of Palestinians is a goal of Israeli policy, as is the theft of water, the theft of agricultural land, and the destruction of the Palestinian collective well-being. It's been going on for a very long time, and many, perhaps the great majority of Jewish Israelis, openly support the idea of "collective punishment". (read: racism) At least this rabbi is, at last, acknowledging this. His actions are to be encouraged and welcomed.
Good point. The lunch counter demonstrations breaking segregation is equivalent to fasting once a month for a few hours. Your disdain for Black Civil rights leaders is very sad.
Strahl, The sufferings of the "Palestinian" Arabs couldn't even hold a fragment of a candle wick to the suffering / geonicide and ethnic cleaning the Jews have endured both in Europe and in the Middle East, their homeland. According to UNHRW, 850,000 Jews were ethnically cleansed out of Arab countries by force in 1947 – 1948 – compared to 650,000 Palestnian Arabs who fled or left at the request of local Arab leaders – who told them to get out while the Arab armies cleased the Jews into the sea – and then they could come back. Israel is not the only country blockading Gaza – so is Egypt – a more moderate Arab country that does not want to open its borders to a Iranian-funded terrorist cell – because they know it means pure trouble. The people and leaders of Gaza can end the blockade at any time, when they stop their war crimes (shooting rockets on civilian targets, kidnapping solders and imprisoning them in secret dungeons – both in flagrant violation of international law.) If they wanted peace and prosperity , they could have it at a moment's notice (just like Egypt and Jordan got the moment they decided to stop fighting their neighbor.). If they want war and to make a stubborn political point of some kind – like they have chosen now – they got what they asked for and elected. When the Gazans decide they'd rather focus on living their lives and better themselves than making war with someone far more moral and sophisticated than they are – the blockade will lift and things will get better for them. Until they made the decision to leave peacefully, they can have food but no material to make more weapons and rockets.
Castello, Speaking of "racism"… you can be sure that whenever the two-sate solution is implemented (as it surely will), there will be hundreds of thousands of Arab citizens living within the State of Israel (as there are today) with full personal and pollitical rights. Plus, many people of many other ethnicities and religions – African, Samaritan, Christian, Druze, Bedoiun – anyone is welcome in this secular democracy, as long as they aren't trying to create violence and civil unrest. However, the Palestinians reject any idea of Jews living in Gaza and rabidly demanded them and their farms out in 2005. So remind me, Castello, who exactly are the "racists"? It certainly seems to me that its the Palestinians.
The moment the people and leaders of Gaza are serious about a peaceful co-existence – Egypt will lift the blockade. But Egypt and Israel know the proven, grave dangeous of having a Islamist terrorist cell (Hamas) trying to set up an arms stockpile and regime on their borders – and they are both trying to control it – as any other soverign nation would do. I would love to see the blockade on Gaza lifted too – and for the people there to go about living a civilized life – but it won't happen as long as they support Hamas and war. It's up to the Gazans.
atta boy, keep up your hasbara baby talk great how you front 4 your peeps
You insult our intelligence. That's personal attack enough.
"According to UNHRW, 850,000 Jews were ethnically cleansed out of Arab countries by force in 1947 – 1948" You must mean UNHCR. And how about linking to where it makes that claim (which isn't technically accurate anyway. Most Iraqi Jews left in 1950-51. Egyptian Jews didn't start leaving until after the 1956 Suez war. I have the uneasy feeling correcting silly claims only encourages more of them).
Go back and read the last ten discussions or so. We've dealt with this already.
Andrew, I apologize if I have insulted you. If you are saying though, in a roundabout manner, that my opinions are an insult, then I'll remind you that you may be personally insulted but I have a right to my opinion and believe me it's nothing about you personally.
Every one's responsible for their own actions. The question is whether those actions are justified. I'd say if you're being killed off or not allowed to grow certain crops or unable to operate your own airport and sea port and this leads to widespread malnutrition and you have no way of fighting back against the military, you don't need any one's permission to make life uncomfortable for the enemy camp by any means available. This all predates the Hamas takeover of Gaza, predates the founding of Hamas even.
Ok, I see that you are defending HAMAS actions. Please expand on your beliefs. Where do you draw the line? Rockets ok on sderot? yes or no? of yes what about osher the boy who lost his arms and legs bus bombings? ok or not suicide bombings? does that include making life uncomfortable for the enemy? (jews)
Joe the Plumber (if you know who he is) recently went to Sderot and he complained about the rocket fire, saying that it wasn't safe enough for them to have picnics. How tragic! Now lets compare that to the plight of the people in Gaza (quite a lot of whom probably came from the towns of Beersheba and Sderot): – They don't have food for a picnic, because Israel only lets in enough food to make sure they survive, but remain malnutritioned; – every night is not safe because you never know when Israel might decide to bomb your house with you sleeping inside it; – during the recent Gaza offensive, families had to be separated so that of Israel did bomb their houses, only half the family was killed instead of whole families; – the farmers in Gaza have to see the roses they grow, burnt because Israel refuses to let them export it – all that work for nothing, even though during the previous Valentine's Day season, there was a worldwide shortage of red roses. Now tell me, that's the same as not being able to have a picnic
Richard, can you honestly tell me that the Gazans would have been better off had Hamas not been voted in?
Hamas dropped its charter during the 2005 election campaign, it supports a two-state solution and kept to its side of the bargain during last-year's ceasefire, yet THEY are the ones that are enemies of peace?
RE: "…Ta’anit Tzedek – The Jewish Fast for Gaza…" ***Conference Call for Fast Participants and Supporters*** We have organized a conference call for all participants and supporters of the Fast, on the day of the Fast, Thursday July 16 at 2 pm Eastern Time. This will be a time to share our experience of the fast, to discuss our plans and to learn together. We have invited Dr. Sara Roy, a senior research scholar at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard University to teach us about the issues in Gaza and to answer questions. Trained as a political economist, Dr. Roy has worked in the Gaza Strip and West Bank since 1985 conducting research primarily on the economic, social and political development of the Gaza Strip and on U.S. foreign aid to the region. Dr. Roy has written extensively on the Palestinian economy, particularly in Gaza, and has documented its development over the last three decades. She is an expert on Gaza, a committed Jew and and has been an eloquent moral voice for justice for many years and during this crisis. (If you are unfamiliar with Sara Roy's work, click here [ http://fastforgaza.net/node/21 ] to read an incisive article she wrote for the Harvard Crimson last month. You also may want to read an extraordinary reflection on the relationship between her personal family history, her Jewish values and the Palestinian issue. [ http://fastforgaza.net/node/21 *** To participate, sign up using the form at – http://fastforgaza.net/node/21 PS. Sara Roy is phenominal!
Definitely I do like to picnic. I feel bad that the people of sderot cannot have picnics. I don't think that's fair. The threat from HAMAS rockets actions is extreme (not limited to ruining picnics) It is so difficult to defeat our implacable enemy. We need to fight the HAMAS terrorist organization and the hope is that we will prevail against them if there is a future war.
Can someone link to their *ss on the internet? Because that's where he pulled that from
No you haven't. Try again.
Jews are not the enemy. Philip himself just went to the Gaza strip. So did Norman Finkelstein and several others. An Israeli, Jeff Halper, received a passport from Hamas when he visited Gaza (the PA can issue passports, although it's not a state). Amira Hass has lived in the Gaza and the West Bank. Hamas doesn't go abroad and attack Jews all over the world, they only attack Jews who usurped their land. Palestinians have been forced to adopt suicide bombings IF they want to damage the enemy, IF they want to fight back somehow, IF they want to take impunity away from their killers. Look at how the IDF reacts in Bi'lin, how it behaved during the first intifada before there were any suicide bombings or rockets. Palestinians are supposed to die with no reaction and no complaint according to Israel. In as much they want to give Israelis a taste of what they get every day of their lives, suicide bombings are justified. Not "ok," justified. That's in the abstract. In the real world, suicide bombings may not actually be a good idea. That's not my calculus to make, though. What I'm saying is, you don't have the right to wage perpetual war with impunity, and if your targets decide you have as much right to ordinary civilian life as you give them, that's justified.
should be "look at how the IDF reacts to non-violent protests in Bi'lin".
Ok so I want to make it clear and as you have just acknowledged it is your contention that: Suicide bombings are justified.
To paraphrase my 1st grade teacher, is your name Brett?
The threat of Hamas rockets is minimal. And Hamas has every reason to be annoyed seeing as the Israeli government refuses to speak with them and negotiate with them for peace. And finally, you managed to ignore every point I made about the plight of the Gazans. Don't you care what your government is doing to them?
No, he's saying they're understandable
Ismail. I wouldn't mind you coming here and spouting all your Hasbara bull, but you don't even do that. All you do is make ad hominem after ad hominem. How old are you? 5?
Let him answer. He said they are justified. I want to hear a clear statement. What I see here is "not ok, justified" If that's what you believe andrew then don't be afraid to say it in clear terms "Suicide bombings are justified" without extra verbiage
Wow, that is the lamest protest I have ever heard of. "Once a month I am going to have breakfast before sunrise, have dinner after sunset, and skip lunch. My God, the dedication and commitment that must take. The Rabbi is right about one thing though (in the linked articles). Not everyone who supports the BDS movement (or BM for short) is an anti-Semite. Some of them are merely stupid and/or ignorant. Though all of them are at least one of the three (anti-Semitic, stupid, or ignorant).
Sorry, I don't take requests. Suicide bombings are justified if the occupied think this is the best way to react. It's a tactic. If I said "shooting people is justified" on its own with no context, it might as well say you can shoot anybody for the hell of it.
"Until they made the decision to leave peacefully, they can have food but no material to make more weapons and rockets. " I see your point. Israel blocks weapons and rockets from entering Gaza. It would be immoral if it blocked food, but since it only blocks weapons and rockets, Israel, as always, manages to defend itself and at the same time be highly moral. Back from fantasy world, Israel also blocks food shipments into Gaza, thus creating a humanitarian crisis and engaging in collective punishment. See here.
Well, those Gazan family members of high-ranking Fatah employees would certainly be (financially) better off had Hamas not been voted in…
"When will Muslims fast for Sderot? " When Sderot becomes an open air prisoin that is blockaded and bombed from the air with F-16 fighters with 3,200 sorties.
Shafiq, we both know that is bullshit, if there wasn't rocket fire, there wouldn't be bombing from Israel. Gaza is no picnic, but lying about the reality on the ground is not going to make things better. The Palestinians and their sympathizers have been trying that for decades, it doesn't work.
"A component of my fast will include the public statement of the tragedy of Hamas governance for Gazan civilians. " Why do you hate democracy Richard?
"yet THEY are the ones that are enemies of peace? " Yes, Tzipi Livni, the so called dove, argued that a long ceasfire (which Hamas were proposaing) is not in Israel's strategic interests, but Hamas are the enemies of peace. Orwell had nothing on Israel and it's defenders.
Then ever Palestinian death is justified as a means of self-defense against a terrorist organization. Once you start justifying the murder of innocent people by strapping bombs to yourself, the gloves are off.
are you kidding?
Yeah, except you aren't defending yourselves. And the gloves were off before any Palestinian or Lebanese thought of suicide bombing.
"Your disdain for Black Civil rights leaders is very sad. " So is the disdain Israel has for black people in general.
You keep hapring on the Hamas tragedy Richard. Are you opposed to democratic elections?
"When will Muslims fast for Sderot? " Maybe if Sderot became a walled in open air prison, where the inhabitants are cut off from the world, denied control fo air land and sea access, while being blockaded and bombed from the air with F-16's, then yes, I'm sure Muslims will fast for Sderot.
"I do appreciate your highlighting of the HAMAS tragedy and I think it is a step in the right direction. " Highlighting the Likud tragedy would be another step in the right direction.
Are the West Bank Palestinians better off because they're under Fatah rule? Apart from the direct punishments Israel is dishing out to the Gazans because of their government, there isn't much difference.
That's why ben schlomo, you named yourself after an IDF drone, the Eitan. Fits perfectly. Unmanned, impersonal, programmed from a safe afar.
In contrast, I think undertaking and organizing suicide bombs on civilians is by definition terror, and a disqualification from participation in negotiations, even if elected. If they renounce terror as a means, then there is a possibility of negotiation sometime in the future. The distinction is that the attacks are TARGETED at civilians. To apologize in any way for that, is sickening to me. "Justified" is a different word than "understandable".
Well, I'm going to fast for 24 hours, in support of the Gazan civilians that are suffering.
Hamas has not claimed a suicide bombing since the 2006 election. I think a lot of Palestinians don't see their interests served by attacking Israeli civilians, even some who used to. When you look behind all the excuses, Israeli warfare is directed against civilians. It can't be anything else. They didn't get a Jewish state by attacking only armed people. How can I believe civilians aren't targed when the only laws in the West Bank are military orders (PA municipal law notwithstanding)? That's disregarding the legion of cases such as Iman al-Hams and Ahmad Mohammed Karan.
The civilized western world, during WWII, ended the idea the aggressor can kill and kill without his own constituency paying the price. And we had our aktions in Afghanistan and Iraq after 9-11, which if you believe bin Laden's Declaration was on behalf of the sanctions on Iraq. Arabs and Muslims are really the only people in the world whose targeting of civilians is sickening. It's a normal thing to do when we do it, as long as we dress it up in the right language. What's that word, collateral damage? Maybe they tell themselves they're targeting off-duty soldiers and civilians are collateral damage. It wouldn't be more spurious.
"In contrast, I think undertaking and organizing suicide bombs on civilians is by definition terror" So if they stopped using suicide bombs and simply dropped them from 30,000 feet up in the air, a la Israeli style, you'd be OK with that? "The distinction is that the attacks are TARGETED at civilians." Not really. According to Ze'ev Shiff (Israeli journalist and military correspondent for Ha'aretz), "The Israeli army has always struck civilian populations, purposely and consciously. The army has never distinguished civilian from military targets, but has purposely attacked civilian targets."
Got a cite for Hamas "dropping its charter"? The only two-state solution Hamas supports is a "two-Palestinian state and zero Israeli state" solution. As long as they demand the right of return (aka, flood Israel with Palestinians and vote it out of existence) as part of a deal, that is not a real two-state solution, just more Palestinian propaganda. During last year's "ceasefire" the Palestinians reduced the number of rocket and mortar attacks, but did not stop them.
this is the silliest proposal i have ever heard from even frrom American Rabbis. What about fasting for the release of Gilad Shalit who has been kept incacerated for three yeaars incommunicado. In England we always knew that Americans are naive but these American "Rabbis" take the cake
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