More from Rabbi Rosen on this day of atonement:
As we approach Yom Kippur, I call on America’s Jews to examine the Goldstone findings, and consider their implications. In the spirit of the season, we must consider the painful truth of Israel’s behavior in Gaza, and understand that we must work, together, to discover the truth — and then urge on all relevant parties in the search for peace.
Every Yom Kippur, we read the words of the prophet Isaiah: "Is such the fast I desire, a day for people to starve their bodies? … No, this is the fast I desire: To unlock the fetters of wickedness and untie the cords of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free."
Let this be the Yom Kippur on which American Jews choose not just to starve their bodies, but also to unlock the fetters and untie the cords — let this be the Yom Kippur on which we act on the Scriptural imperative to "seek peace and pursue it," by calling ourselves and Israel to account.
While you are at it, check out the self-hating German Ike, and just what he did to Germans after Germany surrended in WW2, Germans
that did no more than fight in Germany’s armies in the same way Allied soldiers fought in theirs.
Wonderful.
All Americans, regardless of their religion, should heed this, and enjoin their own government from engaging in further global warring cruelties…the pain we inflict as a nation has been staggering during my lifetime. The Lancet said – the Brits maintained the morgue count after the US dropped it – that we killed 1.3 million Iraqis since 2003. For shame.
Most Jews look to their personal behavior and relationships much moreso than their political solidarity.
Curious, Mister Witty, do most Gentiles do the same or something different? If so,
why single out the Jews?
So how does that reflect on Jews who donated money to the IDF?
“Most Jews look to their personal behavior and relationships much moreso than their political solidarity.”
How convenient that we live in an age when major crimes such as murder, looting and rape have been outsourced to political institutions! We can then claim complete innocense when the state tortures people in our name or when our country’s soldiers fly off to kill others on our behalf. “My personal behavior is impeccable; all my personal relationships are based on mutual respect.” Any thinking moral person can see that this position is not only absurd, but cowardly as well. As long as there are organizations deriving their power from our consent, their funding from our taxes or donations, and are committing atrocities on our behalf without our earnest opposition, we are responsible for their actions. This is what is meant by “silence is complicity,” and it applies to everyone, including Jews.
A humanitarian crisis of this magnitude demands a response from within the Jewish faith community — and knee-jerk rejection of any and all criticism of Israel won’t change the facts. It will only distance us from a just and peaceful solution to this conflict.
I don’t mean to suggest that the report is perfect. No human endeavor is. Evidence of bias in the commission’s make-up is important, and should be honestly addressed, as the White House has suggested. But to categorically reject the Goldstone findings — which echo the work of highly respected Israeli and international human rights groups such as B’tselem and Human Rights Watch — is to thrust our heads into the sand. In the end, the report’s most critical recommendation is that Israel and Hamas thoroughly and credibly investigate themselves, and hold accountable any combatants or commanders who violated the law.
Kudos to Rabbi Rosen for his thoughtful commentary.
Can someone please point out – in non-abstract terms – the “bias” in this report? Please, for the love of cheese.
And Witty, have you read the report yet? Have any concrete criticisms?
Goldstone had a clear bias in favor of Israel.
Which goes to show how damning the report is. Goldstone did everything he could to soften the report, short of outright lying and denial and he still reached the conclusion that Israel is at least as culpable as Hamas for war crimes. Which, granted, is still a pretty pitiful moral equivocation but hey, I say we put it up for trial and see whose laundry is dirtier.
The report reminded me somewhat of Rosalyn Cohen’s (Higgins by marriage) ruling on the illegal apartheid wall at the ICJ. It was written by someone who was instinctively drawn in a direction that the law simply did not allow for.
A very light day for commentary for obvious reasons. Does Weiss know or care to know the demographics of his readership? I am curious. I always wonder, to whom am I really speaking.
The good rabbi has gotten the chronology of analysis correctly. So many are looking for the bits to support their predetermined ideological positions.
“I am curious. I always wonder, to whom am I really speaking”
The largest of the North American deer family alces Alces can weigh up to 1200 lbs. and has palmate antler spreading up to six feet. So that’ll give you a rough idea. But that’s just me, so I can’t say if that’s typical.
Good question, seems to me the content and subject nature of this blog subject brings together mostly regulars
who are not the average Gentile or Jew in the USA as I have experienced them personally or vicariously in the MSM on issues addressed here. Am I wrong? I have no clue as to the perennial lurkers since they remain largely silent.
Agreed. We are above average. Just like mom said.
Yes, marc b., not only are we all above average, but our women are strong and our men are good-looking.
“I have no clue as to the perennial lurkers since they remain largely silent.”
Along with Marc’s original question, this is another one I have wondered about. I was such a “perennial lurker” for quite a long time.
If would be super if most Americans were as inquisitive and discerning as the typical commenter on this blog.
You mean like ‘Bullwinkel’? I always thought that ‘Mooser’ was an ironic reference to ‘Moser’, ie. an informer or denunciator. Now I know. How little I know.
I have only seen a real moose once in the wild. Damn big beast. It stepped over a guard rail like I step over a curb.
I’m not religious at all, but here’s a response to the question, is there a Christian parallel to Yom Kipper? Phil might find it helpful? link to interfaithfamily.com
As somebody indoctinated with Roman Catholicism growing up, I merely note further
that taking account of one’s actions in a moral way was a weekly thing required of me, not an annual thing. Indeed, so much so that if I didn’t get to confession I was assured of
burning in hell forever. In those days political commissions or ommissions were
not the usual subject of introspection. Why would they be for an early teen kid? This makes me wonder what the average Catholic priest has to say nowaday in the confessional about political isses?
On Good Friday, some Catholic communities would come to a stop as on Yom Kippur during the hours of the Passion – noon to 3.
There was also a strong emphasis on one’s sins, as the suffering of Jesus was your fault because you had sinned and thus needed to be saved. Guilt.
I always thought that the confessional was a source of blackmail material to assist the Jesuits in taking over the world. Which is why I never had much to confess. No way was I going to get a blackmail note written in block letters cut from the bible, threatening to expose me to my parents and friends.
Heh! While I’m sure that there was probably some use of that, historically speaking, I must say that even I’m not so jaded and cynical as to think the Catholic church would engage in that sort of thing. You might find a priest or two nowadays who would, but the church in general has vastly improved since they days they were burning people at the stake and sending people off on Crusades.
In grammer school I’d run as fast as I could across the street to go to confession–I literally imagined if a car hit me on the way I’d roast over a fire pit forever.
There Are Only Two Choices Left on Iran
Day of atonement, but apparently not of peace:
An Israeli or U.S. military strike now, or a nuclear Tehran soon
By ELIOT A. COHEN
link to online.wsj.com
Wonderful, another war of choice to add to the other two that we’ve been slogging through for years. Yeah, that couldn’t possibly harm our economy, declaring yet another needless war and bringing the world petroleum market to a crashing halt.
Yes, indeedy, the MSM appeared to be in full attack Iran mode today.
Chris Matthews–and why, why did I bother turning him on?–two Iranian policy “experts” calling for war by Christmas, and cheerled by Tweety, of course.
With the neocons again running the show and beating the war drums–after the Iraq fiasco–I can only say that I have entirely lost my sense of awe. Awe at the absolutely irrational politics of this country has been replaced by the expected.
I can barely watch and hear Chris Matthews for five seconds without changing the channel; sometimes I force myself anyway as it’s always interesting to watch how he
blocks out any serious political substance under the guise of steering us toward it. Quite a dance he does for his masters.
The drumrolls for war with Iran are sounding in the MSM. As in the months of run-up to the invasion of Iraq, there are few dissenting voices invited to speak.
Notice how the title of Cohen’s WSJ article suggests that we must choose between an attack on Iran or a nuclear-ARMED Iran, and then the text proceeds to argue as follows:
1) Negotiations have no chance at all.
2) Obviously, we can’t contemplate containment of a nuclear capability in Iran (even though there is still no evidence that it intends actually to make a bomb). Iran is inherently evil and has been waging war on the U.S. since 1979 (not to mention Israel, OK?).
3) Regrettably, an Israeli attack would not be able to inflict enough damage even though the very existence of Israel is at stake here.
4) So the best solution is a massive attack by American forces.
5) But Obama is too weak and cowardly to do this, and he is not willing to use his “rhetorical skills” to whip the American public into a berserk frenzy of support.
6) But we (neocons) will get it done somehow because we are nothing if not persistent and resourceful. (And don’t forget we can call on lots of help from our Zionist friends. Plus the old reliable MSM.)
Stay tuned. The curtain has not yet fallen on the first act of this marathon drama, and we still have two acts to go.
Obama has so far failed at every important task he set himself as President. Now he talks tough on Iran and gets applause. Naturally he will want to continue on this successful course.
Is the Jewish holiday a time to reflect on Jewish ethical values?
Harvey Weinstein: Polanski has served his time and must be freed
link to independent.co.uk