US Jewish movements come together in support of Israel

WASHINGTON — After a year increasingly dominated by bitter internal Jewish disputes over the Iran nuclear agreement, all of the major American Jewish synagogue movements will come together in common cause this weekend to observe what they describe as a “Special Sabbath of Solidarity” with Israel.

Rabbis and leaders from a number of Reform, Conservative, Orthodox and Reconstructionist movements joined with the umbrella organization Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations to organize the event, which they hope will be observed in Jewish congregations across the country.

Stephen Greenberg and Malcolm Hoenlein, the chairman and the executive vice chairman and CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, wrote in a statement that “the attacks of recent days are unique in that they appear spontaneous and occur around the country, targeting people going about their daily lives.”

“We hope that all synagogues will add special prayers in addition to the prayer for the State of Israel in their Sabbath morning services and that rabbis will use their sermons to discuss what is occurring,” they added. “We also hope they will encourage members to visit Israel, express public support for Israel in the media and to elected officials, and maintain contact with Israeli friends and relatives.”

Malcolm Hoenlein (Photo credit: Yossi Zamir/Flash 90)

The two emphasized the degree of unity demonstrated by the joint show of support, and called on all of the Conference of Presidents’ member organizations to encourage participation.

“While the North American Jewish community may not always see eye-to-eye regarding how to best bring about an ideal future for the State of Israel and the Jewish people overall, today we mourn together for the victims and with the families of the recent attacks that have brought terror to the streets of Israel,” said Rabbi Deborah Waxman, president of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and Jewish Reconstructionist Communities. “We unequivocally denounce this violence and believe that those responsible should be held accountable.”

The effort is supported by the Union for Reform Judaism, Central Conference of American Rabbis, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, Rabbinical Assembly, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, Rabbinical Council of America, the National Council of Young Israel and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and Jewish Reconstructionist Communities.

“Our hearts break as our people are viciously attacked in communities throughout our beloved Jewish State,” said Rabbi Rick Jacobs, the president of the Union for Reform Judaism. “Our North American Reform Movement joins in solidarity with our people everywhere as we pray for a peaceful Shabbat that leads to a safer and more secure State of Israel.”

Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, executive vice president of the Conservative Movement’s Rabbinical Assembly said that her organization “support[s] and encourage[s] the government of Israel in taking necessary steps to protect its civilians and prevent further attacks.” She described the current upsweep in violence as “an outrage that must be condemned by the international community,” and called on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian leadership “to denounce such acts of violence and to take vigorous and decisive action to restore order.”

Schonfeld said that the 1700 Conservative and Masorti rabbis represented by her group “stands in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Israel who are again facing a resurgence of terror and violence against civilians going about their daily lives.

Farley Weiss, president of the Orthodox National Council of Young Israel emphasized that his organization supported the initiative as well, “joining the call to speak out and pray for Israel.” The organization, he said, “back[s] the Israeli government’s right to take the necessary actions to protect its citizens from harm by those who wish to destroy it.”