February 28, 2017

Whereas the Rabbinical Assembly is greatly concerned by the resurgence of virulent anti-Semitism in North America, Europe and around the globe both from the extreme right and the extreme left; and 

Whereas the last year has seen scores of anti-Semitic attacks on cemeteries, JCC’s, synagogues, Jewish organizations and individual Jewish public figures including journalists and rabbis, some of whom are members of the Conservative/Masorti Movement; and

Whereas the Rabbinical Assembly is concerned that protests of policies of the Israeli government have crossed the line into anti-Semitism, Jewish students on many college campuses feel  unsafe participating in pro-Israel and Jewish activities, and some progressive causes have been tainted by the intrusion of anti-Israel rhetoric,

Therefore, be it resolved that the Rabbinical Assembly call upon governments around the world, as well as the United Nations and other international organizations to condemn and combat anti-Semitism; and 

Be it further resolved that the Rabbinical Assembly call upon the United States Administration, Congress and state and local governments to act with vigilance to condemn and combat anti-Semitism along with all hate crimes and bigotry directed against vulnerable populations; and

Be it further resolved that the Rabbinical Assembly call upon religious leaders, academicians, NGO’s and members of our own communities worldwide to condemn anti-Semitism, and to join forces to combat hatred of all vulnerable groups irrespective of religion, race or sexual orientation.

Comments

Submitted by ml797 on Thu, 03/02/2017 - 14:23

Many Jewish college students in America and Canada are intimidated and harrased by Students for Justice in Palestine and its allies. Only Jewish programs are disrupted and harrased. It is apropriate to include this too.

Submitted by ml797 on Thu, 03/02/2017 - 16:16

Brandeis University, 2016. Hotspots of Antisemitism and Anti-Israel Sentiment on US Campuses https://www.brandeis.edu/ssri/pdfs/campusstudies/AntisemitismCampuses101316.pdf

ADL.  Challenges on Campus  http://www.adl.org/education-outreach/campus-affairs/c/challenges-on-campus.html#.WLiJm28rKUk

ADL. Anti-Semitic Incidents on College Campuses in 2015  http://www.adl.org/anti-semitism/united-states/c/campus-anti-semitic-incidents-2015.html#.WLiI028rKUk

Submitted by lavinsky on Mon, 03/06/2017 - 13:34

While this resolution makes a few good points, I believe it is foolhearty to speak out against the alt-Right, Neo-Nazis, and other right wing groups without specific reference to the alt-Left, the calls for genocide by groups like Students for Justice in Palestine, and the anti-Semitism by the radical Left which sets an atmosphere of Jew hatred in many American universities (and actively works to undermine the First Amendment by effectively silencing speakers fromi the Pro-Israel community and anyone who is seen as Right of center..  I could support a resolution that decries extremism AND violence of both the Right and the Left (and I believe that there seem to me more physical attacks from the Left than the Right), but the way that the resolution stands now, I would oppose it.

 

Submitted by Iansilv on Tue, 03/07/2017 - 17:57

 

Bh I heartily agee w rabbi Lavinsky 

I could not have put it more eloquently. I also would add that Am  Israel is a concept that includes both religious and peoplehood aka Self determinative nationalist aspects, and as such efforts to delegitimization and dismantle the Stare of Israel is a manifestation of Anti Semitism.

 

 

Submitted by rabjeff on Wed, 03/08/2017 - 00:09

I, on the other hand, am concerned about conflation of legitimate criticism of Israeli policy with anti-Semitism. I am also concerned that many Jewish students feel unwelcome in Hillel because they are critical of Israeli policy. 

Submitted by Kravitz on Wed, 03/08/2017 - 08:05

I agree with Jeff Marker that we not cross the line of labeling criticism of Israel as anti-Semitism. We also need to show care to not cross the line of advocating for the suppression of free speech, which needs to be distinguished from threatening behaviors, regardless of the source.

Submitted by djp366 on Wed, 03/08/2017 - 09:08

I understand concerns about dealing with criticism of Israel, but in fact the line between crtiticim of particular policies of Israel and BDS and other anti-Israel rhetoric that is explicitly demonizing and delegitimizing is not all that hard to discern. Furthermore, I think this resolution needs to strengthen its critique of left-wing anti-semitism. It's not just campuses. The hard left has managed to inject anti-Israel rhtoric into causes where it is completely off point, like Black Lives Matter, and now the Women's Strike, which includes in its platform "the de-colonization of Palestine." I propose, 

"Whereas the Rabbinical Assembly is concerned that protests of policies of the Israeli government have crossed the line into anti-Semitism, many college campuses have become unsafe places for pro-Israel and Jewish activities, and progressive causes have been tainted by the intrusion of anti-Israel rhetoric,"

Submitted by adb860 on Wed, 03/08/2017 - 17:19

 

I agree with Arthur and the trend of all these resolutions are politically bent far left. What is the biggest threat to Israel and future generations of Jews proudly being Jewish? The answer is BDS! Where is the condemnation of BDS or is their agreement by those who wrote this resolution that the positions of JStreet and Jewish Voice for Peace are correct? Its it's time for the RA to stop being a political party instead of a rabbinical organization.