- A small group of Jewish activists have organized to vigil
in a solemn, dignified manner, the only conservative synagogue in Ann Arbor,
Beth Israel Congregation. Our group is not completely Jewish -- many non-Jewish
supporters have elected to stand with us out of their convictions, and
we are grateful.
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- Vigils are scheduled for the start of worship services
on Saturday mornings -- we have completed three vigils so far and look
forward to many more.
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- We offer handouts describing who we are and why we are
vigilling. Not many congregants take these, claiming that Sabbath regulations
forbid them from taking paper.
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- The theory on vigilling is this: The goal is to stop
U.S. funding of Israel's violent Occupation, now into its 37th year. To
achieve this goal, we've got to get Congress to stop funds, and to stop
signing those Nancy-Pelosi-we-stand-with-Israel resolutions that pop up
every time AIPAC thinks their ox is gored. To get congress to stop funding,
we've got to get AIPAC to reduce their lobbying efforts. To get AIPAC to
stop lobbying, we've got to address the people who support AIPAC, The Jewish
Federation, etc. And to get the people's attention, we've got to go where
they go.
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- And they go to synagogue.
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- We recognize our approach is simple, but it is direct,
and is intended to raise consciousness of those Americans who can possibly
sway Congress with their influence and donations.
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- What I find amazing, is how many so-called "peace
activists" are questioning our tactics. These detractors encapsulate
the Silence that is overwhelming in the Jewish and Peace communities. Some
comments have been personally offensive, but provide us the encouragement
that our vigils must be effective; otherwise the comments wouldn't be so
heated and personal. One Ann Arbor "progressive" claims that
I have an ego problem.
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- Whether or not members of Jewish Witnesses for Peace
have personal problems is not the point. The point is that detractors will
use anything to focus the conversation away from the effects of Occupation.
e.g. "Your vigils will harden hearts". "What do you hope
to achieve by disturbing the sanctity of the Sabbath?" "You will
make it harder for us working on the "inside" to do our work".
"Please do not vigil on Rosh Hashana", etc.
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- Last year Dr. Sami Al-Arian spoke on campus here, and
warned of this exact scenario. "Keep the conversation focused on the
Occupation", he said. And now he's in prison. One voice is lost.
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- So before our voices are similarly lost, we want to speak
as loudly as we can. And we ask EI to spread the word to other Jewish groups,
even tiny ones, in cities and towns across the e-world. Here are two links
to some coverage we have already enjoyed. And our statement is below.
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- JEWISH WITNESSES FOR PEACE STATEMENT
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- As Jews and friends of Jews who respect Judaism and its
values, we feel a need to open discussion about the risks to Jews involved
in the community's current support of the state of Israel and its actions.
We contend that the actions of the Israeli government are antithetical
to the precepts of Judaism and to the memory of those who perished in one
of the worst of the 20th century's genocides.
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- Is the remembrance of our relatives enhanced by supporting
the continuous confinement of Palestinians into smaller and smaller ghettos?
Where in the Torah does it say that the demolition of another's home, built
on their own property, is allowed? Does Judaism allow for requiring Palestinian
women to deliver their babies at checkpoints because they are not allowed
to travel to their doctor? Does it comfort you to know that now, by courtesy
of the Israeli army, some Palestinian men have serial numbers marked on
their arms just like our own relatives? Is there somewhere in the Talmud
that justifies the killing of a family walking across their own field?
Is the uprooting of a farmers olive trees on his land, and destroying his
livelihood justified somewhere in the Torah or the Talmud? Certainly Isaiah
had something to say about that subject. The situations in this paragraph
happened because of actions by the Israeli government and have been reported
in mainstream Israeli media. Some have happened with great regularity.
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- These questions must be discussed seriously in the Jewish
community along with some more: will there be any moral authority left
in Judaism after the support for the actions of the state of Israel? Will
we be able to read thou shall not kill or thou shall not steal from the
Torah without wincing? Can Judaism as a religion and the Jewish people
survive its support of the policies of the state of Israel?
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- - If you wish to begin the discussion with us you may
talk to us here or contact us at your convenience. Send contact information
to: vigilannarbor@hotmail.com.
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