Jewish women speak out against Israel's war on Gaza

[DogPoundPup]

Brave Jewish women tell Jewish State: stop killing Palestinians in Gaza in our name.


PACIFICA – Tens of thousands of people took to streets over the weekend in cities across the globe to protest the Israeli assault on Gaza, and some of the protests have been organized by Jewish groups who are speaking out against Israel’s actions, Democracy Now! reported Monday.

Dorothy Zellner, a Jewish activist in New York, is one of fifteen Jews who have signed a call for a protest in front of the Israeli consulate Monday.

And Judy Rebick, the chair of Social Justice and Democracy at Ryerson University, organized a sit-in comprised of Jewish Canadian women at the Israeli consulate in Toronto.

"We decided to occupy the Israeli consulate. We knew we’d be arrested, and that was, you know, the intention, that we draw attention to the fact that this assault on Gaza is something so terrible that we’re willing to put our reputations and our lives—and our freedom on the line. And a number of us are fairly prominent in Canada. Most of the women there had never been arrested before. So it was something fairly dramatic, and it got a lot of coverage," said Rebick.

"Israel doesn’t listen to world public opinion at all, as long as they have the support of the American government, but I think the fact that more and more Jews are speaking out against Israel may just have an impact. And I know that we’ve been getting emails and calls from all over the world asking us what we did, how we did it, and people feeling encouraged, because if you’re, you know, engaged in the Jewish community, it’s very difficult to speak out against Israel. And so, one of the things we did was appeal to other Jews, who we know disagree with what Israel is doing, to speak out," Rebick added.

In the City of New York, several Jews got together and issued a call to demonstrate.

"We’re heartsick in two respects: we’re paying for it, and they supposedly are doing it for us. And we are not going to let them do it for us without saying no, an immediate ceasefire, immediate stopping the attack on Gaza, and then, ultimately, get to the root of the problem, which is the occupation," said Zellner.

"We as Jews have to say to this country that claims to represent us, 'Stop. Stop. This is a humanitarian disaster'," added Zellner.

But these brave women are taking the most the most powerful lobbies for Israel in the US, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

Continue reading: http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=29732

[Taverner]

1. ROCK ON!!!

I knew I wasn't the only Jew in the book against this shit!

[ikojo]

2. You are not alone

I'm here!

[scarletwoman]

3. A thousand thanks to those courageous women!

[JuniperLea]

4. This is what it's going to take...

The people need to speak out.

I bow deeply to these ladies! I know how it feels to have people murdered in my name... speaking out is all we have.

[DogPoundPup]

6. They need our support...SUPPORT THESE BRAVE WOMEN

and hold them to their words as well as when this Israeli massacre ends on the Gazans!!!

[LiberalinNC]

5. This Jewish woman wants the bombing to STOP IMMEDIATELY!

Israel is looking very bad and needs to stop hurting innocent people, especially children.

[LeftishBrit]

7. Good for them...

though the implication that they are somehow bravely endangering themselves by standing up to powerful AIPAC is a little strange. What can AIPAC do to them?

[Sanctified]

8. I will probably get flamed but...

when has Israel ever said that they were attacking Hamas in Gaza to protect North American Jewish women? Maybe these ladies should exercise their Right of Return and live in Israel so they can have some cred when they say something ridiculous like stop killing Palestinians in Gaza in our name.

[Madam Mossfern]

9. Actually, I agree with you

As a Jewish woman, as a human being, I am appalled by the suffering and death in Gaza. That being said, what these women are doing is providing justification for attacks on Jewish sites around the world. I know it seems like some sort of twisted logic, but those who would blame all Jews will use it as an excuse to show that there are some "real" Jews like Nutreia Karta (sp?) and all the rest of us support murder and mayhem because we read Torah and observe the Sabbath on Friday evenings.

We can protest the killing quite fervently, but we must guard our words that they not be misinterpreted as to mean that Israel is acting for Jewish people throughout the world. I have never been to Israel, and I have no plans to visit there in the future.

[Scurrilous]

10. Rabbis call for immediate truce in Gaza

Dozens of members of Rabbis for Human Rights organization issue letter urging all those involved in fighting to work for immediate, comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza Strip, southern Israel. 'The sanctity of life is a supreme value in Jewish tradition,' letter says

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3655102,00.html

<snip>

"Dozens of rabbis, most of them from the traditional branch of Judaism, are calling on all those involved in the fighting in Gaza to work for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and in southern Israel.

In a letter issued Monday, the rabbis wrote, "We, dozens of male and female rabbis who are members of the Rabbis for Human Rights organization, would like to express our shock over the bloodshed on both sides, and grieve the death of hundreds of people – half of them civilians – and the injury of thousands in the Gaza Strip and in Israel.

"The Mishna teaches that 'whoever destroys a single soul is considered as if he had destroyed the whole world, and whosoever saves one soul is considered as if he had saved a whole world.' Hurting any person is equal to hurting the first person on whom all of mankind's existence relies on."

"We would like to remind you that the sanctity of life is a supreme value in Jewish tradition, and we hope a ceasefire will be obtained soon and will pave the way to a comprehensive and just permanent agreement, which will allow all of the region's residents to live their lives in dignity and peace."

Rabbi Arik Asherman, director of Rabbis for Human Rights, told Ynet, "We issued the letter because of the feeling of 'where are we headed as a human rights organization?', as we can't sit idly by while there's a war going on."