Please direct media inquiries to office@truah.org.
Statements
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Statement on JNF and OR Movement’s “Bedouin” Fashion Show to Raise Money for Towns that Discriminate Against the Bedouin
August 31, 2017
On September 6, the OR Movement, a key Jewish National Fund (JNF) partner organization, will be hosting a fashion show called the Desert Flower Runway Show in New York City to raise money for “the development of the Negev and the Galilee.” While the OR Movement claims to develop the Negev and Galilee for Israeli citizens of all backgrounds, it has been involved in establishing exclusively Jewish communities throughout the Negev, pushing Bedouin off their lands into impoverished and overcrowded Bedouin townships.
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T’ruah Condemns Violence in Charlottesville, Calls on President Trump to Disavow White Supremacists
August 12, 2017
T'ruah is horrified and outraged by the violence instigated by white supremacists marching in Charlottesville this weekend, including the terrorist act that killed one woman and injured many more. We are profoundly proud of the T'ruah rabbis and the clergy of all faiths who joined in peaceful prayer there.
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Human Rights Rabbis Travel to Charlottesville to Resist White Supremacy
August 11, 2017
Charlottesville — As white supremacists gather in Charlottesville to voice their displeasure at the removal of a statue that served to commemorate the values of the Confederacy and Gen. Robert E. Lee—a man who led hundreds of thousands of soldiers to their deaths to preserve an economy and culture built on enslaving people because of the color of their skin—rabbis will be among the clergy who are descending on the town to send the message that white supremacy will not go unchallenged.
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T’ruah Condemns Israeli Government’s Decision to Displace 450 Bedouin Citizens of Israel
August 7, 2017
T’ruah condemns the passage of the Israeli government’s recent decision to transfer 450 Bedouin citizens of Israel from their village of Umm Al Hiran to the nearby Bedouin township of Hura on a “temporary” basis. We are appalled that government officials resorted to brazen falsehoods to try and legitimize their decision, claiming that the village residents agreed to this move when they clearly did no such thing. Raed Abu Al-Qian, the chairman of the village local committee, is quoted by two Israeli newspapers as saying that not a single resident has agreed to or was consulted about this arrangement.
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More Troubling Suppression of Free Speech by Israeli Government
July 26, 2017
T’ruah is deeply troubled by Monday’s decision by the Israeli government to prevent members of an interfaith delegation to Israel and the Palestinian territories, including Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) Deputy Director Rabbi Alissa Wise, from boarding a Lufthansa flight to Israel. This is the first known instance of Jews—including a rabbi—being prevented from entering Israel since the passage of the Knesset anti-Boycott legislation in the spring. While unlike JVP, T’ruah does not advocate BDS or affiliate with the global BDS movement, we believe that engagement in non-violent protest should not be reason to be banned from Israel.
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Statement on “The Israel Anti-Boycott Act”
July 26, 2017
Because of our commitment to free speech, which is central to Judaism, to the U.S. Constitution, and to human rights law, T’ruah expresses deep concerns about “The Israel Anti-Boycott Act,” now moving through the U.S. Congress. T’ruah does not support or affiliate with the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign. We do, however, believe that free speech—including the right to boycott--is an essential component of democracy, a basic human right, and a fundamental value of Judaism. And we believe that the Anti-Boycott act threatens in the long-run to harm both Israel and the chance for a just and peaceful solution that protects the human rights of both Israelis and Palestinians.
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T’ruah Condemns Cowardly Act of Terrorism in Halamish
July 23, 2017
We are deeply saddened and outraged by the tragic murder of three members of an Israeli family on Shabbat eve in their home in the Halamish settlement. No political aims justify cold-blooded murder. We call on Israeli and Palestinian political and religious leaders to condemn the senseless loss of life, to refrain from any further provocations, and to actively move toward a long-term solution that will end the bloodshed.
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Statement on Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif Violence
July 21, 2017
We are appalled at the killing of two Israeli security officers at Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif, the loss of Palestinian life in clashes with police, and the escalating tensions in East Jerusalem. Jewish tradition teaches that there are two Jerusalems, Yerushalayim shel Maala, the heavenly or spiritual Jerusalem, and Yerushalayim shel Mata, the earthly, physical city with all its imperfections. As rabbis, we are striving to bridge the gap between the geopolitical realities of a divided Jerusalem and the vision of the peaceful, holy city Jews have longed for throughout the ages. To realize this vision, especially in times of fear and great challenge, we must work to keep our hearts open. Anything less than deep listening and nuanced responses that recognize the grievances of both Israelis and Palestinians only perpetuates the hardening of hearts and cycle of violence.
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Statement on Immoral Health Care Legislation
June 26, 2017
T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights opposes both the House and Senate legislation that will leave millions more Americans without health care. Our insistence on the moral duty of the government to ensure health care for all comes from our grounding both in human rights, and in Jewish teachings. The Senate’s “Better Care” Reconciliation Act of 2017 and House of Representatives American Health Care Act of 2017 are immoral bills that will take healthcare away from millions of Americans, and result in increased suffering, financial burden, and even death. Those most likely to be hurt by these bills include those who can least afford to be without healthcare: individuals with significant health challenges or past illnesses, are low-income or seeking treatment for addiction, and seniors.
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Open Letter to Netanyahu on the 50th Anniversary of the Six-Day War
June 10, 2017
We write in the name of T’ruah, a network of more than 1800 rabbis and cantors in North America who hold deep love for the State of Israel, and who believe that the vision of the Hebrew prophets, cited in Israel’s Declaration of Independence, for a homeland committed to peace and justice, represents the most powerful guarantee of Israel’s future.