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Statements
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Protecting Human Dignity: T’ruah Responds to Rabbi Steven Pruzansky
November 24, 2014
The 1800 rabbis and cantors who count ourselves as chaverim of T’ruah commit ourselves to our religious obligation to bringing a Jewish moral voice to protecting the tzelem elohim–image of God–in every single human being. We therefore read with disgust Rabbi Steven Pruzansky’s recent article, “Dealing with Savages.” Our sacred tradition insists on human dignity....
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T’ruah Statement on the Jerusalem Synagogue Terror Attack
November 18, 2014
T’ruah condemns today’s murderous attack on a synagogue in Jerusalem. We are horrified by all such acts of violence, especially when the targets are in the act of prayer in their house of worship. We call on Israeli and Palestinian leaders to immediately work together to create a Jerusalem that is safe and healthy for...
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T’ruah Statement on Recent Attacks in Tel Aviv and West Bank
November 10, 2014
T’ruah denounces today’s attacks against Israelis in Tel Aviv and the West Bank. There can be no justification for this kind of violence, which is a clear violation of international human rights law, as well as all religious prohibitions against attempted murder or harm of a creation in the divine image. The Mishnah Sanhedrin (4:5)...
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T’ruah Announces Launch of Jewish Fair Trade Project
September 3, 2014
Equal Exchange, Fair Trade Judaica, and T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights today announced the launch of the Jewish Fair Trade Partnership, through which Jewish institutions and individuals can purchase kosher fair trade coffee, tea and chocolate while supporting Jewish communal efforts to end modern-day slavery and support worker justice. “We are empowering our...
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For the honor of Torah: A rabbinic response to Rabbi Dov Lior
July 24, 2014
Hebrew translation Arabic translation July 24, 2014 As rabbis and cantors charged with the sacred task of “making Torah great and glorifying it,” we are disturbed by the recent opinion issued by Rabbi Dov Lior, in which he distorts Jewish law in order to permit harming noncombatants in war. He permits cutting off supplies and...
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Mercy In a Time of War: T’ruah Statement on the Ongoing Conflict in Israel and Gaza
July 23, 2014
חַסְדֵי יְהוָה כִּי לֹא-תָמְנוּ, כִּי לֹא-כָלוּ רַחֲמָיו. The kindness of the Lord has not ended; God’s mercies are not spent (Lamentations 3:22) We are overwhelmed with grief by the extreme and ongoing loss of life, and severe trauma that Israelis and Palestinians are facing as a result of the continuing war. We fear for...
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Praying for a Brit Shalom, a Covenant of Peace
July 10, 2014
Our hearts are with our families, friends, and colleagues, and all residents of Israel who are running for cover at the sound of sirens and rousing their children from their beds to take refuge in bomb shelters. T’ruah strongly condemns the deliberate targeting of civilians as a clear violation of international human rights law and...
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An End to Bloodshed
July 4, 2014
שְׂאִי אֵלָיו כַּפַּיִךְ, עַל-נֶפֶשׁ עוֹלָלַיִךְ Lift up your hands toward God for the life of your young children. –Lamentations 2:19 We send comfort to the family of Muhammed Hussein Abu Khdair today as they bury their son, who was abducted and killed on Wednesday morning, in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Though we do not yet know...
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Remembering Eyal Yifrach, Naftali Frankel, and Gilad Sha’ar
June 30, 2014
With heavy hearts, we mourn the tragic deaths of Eyal Yifrach, Naftali Frenkel, and Gilad Sha’ar and pray for comfort for their families. We condemn these horrific and unjustified killings. Children should never be pawns of war. May we soon see a day when there will be peace for all inhabitants of the land, “when...
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Praying for Yeshiva Students Missing from Gush Etzion
June 13, 2014
T’ruah is praying for the safe return of the three missing Israeli yeshiva students. Our thoughts are with their families and friends. We categorically condemn kidnapping and encourage anyone with information regarding their whereabouts to come forward. We also urge the IDF to respect the human rights of civilians as it conducts its search.