Eric Goldstein and Linda Mirels
UJA-Federation of New York
goldsteine@ujafedny.org / lindamirels@gmail.com
Dear Eric and Linda:
We write as New York rabbis and cantors, many of whom have long and close relationships with UJA. Over the past year, we have appreciated your extraordinary fundraising for displaced communities in Israel, and your attention to the plight of the hostages. We are appealing to you as colleagues and friends.
This week, Israeli Americans are demonstrating outside of the UJA building asking you to publicly support a deal that will bring home the hostages and end the war. They are calling on you to use whatever leverage you have to pressure Prime Minister Netanyahu to agree to such a deal. In June, the hostage families who led the daily protests at Sha’ar Begin issued a plea to American Jewish organizations, writing in part, “We are calling upon you as the leaders of our brethren in the United States — Stand with us at this most critical moment and publicly call on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept the hostage release deal that is currently on the table, end this war, and prevent extremist factions from further harming and endangering our families.”
This week, we have seen the tragic consequences of Netanyahu’s recalcitrance in accepting a deal. The IDF could not save Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Almog Sarusi, Alex Lobanov, Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, and Ori Danino z”l, who were murdered by their captors.
A hostage deal could still save lives. In calling to seal the deal, you will be in agreement with the Israeli minister of defense, the IDF chief of staff, the head of the Mossad, the head of the Shin Bet, Israeli business leaders, and the overwhelming majority of Israeli citizens, as well as the United States government.
As we enter Elul, we take stock of our priorities. First among our priorities this year must be achieving a deal that will free the remaining hostages and end the war. We ask you to listen to the voices of these Israeli families of hostages, to call for an end to the war so that the hostages can come home. If we are to keep reciting the refrain, “Bring Them Home” without being strategic and realistic about how this will happen, then our words are mere sentiments, which delay rather than hasten the hostages’ return.
Pidyon shevuyim, the redemption of captives, is one of the most important mitzvot. The Talmud is clear that this mitzvah is done through negotiations, not through attempts to free hostages by force, lest such actions lead to even more suffering. Major halakhic authorities have ruled that one must pay even a high price to redeem captives, regardless of the potential for future danger.
The hostages need your voice and your influence. We are ready to support UJA in taking this step, and invite a conversation within the next 24 hours. Please be in touch with Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of T’ruah, if you would like to arrange a conversation.
Thank you,
Cantor Nancy Abramson
Rabbi David Adelson
Rabbi Ramie Arian
Rabbi Guy Austrian
Cantor Josh Breitzer
Rabbi George Brieger
Rabbi Daniel Bronstein
Rabbi Lester Bronstein
Rabbi Yechiel Buchband
Rabbi Carie Carter
Rabbi Emily Cohen
Rabbi Dianne Cohler-Esses
Rabbi Deena Cowans
Rabbi Billy Dreskin
Cantor Ellen Dreskin
Rabbi Judith Edelstein
Rabbi Jacqueline Koch Ellenson
Rabbi Lisa Gelber
Rabbi Irwin Goldenberg
Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg
Rabbi Lisa Goldstein
Rabbi Lauren Grabelle Herrmann
Rabbi Lisa Grant
Rabbi Matt Green
Rabbi Yael Hammerman
Cantor Natasha Hirschhorn
Rabbi Margo Hughes-Robinson
Rabbi Mark Hurvitz
Rabbi Jill Jacobs
Rabbi Marisa James
Rabbi Jeremy Kalmanofsky
Rabbi Mark Kaiserman
Rabbi Sammy Kanter
Rabbi Jason Klein
Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum
Rabbi Stephanie Kolin
Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie
Rabbi Jonathan Lipnick
Rabbi Ellen Lippmann
Rabbi Marc Margolius
Rabbi Roly Matalon
Rabbi Shira Milgrom
Rabbi Joel Mosbacher
Rabbi Ariel Naveh
Rabbi Shuli Passow
Cantor Emily Wigod Pincus
Rabbi Joshua Rabin
Rabbi Charles P Rabinowitz
Rabbi Jill Rubin
Cantor Benjie Schiller
Rabbi Ismar Schorsch
Cantor Lisa B. Segal
Rabbi Joel Shaiman
Rabbi Jonathan Slater
Rabbi Felicia Sol
Rabbi Jessica Spencer
Rabbi Michael Strassfeld
Rabbi Rachel Timoner
Rabbi Miriam-Simma Walfish
Rabbi Josh Weinberg
Rabbi Yael Werber
Rabbi Nancy Wiener
Rabbi Daniel Wolpe