“Thus said GOD: A cry is heard in Ramah — Wailing, bitter weeping— Rachel weeping for her children. She refuses to be comforted / For her children, who are gone.” (Jeremiah 31:15)
NEW YORK – T’ruah, a rabbinic human rights organization representing over 2,300 rabbis and cantors in North America, condemned the horrific murders of over 700 Israeli citizens. They shared prayers for the thousands of wounded and called for the immediate, safe release of the over 100 hostages — including elderly people, children, and entire families — who have been kidnapped by Hamas and taken to Gaza. They expressed fear for the ongoing impact this will have on innocent Israelis and Palestinians in the coming days and weeks ahead.
In a statement, Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of T’ruah, said:
“Our hearts are broken for those killed, and for those who lost family, friends, and neighbors in Hamas’ horrific and indefensible terror attacks in Southern Israel this Saturday. There is no possible justification for cruelly and indiscriminately murdering civilians and taking innocent people as hostages, both of which are war crimes.
“As these attacks happened, many of us were celebrating the twin holidays of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. Zman simchateinu (literally, ‘the season of our rejoicing’) became a time of horror, of mourning, and of pain.
“We pray for the safety of our families, friends, rabbinic and other colleagues, T’ruah staff members, and everyone in our broader community in Israel. We know that the shock and pain will not pass quickly; we feel the reverberations of this massacre throughout the Jewish diaspora.
“As in other times of intense grief and fear, we turn to the wisdom of Jewish tradition — a tradition born of centuries of dispossession and communal grief. This wisdom reminds us that mourning cannot be rushed or denied. We cry out in the words of the Psalms: ‘Out of the depths I call you, oh Lord. Oh Lord, listen to my cry; let your ears be attentive to my plea for mercy’ (Psalm 130). We pray for the swift return of those held captive : ‘May the Holy Blessed One have compassion on them and bring them out from darkness and the shadow of death, may God break their bonds, deliver them from their distress, and bring them swiftly back to their families’ embrace’ (excerpted from The Koren Siddur).
“We know that more terrifying times lay ahead. We mourn and we pray for the safety of everyone in harm’s way, as the violence threatens to claim the lives of even more Israelis, as well as Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Most Israelis and Palestinians want to live in peace, security, and dignity. The road may be long, but we will not allow the enemies of peace to hijack our dreams of a better future for Israelis and Palestinians. We know that a true and lasting peace will not be achieved until there is a just, negotiated political solution that protects the human rights of everyone.”
About T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights mobilizes a network of more than 2,300 rabbis and cantors from all streams of Judaism that, together with the Jewish community, act on the Jewish imperative to respect and advance the human rights of all people. Grounded in Torah and our Jewish historical experience and guided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we call upon Jews to assert Jewish values by raising our voices and taking concrete steps to protect and expand human rights in North America, Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories.