NEW YORK – T’ruah, a rabbinic human rights organization representing over 2,300 rabbis and cantors in North America, thanked President Biden for his commitment to Israeli democracy and urged him to hold Prime Minister Netanyahu accountable after the two leaders met in New York today.
T’ruah rabbis and others will gather in Dag Hammarskjold Plaza (47th St. between 1st Ave. and 2nd Ave.) outside UN headquarters in New York City at 8 a.m. ET on this Friday, Sept. 22. The group will host a traditional Shacharit prayer service in support of human rights and democracy, followed by an original public confession in the style of High Holy Day liturgy before joining the mass protest scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET. Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of T’ruah, will also speak at a protest outside Prime Minister Netanyahu’s hotel (Loews Regency, 540 Park Ave.) this Thursday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. ET.
In a statement, Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of T’ruah, said:
“We are glad to see President Biden reaffirm his support for Israeli democracy. We also hope this meeting was a wake-up call for Netanyahu, signaling that the United States continues to oppose illegal settlement construction and annexation and does not tolerate efforts to undermine democratic principles.
“On his tour of the U.S. so far, Netanyahu has tried to divert attention from his own actions by comparing pro-democracy American Jewish protesters with the PLO and Iran. He also met with Elon Musk, despite Musk’s continued antisemitic social media remarks. Netanyahu proves he will seek power by whatever means necessary, even if that means curtailing safety and human rights, destroying the economy of the country he leads, and endangering Jews everywhere.
“During this High Holiday season, thousands of American and Israeli advocates are joining together on the streets of New York City to let Prime Minister Netanyahu know that his anti-democratic, authoritarian policies do not represent the will of the people and his actions cannot continue to go unchecked.
“As long as his far-right coalition continues with their plan to end Israeli democracy as we know it, T’ruah advocates will continue to take to the streets and fight for a peaceful, democratic Israel that honors the dignity and rights of all people.”
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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.