|
|
CLICK TO DONATE
Click to make a secure contribution.
|
|
UPCOMING EVENTS
|
|
September 19-22, 2011
International
Symposium: Changing Roles of Rabbis, Pastors, Priests. Joint event
between Abraham Geiger College
at Potsdam University, Leipzig
University and Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
|
|
December 14-18, 2011
Union for Reform
Judaism Biennial, Washington,
DC
|
|
March 15-18, 2012
Biennial
Conference of the European Union for Progressive Judaism, Amsterdam
|
|
January 25-29, 2012
Union
of Jewish Congregations of Latin America and the Caribbean (UJCL)
Biennial Convention, Guadalajara,
Mexico
|
|
March 15-18, 2012
Biennial
Conference of the European Union for Progressive Judaism, Amsterdam
|
|
June 1-2, 2012
Biennial
Conference of the Israel
Movement for Progressive Judaism (IMPJ), Israel
|
|
June 8-10, 2012
80th
Anniversary and Biennial conference of the South African Union for
Progressive Judaism (SAUPJ), Johannesburg
|
|
August 8-12, 2012
World
Union for Progressive Judaism-Latin America
(WUPJ-LA)'s 4th Conference of Jewish Communities, Buenos Aires
|
|
May 1-5, 2013
World
Union for Progressive Judaism's 36th International Biennial -
Connections 2013, Jerusalem,
Israel
Read
more in Upcoming Events
|
|
|
|
ISRAEL'S ANTI-BOYCOTT LEGISLATION
WORLD UNION'S OPPOSITION
TO THIS
BILL
|
|
|
|
_____________________________________________
|
|
We, the World Union for
Progressive Judaism support the leadership of Rabbi Gilad Kariv and
Anat Hoffman of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism, in their
opposition to the anti-boycott legislation just passed by the
Knesset.
Rabbi Stephen Fuchs, the newly
appointed President of the World Union for Progressive Judaism
states, "As Progressive Jews in 46 countries around the globe, we
cherish Israel's
tradition of democracy and freedom of speech. Its democratic
tradition is essential to Israel's standing as a
Merkaz Ruchani - a spiritual center for the entire Jewish People, in
all its marvelous diversity, and all humanity. Even as we
oppose Israel's
delegitimization by its enemies outside Israel,
so do we oppose its delegitimization from within Israel
by over-zealous and unwise restrictions on the freedom of speech and
democratic openness afforded its own citizens."
Rabbi Gilad Kariv, Executive
Director of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism, and Anat
Hoffman, Director of the Israeli
Religious Action Center
characterized the law as anti-democratic and anti-pluralistic:
"In principle, the Israel
Reform Movement does not support boycott as a means to delegitimize
the State of Israel. Reform Judaism in Israel
and throughout the world stands against international actors who are
taking steps to harm Israel's
legitimacy and to isolate the country. However, the attempt to
prevent a boycott by means of legislation is much more dangerous than
the use of the boycott and may cause greater damage to the strength
of Israel
as a Jewish and democratic state. The law that was recently approved
by the Knesset actually provides support to those calling for
boycotts and isolation of Israel and in this sense,
the law is both unjust and unintelligent at the same time.
Therefore the Israel Reform
Movement condemns the Knesset's adoption of the "Boycott
Law," a law that penalizes a form of non-violent protest against
government policies and severely infringes on the fundamental right
to freedom of expression. This law is yet another sad addition to a
series of anti-democratic, anti-pluralistic laws recklessly being
passed by the current Israeli Knesset in its efforts to silence
opposition. The Jewish tradition embraces public debate and
controversy. As our sages teach us, "these and these are
the words of the Living God." The Knesset would do wisely to
heed this teaching."
The World Union for Progressive
Judaism, with its World Headquarters in the heart of Jerusalem, joins with all Jews
world-wide who uphold the freedom of speech, which has always been a
hallmark of the tradition of the Jewish People and has been the
groundwork of rabbinic tradition, discussion and debate.
|
|
|
|
|
