NYT: Rabbis Emerge as Growing Voice of Criticism of Israel’s Tactics in Gaza
By Elizabeth Dias and Lisa Lerer in the New York Times
Last week about 80 Orthodox rabbis signed an open letter demanding “moral clarity, responsibility, and a Jewish Orthodox response” to what they called a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Signers included chief rabbis of Poland and Norway, and the former chief rabbi of Ireland. Organizers said that more than half of those who signed the letter were from the United States.
Some observant Jews who have felt unable to criticize Israel in their own communities called the recent response heartening.
“There’s a bit of a feedback loop: When rabbis see that more people in their communities feel comfortable speaking up, it gives them permission,” said Esther Sperber, a founder of Smol Emuni — Hebrew for “faithful left” — a group of observant Jews with progressive political views. Since the group was formed in April, nearly 3,000 people have joined its email list.
“I think that is something that many of us have been waiting for a long time for,” she added, “for the American Jewish community to feel comfortable speaking up in that way.”
