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Confronting Anti-Semitism Anti-Semitism
is racism. It is ignorant, sinful and harmful. It must be identified and
corrected at every act and utterance. Anti-Semitism is a machine to dehumanize the Jewish
people. The result of unchallenged
anti-Semitism was laid bare by the Holocaust. Christians who actively,
passively, or silently enabled the Holocaust must ask themselves everyday of
their lives: “Why didn’t I do anything to stop it? Why didn’t I speak up?” Anti-Semitism vs.
Anti-Israeli-Policies: As we work
to end the Israeli Occupation, we are given a unique opportunity to confront
anti-Semitism and challenge it. We
must make clear the distinction between our opposition to the Israeli
government policies and our respect for the Jewish people and culture, and
the right of Israel to exist. We
have the opportunity to say that we value our
relationships with American Jewish and Israeli communities and
individuals many of whom also support an immediate end to the occupation. It is our firm belief that these
communities care deeply about, and respect the human rights of all
people to self-determination and justice. For more information
regarding anti-Semitism and anti-Occupation, check out these articles: ·
Anti-Israel, Anti-Semitism?, April 21,
www.abcnews.com ·
Facing the Charge of Anti-Semitism by Paul A. Hopkins, The Link – January 1992,
www.ameu.org ·
From Jew to Jew: Why We Should Oppose the Israeli
Occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, A Jewish Voice for Peace, www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org ·
A Letter to our Churches about Anti-Semitism, |
Jewish
Perspectives on Anti-Semitism and Anti-Occupation Comparing Sharon to Hitler: “We don't
need to compare Ariel Sharon to Adolf Hitler to call what Sharon is doing
completely abhorrent. What the Israeli army and government are doing is
horrible enough all by itself. Such comparisons don't serve anyone; they only
scare Jews and shove us back into that victim place of feeling that the whole
world is against us.” Penny Rosenwasser, Thoughts
on Anti-Semitism, www.tikkun.org Self-Haters: “And what happens
to those of us who do speak out and take a stand? We are called all sorts of
names, spit on, called self-hating Jews, back-stabbers and traitors. But I
refuse to have anyone else define my quest for peace with justice as anything
other than what it is: my intense desire for human beings to live in peace
with each other no matter what their religion, race, or nationality is, and
an expression of my Jewish values.” Cindy Levitt, Who will speak out?, www.nimn.org. Taking the sting out of Anti-Semitism: “Many good people, who feel no hatred at all
towards the Jews but who detest the persecution of Palestinians, are now
called anti-Semites. Thus the sting is taken out of this word, giving it
something approaching respectability.” Uri Avnery, Manufacturing Anti-Semites, www.tikkun.org
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The Northern-Illinois-Conference
End-the-Occupation (NIC-ETO) Task Force works side by side with Jewish,
Muslim, Christian, American, Palestinian and Israeli groups who represent
the middle ground of support for Israel and Palestine, human rights,
international law and justice. To
request speakers from groups who support the United Methodist Resolutions
on the Middle East Conflict, contact:
NIC-ETO@yahoogroups.com |
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