Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
Jews, Christians meet over divestment issue
By: MARILYN H. KARFELD Senior Staff Reporter
David Ben-Gurion, founder of Israel and its first prime minister, viewed the 1939 British White Paper, which restricted Jewish immigration and the rights of Jews to buy land in Palestine, as outright betrayal.
But in light of the British fighting Nazi Germany in World War II, he said:
"We shall fight the war as if there were no White Paper and fight the White Paper as if there were no war."
David Elcott, the American Jewish Committee's national director of U.S. interreligious affairs, sees Ben-Gurion's pragmatic Zionism as a model to follow in Jewish relations with Christian communities. He was in Cleveland last week to speak at the AJC's annual meeting.
The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. has voted to explore divesting its pension funds from companies doing business in Israel. For instance, the Presbyterians have talked about selling their stock in Caterpillar, whose bulldozers have been used by the Israeli army to demolish Palestinian homes.
Similarly, the World Council of Churches has urged its members to consider economic measures against those corporations involved in constructing West Bank settlements and building the separation barrier. The Episcopalians are considering similar economic sanctions against Israel.
Those liberal Christian communities, "who see Israel as evil incarnate," also support ideals of social justice, values dear to most Jews, notes Elcott. These Christian denominations need to understand that the "attacks on Israel promote fundamentalism and violence in the world. They are wrong to say we (American Jews who support Israel) have a blind spot in this area."
At the same time, Elcott says he would "reach out" to Protestant churches on causes where Jews and Christians need to work together for a just world.
He acknowledges that there are many legitimate criticisms of Israel, valid comments that are heard within Israel itself. Such protests against the separation barrier or the occupation of Palestinian territories are fine, he says. But, he complains that these critics suggest no alternatives to protecting Israel's security.
Elcott has continued to meet with leaders of the Presbyterian Church and other Christian faiths, such as the United Church of Christ, to discuss the divestment issue. A recent internal church poll showed that the majority of Presbyterian church members oppose divestment, but their leadership continues to defend the policy, he says.
The Christian churches' divestment proposals took the organized Jewish community by surprise, Elcott admits. "We were more complacent than we should have been."
Jewish groups now have "mobilized," he adds. A broad coalition of Jews, liberal to conservative, have joined forces on this issue, the most effective such mobilization since the massive Soviet Jewry emigration and the 1967 and 1973 wars against Israel.
Presbyterian groups are now traveling with Jews to Israel and are returning with different ideas about the Jewish state, Elcott says. After groups from Houston and Washington, D.C., recently returned from Israel, for example, each issued a statement opposing divestment. Presbyterians Concerned for Jewish and Christian Relations have a statement on their website challenging the official church stance.
As the church's official position has become known, more lay Presbyterians are disturbed, Elcott says. They see this as a setback to peace in the Middle East. Moreover, "This has done terrible damage to the relationship between Jews and Presbyterians," Elcott says.
As AJC interfaith director, Elcott also talks to evangelical Christians, who strongly support Israel and Jewish settlements in Gaza and the West Bank. Many Evangelicals believe that the Messiah will not come until Jews live in the entire biblical Palestine.
However, most American Jews disagree with Evangelicals on a number of topics, such as President Bush's faith-based initiative to grant government funds to churches to provide social services.
American Jews are remarkably cohesive despite their differences on issues ranging from state aid for parochial schools to gay rights, Elcott says. But, "We agree that we don't want any religious group to determine public policy on a sectarian basis."
Being flexible in reaching out to other faiths is important, he says. "We speak with passion with a Jewish voice and create partnerships, becoming more powerful than we would be alone."
But in light of the British fighting Nazi Germany in World War II, he said:
"We shall fight the war as if there were no White Paper and fight the White Paper as if there were no war."
David Elcott, the American Jewish Committee's national director of U.S. interreligious affairs, sees Ben-Gurion's pragmatic Zionism as a model to follow in Jewish relations with Christian communities. He was in Cleveland last week to speak at the AJC's annual meeting.
The Presbyterian Church U.S.A. has voted to explore divesting its pension funds from companies doing business in Israel. For instance, the Presbyterians have talked about selling their stock in Caterpillar, whose bulldozers have been used by the Israeli army to demolish Palestinian homes.
Similarly, the World Council of Churches has urged its members to consider economic measures against those corporations involved in constructing West Bank settlements and building the separation barrier. The Episcopalians are considering similar economic sanctions against Israel.
Those liberal Christian communities, "who see Israel as evil incarnate," also support ideals of social justice, values dear to most Jews, notes Elcott. These Christian denominations need to understand that the "attacks on Israel promote fundamentalism and violence in the world. They are wrong to say we (American Jews who support Israel) have a blind spot in this area."
At the same time, Elcott says he would "reach out" to Protestant churches on causes where Jews and Christians need to work together for a just world.
He acknowledges that there are many legitimate criticisms of Israel, valid comments that are heard within Israel itself. Such protests against the separation barrier or the occupation of Palestinian territories are fine, he says. But, he complains that these critics suggest no alternatives to protecting Israel's security.
Elcott has continued to meet with leaders of the Presbyterian Church and other Christian faiths, such as the United Church of Christ, to discuss the divestment issue. A recent internal church poll showed that the majority of Presbyterian church members oppose divestment, but their leadership continues to defend the policy, he says.
The Christian churches' divestment proposals took the organized Jewish community by surprise, Elcott admits. "We were more complacent than we should have been."
Jewish groups now have "mobilized," he adds. A broad coalition of Jews, liberal to conservative, have joined forces on this issue, the most effective such mobilization since the massive Soviet Jewry emigration and the 1967 and 1973 wars against Israel.
Presbyterian groups are now traveling with Jews to Israel and are returning with different ideas about the Jewish state, Elcott says. After groups from Houston and Washington, D.C., recently returned from Israel, for example, each issued a statement opposing divestment. Presbyterians Concerned for Jewish and Christian Relations have a statement on their website challenging the official church stance.
As the church's official position has become known, more lay Presbyterians are disturbed, Elcott says. They see this as a setback to peace in the Middle East. Moreover, "This has done terrible damage to the relationship between Jews and Presbyterians," Elcott says.
As AJC interfaith director, Elcott also talks to evangelical Christians, who strongly support Israel and Jewish settlements in Gaza and the West Bank. Many Evangelicals believe that the Messiah will not come until Jews live in the entire biblical Palestine.
However, most American Jews disagree with Evangelicals on a number of topics, such as President Bush's faith-based initiative to grant government funds to churches to provide social services.
American Jews are remarkably cohesive despite their differences on issues ranging from state aid for parochial schools to gay rights, Elcott says. But, "We agree that we don't want any religious group to determine public policy on a sectarian basis."
Being flexible in reaching out to other faiths is important, he says. "We speak with passion with a Jewish voice and create partnerships, becoming more powerful than we would be alone."
 |
 |
|
| Harry Hirsch named dean | Federation seeks Eisenman Award nominations |
Article Rating
Reader Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of clevelandjewishnews.com.
You must register with a valid email to post comments. Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments. Registration is free.
Registered users sign in here: |
Become a Registered User |
