North American rabbis protest Israel’s law forbidding LGBTQ surrogacy
Nearly 600 rabbis representing Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist Jewish communities from across the United States and Canada signed an open letter that calls on ultra-Orthodox rabbis in Israel to retract recent homophobic comments and asks the governing coalition of the Knesset to immediately reverse recent anti-LGBTQ surrogacy legislation.
The letter was organized by A Wider Bridge, the North American organization building support for Israel and LGBTQ people in Israel, to respond to an earlier homophobic letter, signed by 200 ultra-Orthodox rabbis, that was published on the eve of the 2018 Jerusalem March for Pride and Tolerance, and the third anniversary of the murder of Shira Banki, killed during the 2015 march. The full text of the A Wider Bridge letter and a list of signatories can be found online by clicking here:
“By calling LGBTQ Jews ‘perverts’ and condemning children to ‘wretched lives,’ these rabbis are endangering lives by laying the groundwork for violence against LGBTQ people in Israel,” said Rabbi Gil Steinlauf, a board member of A Wider Bridge, who drafted the letter. “Their outrageous letter is a sign that they feel emboldened in their quest to roll back protections for LGBTQ people and other Israeli minorities. The democratic principles and values of the founders of the Jewish state must remain non-negotiable.”
Prominent signatories include Rabbi Steve Wernick, CEO of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, Rabbi Steve Greenberg, executive director of Eshel, Rabbi Jonah Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Rabbi Debra Newman Kamin, president of the Rabbinical Assembly, Rabbi Denise Eger, past president of Central Conference of American Rabbis, and Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, senior rabbi of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah and Rabbi David Saperstein, former U.S. ambassador-at-large for religious freedom.
“We are humbled and grateful for the outpouring of support from rabbis representing all four major movements of Judaism for LGBTQ communities in Israel,” said Tyler Gregory, executive director of A Wider Bridge. “At a time when our communities are deeply divided on the big issues of the day, these 600 rabbis served up an important reminder that LGBTQ rights is an issue that brings us together. From the record-setting 100,000-person LGBTQ strike, to the largest Jerusalem Pride in history, to the collective voices included in this letter, it’s clear that equality in Israel is a major issue that must remain on the Knesset’s agenda.” — From A Wider Bridge
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National Museum of American Jewish History names three new trustees
The National Museum of American Jewish History (NMAJH) announces the election of three new members to its Board of Trustees: Andrew Klaber, Matthew Pestronk, and Michael Swift. The Board is committed to supporting the Museum’s mission and ensuring the institution has a lasting impact for future generations—for all Americans and for all people who appreciate religious liberty and the freedoms to which Americans aspire.
Andrew Klaber is a Partner at Paulson & Company in New York City. Originally from Buffalo Grove, Illinois, Andrew graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa president from Yale College at Yale University, where he was a Udall Scholar, Truman Scholar, and First-Team USA Today Academic All-American. He earned Masters of Science degrees in Financial Economics and Economic History from Oxford as a Marshall Scholar, and holds a JD/MBA from Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School, where he graduated with Distinction and as the Dean’s Award winner.
Matthew Pestronk is the President and co-founder of Post Brothers Apartments, one of the most active multifamily developers in Philadelphia. A vertically integrated development and management enterprise with a successful track record of finding and exploiting unmet rental market niches that are in demand, Post’s exclusive focus is the creation of Class A infill multifamily-driven mixed-use properties with an emphasis on adaptive reuse and underutilized existing apartment projects.
Michael Swift is the Executive Director and Investment Specialist at J.P. Morgan. Michael joined J.P. Morgan in 2005 and has spent his career managing portfolios for ultra-high net worth individuals, family offices, endowments and foundations. Prior to rejoining the Mid-Atlantic team in 2016, Michael was a Portfolio Manager in J.P. Morgan’s Endowments and Foundations Group in New York, working with not-for-profit organizations to provide strategic advice and invest across a broad range of long-only and alternative investment strategies. In this capacity, he was responsible for $1.4 billion in client assets. — From National Museum of American Jewish History
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Anne Frank Center urges signatures on petitions to Facebook to stop Holocaust Denial postings
Anne Frank Center For Mutual Respect, along with the Association of Holocaust Organizations, and Holocaust Learning and Education Fund has posted a petition to Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook. The petition may be accessed by clicking here.
“We call on Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook to cease hosting Holocaust Denial pages on their site,” the Anne Frank Center said. “When these pages spread lies and untruths, it is veiled hatred and anti-semitism designed to cast doubt on facts. The Holocaust happened. This can not be disputed. Period. There is a difference between providing a platform for free expression and knowingly spreading false information and lies. Denying the Holocaust causes harm. These sites foster hatred, division and racism.We call on Facebook to take action and help stop this dissemination of hate.” — From Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect
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American Jewish Congress, American Jewish Committee applaud U.S. sanctions on Iran
The American Jewish Congress supports the United States Government’s action to reimpose sanctions on a range of Iranian financial and industrial transactions, according to AJCongress President Jack Rosen. Sanctioned activities include trade in gold and other precious metals and the purchase of U.S. bank notes by the Government of Iran.
“Iran has not acted in good faith, it has lied to the international community, as demonstrated by a secret cache of nuclear files discovered by Israel, and continues to pose a significant threat to regional stability,” Rosen said. “Iran should stop advancing its nuclear plan, stop its missiles programs and development, agree to an effective international oversight, and stop financing terror across the world. We urge the international community to rally behind the United States in their efforts to keep the region safe.
“Moreover, the United States should continue supporting Iranian civilians who are peacefully protesting the regime. The Iranian government has spread conflict and instability in the region instead of taking care of its citizens.” — From American Jewish Congress
American Jewish Committee statement: Following President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order yesterday, which restored major sanctions on Iran, AJC CEO David Harris issued the following statement:
“We support the U.S. decision.
“Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. It has propped up the Syrian regime and participated in crimes against humanity in Syria. It continues to arm Hezbollah and support Hamas. It calls for Israel’s destruction and seeks ways to achieve that goal. It undermines Yemen and threatens our Gulf Arab partners. It plots attacks in Europe. It tramples on the human rights of its own people, beginning with women, LGBTQ individuals, and religious minorities. The list goes on and on.
“And all of this accelerated after the JCPOA was signed in 2015. As a reminder, and we heard it with our own ears from top American and European officials at the time, the nuclear deal was meant not only to delay Iran’s nuclear program, but also to strengthen the “moderate” faction in Tehran and allow it to devote greater attention to the delayed needs of the Iranian people. Alas, those rosy predictions have not materialized.
“As AJC has said before, we earnestly wish that the U.S. and our European allies could have forged a common front in dealing with Iran at this time. For whatever reasons, it did not happen. We regret that, all the more so because Iran will surely seek to exploit the very obvious transatlantic differences.
“Iran must know that Washington is determined to send a powerful message that its aggressive, bellicose behavior must change dramatically, or else it faces serious economic consequences. Yesterday’s U.S. decision should make that abundantly clear.” — From American Jewish Committee
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Americans for Peace Now oppose Trump Administration’s reported plans to end support for UNRWA
Americans for Peace Now (APN) “strongly condemns” efforts by the Trump administration to end the refugee status of millions of Palestinians prior to the achievement of a final status agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), according to a new release from the organization.
The release said:
“A recent report in Foreign Policy reveals that the Trump administration – and Special Advisor to the President Jared Kushner in particular – have sought to end U.S. support for the United Nation Refugee Works Agency (UNRWA), which provides 5 million Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon with education, health care, food, and other services. Kushner is quoted as writing in an email to White House colleagues: ‘It is important to have an honest and sincere effort to disrupt UNRWA.’
“Furthermore, the report reveals that Kushner and US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley advocated ending all funding for UNRWA in January of this year. The report also cites an unsuccessful attempt by Kushner to push Jordan into stripping the country’s Palestinian refugees of their status.
“These efforts must be seen for what they are: an attempt to pre-determine the outcome of one of the core issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As with President Trump’s disastrous decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem earlier this year, the administration’s approach to UNRWA and the issues of Palestinian refugees reveals a reckless disregard for Palestinian interests and concerns, a shallow understanding of the issues central to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and a deep-seated bias toward a right-wing Israeli narrative. In fact, some of the staunchest support expressed for UNRWA has come from Israeli military and security officials, who recognize the agency’s vital role in sustaining millions of Palestinians on a daily basis and preventing explosions of unrest and violence.
“Any solution to the Palestinian refugee issue must respect both the sensitivities of the Palestinian refugees and Israel’s sovereign right to determine who may live within its borders. Efforts to use technical or bureaucratic means to bypass a negotiated solution, as part of a comprehensive Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement, are doomed to fail, could exacerbate the conflict, and could ultimately make resolution of the issue more difficult.” — From Americans for Peace Now
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Kuwaiti airline that denied Israeli passage pays damages
Kuwait Airways has agreed to pay substantial damages plus costs to an Israeli National who was refused a ticket on a Kuwait Airways flight from London to Bangkok on the grounds of her nationality, the Lawfare Project has reported
Mandy Blumenthal, with the help of UK Lawyers for Israel, issued a claim against Kuwait Airways, claiming damages for racial discrimination and harassment, after she tried to buy a return ticket to Bangkok at Heathrow Airport from the Kuwait Airways desk last November.
UK Lawyers for Israel, a voluntary organisation of lawyers who support Israel, facilitated Blumenthal’s claim by organizing her legal representation by barristers John Bowers QC and Benjamin Gray, and David Berens of Fuglers Solicitors.
Blumenthal’s encounter at the Kuwait Airways desk was filmed, and the video is available on Youtube. At first Kuwait Airways were prepared to sell her the ticket but refused once they saw her Israeli passport. The Kuwait Airways ticket clerk repeatedly explained: “Israeli passport holders are not permitted to travel on Kuwait Airways”.
Kuwait Airways has now agreed to pay Blumenthal damages but has not admitted liability. However, it is likely that other Israelis will come forward with similar claims. Jonathan Turner, Chief Executive of UK Lawyers for Israel, confirmed that the organization would be willing to assist other claimants. — From The Lawfare Project
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Preceding culled from news releases. Send yours to editor@sdjewishworld.com