Defending Palestinian and Israeli Human Rights
RABBI ARIK ASCHERMAN
Director of Rabbis for Human Rights (Israel)
Rabbi Arik Ascherman, Rabbis for Human Rights
November 21, 2004
Campus Center 168
UMass Amherst
Rabbis for Human Rights (RHR) is an organization of over 100 Israeli rabbis and rabbinical students committed to defending the human rights of everyone in Israel and the territories under Israeli control: Israelis and Palestinians; Muslims, Christians and Jews; young and old; rich and poor; citizens and foreigners.
While he is a strong Zionist deeply commited to Israel's security, Rabbi Arik Ascherman (director of RHR) has often opposed Israeli policies. In particular RHR has opposed Israel's use of collective punishment against Palestinian communities to avenge the acts of individual terrorists, including the blockading of Palestinian villages and the destruction of homes, crops and orchards.
At the time of his speaking engagement, Rabbi Ascherman was on trial in Israel for attempting to block bulldozers sent to demolish Palestinian homes. (See the RHR's "Open Letter to Prime Minister Sharon from North American and European Rabbis" supporting Rabbi Ascherman and protesting Israel's policy of home demolitions.)
"We condemn Palestinian violence and support Israel's legitimate efforts to defend her citizens,” says Rabbi Ascherman. “However, Judaism teaches that even in times of conflict, there are lines which we do not cross. The harming of innocent civilians crosses those lines."
RHR also works within Israel society on issues of economic justice, welfare rights and access to adequate health care for all Israelis. It has developed a curriculum for human rights education drawing on Jewish and Muslim teachings about human rights.
Rabbi Ascherman's visit to the Pioneer Valley was sponsored by ten local rabbis: Rabbis David Dunn Bauer, Justin David, Edward Feld, Nancy Flam, Joyce Galaski, Kevin Hale, Devorah Jacobson, Daveen Litwin, Bruce Bromberg Seltzer and Sheila Weinberg.
This lecture was sponsored by the UMass Amherst Office of Jewish Affairs and Brit Tzedek v’Shalom: The Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace.
For more information...
Rabbis for Human Rights (Israel)
Rabbis for Human Rights (North America)
[top of page]
