Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Discussion on Interfaith Dialogue

Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2007 8:20 AM
Subject: Response to RABBI FRIEDMAN (CC: Eder, Friedman)

bs"d
 
Dear Rabbi Friedman and Rabbi Eder, amv"sh
 
Just tonight I took note of this post 
 
It seems to me that the State Dept. is pulling the strings of the Israeli gov't.  Olmert and his gov't seem to be a puppet state of the wants and desires of Western Democracy.  Bush is a Bible believing Christian or at least he would not deny it.  I personally have put my focus to Rabbanim, specifically the Chareidim (Rav Eliashiv) to make a statement regarding our Biblical rights to the Land of Israel and the importance to speak out against a 2 State Solution (Israel living side by side with a "peaceful, democratic" Palestine).  (see letter below). If Rav Eliashiv makes a public statement or if better yet a group of Chareidi Rabbanim such as Rav Eliashiv, Rav Shteinman, Rav Kanievsky, the Admor M'Gur etc. come up with a statement asking all their followers to call the White House denouncing the 2 State Solution this would be over a hundred thousand phone calls.  If one adds to this the Christian Evangelicals of 50,000 as stated above and millions of Christians according to Richard Hellman of CIPAC see below, it would greatly weaken Bush's position to promote the creation of  a Palestinian State. Needing support of Christian groups as to Israel's right to exist including Judea Samaria is a matter of survival. True we don't depend on Christians support but only on God's salvation.  Yet G-d's salvation comes through His messengers which include righteous Christians.  We pray for the day when the Nations of the world accept G-d and the Nation of Israel is accepted as being the Kingdom of Priests. (See Aleinu) This having been said, I personally would first focus on the Chareidi Rabbanim because they have the influence and following of at least 100,000 caring believing Jews that have been silent.  I would challenge their Halacha of Silence that is based on politics rather than on Daas Torah.  Here is a letter I wrote to Hadas the Administrative assistant to Rav Efrati who is the personal assistant to Rav Eliashiv.  If you wish to join this struggle of convincing the Chareidi world to join forces with the Religious Zionists to speak up for Eretz Yisroel please let me know and I will give you telephone numbers to call.
Reply-To: friedy07@netvision.net.il
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From: "friedy07@netvision.net.il" <friedy07@netvision.net.il>
To: rb@rb.org.il
Cc: rb@rb.org.il
Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 13:30:01 -0500
Subject: Arutz Sheva News Report


Robin,
I read your message regarding the "Interfaith Sages Council" in Jerusalem.
Interfaith dialogue as a theological enterprise has been opposed by all
major poskim who related to the question. Rav Soloveitchik allowed
interfaith cooperation for the general welfare but opposed public dialogue.
Rav Moshe Feinstein opposed both. Naturally most rabbis, even very hareidi
ones, support political activism without any specific connection to
relgious figures of other faiths. Root & Branch mostly follows the position
of Rav Soloveitchik, but we reserve the right to reconsider details of our
position. See R. Soloveitchik's article "Confrontation" from Tradition in
1965. It thus depends what the content of such a body is as to whether we
will support it. We look forward to your further comments.
Yehoshua Friedman



>Date: Tue, 06 Feb 2007 09:53:44 +0200
>From: Asher Eder <avrason@netvision.net.il>
>Subject: Re: Arutz Sheva News Report
>To: FaigeRayzel@aol.com
>Cc: "Root & Branch Association, Ltd." <rb@rb.org.il>
>
>Dear Mr. Ticker,
>Thanks for the below.
>So far, I did not get any announcement - not to speak of invitation - from
>the municipality.
>About a week or 10 days ago, I sent to the Mayor a letter together with
>the article on "Ask for Jerusalem-Peace", and suggested printing it, and
>handing a copy to each visitor of Jerusalem on occasion of "40 years of
>the City's unification". So far, I did not get any answer (perhaps it is
>still on the way; or in the making?).
>Attached herewith that short article
>Dr. Asher Eder
>Jewish Co-Founder and Co-Chairman
>Islam-Israel Fellowship
>Root&Branch Assoc. Ltd, Yerushalayim/Israel



>----- Original Message ----- From: "Robin Ticker" <faigerayzel@aol.com>
>To: <avrason@netvision.net.il>
>Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2007 6:36 AM
>Subject: Arutz Sheva News Report
>
>
>>This  news item  from Arutz Sheva has been sent to you by: Robin Ticker
>>
>>Message: I hope you and Root and Branch are involved in this.



>>Arutz Sheva News Service
>>http://www.IsraelNationalNews.com
>>Delivered Daily via Email, Sunday thru Friday
>>Subscribe (free): http://subscribe.a7.org/subscribe.asp
>>
>>INTERFAITH SAGES COUNCIL ESTABLISHED FOR JERUSALEM
>>
>>Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski declared that a local Sages Council will
>>soon be established, comprised of religious and secular leaders
>>representing the three predominant monotheistic faiths.
>>Making the announcement during a municipality reception this week marking
>>the new year of 2007, Mayor Lupolianski explained that the council's role
>>will be to improve and enhance the lives of the people of Jerusalem, to
>>create dialogue and understanding between Jews, Muslims and Christians,
>>and to overcome boundaries for all those living in the city.
>>
>>"The council will ignore the so-called 'large, international politics,'
>>which often works in the name of anonymous interests, with no regard for
>>the people living in Jerusalem," Lupolianski said. "The council will set
>>an example for peaceful co-existence and will enable us all to overcome
>>difficulties, solve disputes, get to know each other better and share the
>>vast knowledge we've all accumulated, all for one common goal - the
>>[welfare of the] city of Jerusalem and its residents."
>>
>>Sages Councils such as that announced by the mayor were common in several
>>cities long ago. Their role was to consolidate ideas for the improvement
>>of their respective cities.
>>
>>Mayor Lupolianski came up with the idea to create such a council in
>>Jerusalem following meetings he held with Jewish, Christian and Muslim
>>religious leaders from various denominations. One of the topics raised in
>>those meetings was the lack of direct dialogue between the various
>>communities populating the city, which is one of the most diverse in the
>>world.  Sometimes, people who live just a few feet from one another
>>needed a mediator in order to communicate, municipality spokesman Gideon
>>Schmerling said. This lack of dialogue is one of the reasons Schmerling
>>noted for tensions flaring occasionally between the various religious and
>>ethnic denominations, with Mayor Lupolianski often called in to mediate.
>>
>>In light of this reality, Lupolianski believes that regular meetings of
>>the council, several times a year, will promote inter-cultural dialogue
>>and improve the quality of life for all the people of Jerusalem.
 




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