Jamie: This is a great letter, too. Not one to
advise casting pearls ONLY before swine, I would
encourage you to send it to P & J as well as to
the "Rabbi" and, possibly, a copy to the
president of the congregation, a name I can get
for you if you would like. Chasan's letter to P &
J challenged them to print letters they get from
the community, no doubt because he has asked his
minions to bury them in abuse. It would be nice
to see some of "our" letters in there too.
The address is:
Rabbi Joshua Chasan
Ohavi Zedek Synagogue
188 North Prospect Street
Burlington, Vermont 05401
--- Jamie Brooks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Marc's brilliant letter inspired me to take it
> from a different perspective.
> But where should I send it?
>
>
>
> Dear Rabbi Chassen:
>
> The knowledge that we cannot have peace without
> justice is the wellspring of
> the Peace & Justice Center�s mission. You have
> been a loyal supporter of the
> Center, so I assume you have shared this
> wisdom. Presuming a bit further,
> you probably also understood the danger of
> forsaking one of these goals for
> the other. Justice without peace is revenge,
> and peace without justice is
> oppression.
>
> The Peace & Justice Center, faithfully pursuing
> its stated mission, has
> presented a bill of particulars on an issue
> that is near and dear to your
> heart. In response you have thrown the whole
> thing over. Rather than debate
> the points with your fellows in the Peace &
> Justice community or issue a
> factual rebuttal, you have withdrawn all your
> support from the Peace &
> Justice Center and encouraged others to do the
> same. One cannot escape the
> impression that in this instance the Peace &
> Justice Center may have "struck
> a nerve", a common enough event in the struggle
> for justice and peace.
>
> Many of us have become committed to the
> struggle for that very reason.
> Something "struck a nerve" somewhere deep
> inside us, often a particular
> violent injustice paid for with our taxes.
> Becoming aware of it challenged
> our root assumptions and excuses. It made us
> think hard about what we
> thought we knew, and whether our sources had
> been telling us the real story.
> It made us consider again what it means to be a
> decent human being, an
> honest American. It �hurt our eyes open.�
>
> Perhaps you are dealing with something akin to
> that now. It can be very
> difficult to acknowledge the depth of injustice
> and misery wrought by
> policies we have long thought to be just and
> wise. Although it deeply
> offended you, the Peace & Justice Center�s
> statement on the
> 'Israel-Palestine Conflict' is an accurate
> reflection of the current
> situation and the world�s legal consensus for
> its solution. It correctly
> identifies the victims and the dire need for
> justice in this thoroughly
> illegal war. I suspect it�s this interpretation
> of justice that is, if you�
> ll pardon the expression, striking your nerve.
>
> I�m sure you�ll agree that the global movement
> for peace and justice is
> committed to respect for international law and
> the Geneva Conventions.
> Wherever we struggle against violence and
> injustice, we try to restore
> international law, which we regard as
> fundamental to peace. We also bear
> witness to the crimes we are trying to stop, in
> order to inform the public,
> press for justice, and honor the victims.
>
> These are the essentials. And they are the
> points covered by the Peace &
> Justice Center�s statement on Israel and
> Palestine. If you feel there is an
> error of legal interpretation, I think we all
> would welcome your
> presentation. If you feel that the statement
> bore false witness, I would
> have to flatly disagree. A mountain of public
> evidence supports every point,
> and I can provide it. If you feel the statement
> should include additional
> points, why not submit your emendations for
> public consideration? Why quit
> and influence others to withdraw from the Peace
> & Justice Center? Will you
> damage all of the Center�s good work because it
> is hard for you to face the
> injustice in a single peace and justice issue?
>
> I hope not. I hope you will rejoin us in the
> effort to bear honest witness
> and seek impartial justice, no matter how
> uncomfortable the facts may be. It
> is a hard road to peace, but it appears to be
> the only way.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> James Brooks
> Worcester, etc.
>
>
>
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