The Shalom Center - Nonviolence & Violence in Judaism

MLK, LBJ, & GRASS-ROOTS CHANGE: PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS THROUGH SPIRITUAL EYES

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:48:58 -0400

By Rabbi Arthur Waskow

In the present Presidential campaign, suddenly the question has arisen whether Martin Luther King or Lyndon Baines Johnson was more responsible for passage of the Civil Rights Acts of the 1960s.

I was there, folks: working on Capitol Hill and then in the Institute for Policy Studies, a progressive research/action center. And the answer is – both MLK and LBJ were responsible – AND one might add with some exaggeration, NEITHER. .

The "NEITHER" part -- even though I'm overstating it -- is the most important. The people MOST responsible were, in the beginning, dozens, then hundreds, finally thousands and hundreds of thousands – of grass-roots activists.

Sword and Plowshare as Tools of Tikkun Olam: Violence & Nonviolence in Jewish Thought & Action

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 11:08:55 -0400

By Rabbi Arthur Waskow *

Over its long history, how has the Jewish people viewed violence and nonviolence as approaches to tikkun olam, social change in the service of the healing of the world? (The literal phrase “tikkun olam” has been used in that sense only recently, but the vision that one major purpose of Jewish peoplehood is to achieve justice, peace, and ecological wholeness is a very old vision.)

If we look back at the history of Biblical Israel, there are two very important strands in it, both of which we need to learn from and wrestle with. One is the strand of constant willingness to challenge and disobey arrogant power, whether it’s located in Pharaoh or it’s located in a Jewish king. The other is the strand of willingness to use violence – sometimes hyper-violence – to advance the Jewish vision of a decent society.

Seeger, Zalman, Yarrow, Charlie King, Shefa -- New CD!!

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 15:26:21 -0400

WHEN SHOFAR MEETS FLUTE, PETE SEEGER MEETS THEM BOTH, DEBBIE FRIEDMAN & SHEFA GOLD JOIN THE CHORUS –

What could bring Pete Seeger, Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi on shofar dancing with Paul Horn on flute, Peter Yarrow, Debbie Friedman, Linda Hirschhorn, Shefa Gold, Reggie & Kim Harris, David Shneyer, Aryeh Hirschfield – we could go on and on -- all to the same "place"?

An extraordinary brand-new CD, that's what, produced by The Shalom Center!

Avraham Burg: In 2003, Zionism was failing

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:35:17 -0400

A Failed Israeli Society is Collapsing
By AVRAHAM BURG

JERUSALEM - The Zionist revolution has always rested on two pillars: a just path and an ethical leadership. Neither of these is operative any longer. The Israeli nation today rests on a scaffolding of corruption, and on foundations of oppression and injustice. As such, the end of the Zionist enterprise is already on our doorstep. There is a real chance that ours will be the last Zionist generation. There may yet be a Jewish state here, but it will be a different sort, strange and ugly.

There is time to change course, but not much. What is needed is a new vision of a just society and the political will to implement it. Nor is this merely an internal Israeli affair. Diaspora Jews for whom Israel is a central pillar of their identity must pay heed and speak out. If the pillar collapses, the upper floors will come crashing down.

Avraham Burg: In 2003, Zionism was failing

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:35:17 -0400

A Failed Israeli Society is Collapsing
By AVRAHAM BURG

MOURNERS' KADDISH IN TIME OF WAR & VIOLENCE

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 06:07:34 -0400

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MOURNERS' KADDISH IN TIME OF WAR

[Jews use the Kaddish to mourn the dead, though it has in it only one word -- "nechamata, consolations" – which hints at mourning. (And this word itself is used in a puzzling way, once we look at it with care. As we will see below, it may be especially appropriate in time of war.)

[The interpretive English translation below may also be appropriate for prayers of mourning and hope in wartime by other spiritual and religious communities.

[In this version, changes in the traditional last line of the Hebrew text specifically include not only peace for the people Israel (as in the traditional version) but also for the children of Abraham and Hagar through Ishmael (Arabs and Muslims) and for all who dwell on this planet.

Review of "The Tent of Abraham" book (Claire Gorfinkel)

Sat, 03 Jun 2006 15:57:06 -0400

The Tent of Abraham: Stories of Hope and Peace for Jews, Christians and Muslims (Beacon Press, 2006). By Joan Chittister, OSB; Murshid Saadi Shakur Chisti; & Rabbi Arthur Waskow. Foreword by Karen Armstrong. *

Reviewed by Claire Gorfinkel *

For some time now, I have longed for a study group that would consider common themes in Jewish, Muslim and Christian texts. But as is so often the case, in my longing I have created a set of expectations that are virtually impossible to fulfill.

I wanted a group with both men and women, Jews, Christians and Muslims who were well grounded in their faith traditions, who would meet for disciplined study over a substantial amount of time, and who would engage issues of both faith and politics, God and the Middle East conflict.

Jewish Law on the Killing of Yitzhak Rabin

Mon, 14 Nov 2005 07:49:11 -0500

This Tshuva (rabbinic response to a question about Jewish law) was written by Rabbi David Golinkin and posted in November 2005 in recognition of the tenth anniversary of the death of prime Minioster Yitzhak rabin. This, and others, may be found at www.responsafortoday.com

The Assassination of
Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin z"l
HM 4251

Question:

Yigal Amir, the murderer of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin z"l, justified his despicable deed by claiming that Rabin was a rodef (pursuer) and a moser (turncoat) who was about to hand over Jews or Jewish land to non-Jews. 2 Is there any halakhic justification for what Amir did?

Are Jewish Meditation & Social Action at Odds?

Wed, 08 Jun 2005 01:00:00 -0400

Rabbi Arthur Waskow *, 6/8/2005

American Jewish efforts to renew Judaism have been exploring new forms of tikkun olam (healing the world toward peace and social justice) and tikkun halev (healing the heart toward calm and equanimity).

In the social

WHEN GOD BLOWS AWAY AN ARMY

Thu, 28 Apr 2005 01:00:00 -0400

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, 4/28/2005

According to tradition, the Israelite band of runaway slaves crossed the Reed Sea on the seventh day of their flight from slavery. So on the seventh day of Passover, as well as in the regular reading of the Toraah in B

Is There a Moment of Opportunity in the Middle East?

Mon, 07 Nov 2005 19:53:58 -0500

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, 1/19/2005

The two most violent hot spots in the broader Middle East are for the moment just barely cooler enough that maybe it is possible to touch the fire without melting an arm off.

So the timing of our Tent of Abraham, Hagar, and Sarah ad, signed by Muslims, Jews, and Christians, urging changes in US policy toward both Iraq and the Israel-Palestine conflict, could hardly have been better.

There IS a Partnerit

Mon, 07 Nov 2005 09:10:13 -0500

Gila Svirsky, 1/3/2005

From Gila:

Friends,

Israelis have gotten used to saying, Theres no partner, referring to the perceived unwillingness of Palestinian leaders to make peace with Israel. So we think we raised a few eyebrows by posting stickers everywhere this weekend saying (in Hebrew) There IS a partner, with the word partner in the female gender (photo right). Yes, there IS a partner for peace, and she may very well be a woman. Write if you want the 1.5 Meg version of this sticker, or even an original snail-mailed to you. Or just practice saying Yesh Partnerit in Hebrew, so you can inform your Israeli friends

We had a wonderful end-of-year roundup in Tel Aviv, where hundreds of women from the nine member organizations of the Coalition of Women for Peace came together to mark the close of another year of hard work and good energy. We invite those of you who couldnt be with us to review a summary of our efforts below.

We also invite you to visit the websites of some Coalition member organizations:

Nonviolent Israeli-Palestinian Protests against Wall

Mon, 07 Nov 2005 02:20:52 -0500

Reports by Activists & Haaretz, 1/2/2005

A) Jayyous Reclaims its Land
B) Protest Against the Wall in Bil'in
C) PRESS RELEASE: ISRAEL ONLY ACCEPTS JEWS WHO SUPPORT SETTLEMENTS
D) Ha'aretz Daily: U.S. peace activist in prison facing second deportation

A) Jayyous Reclaims Its Land

December 31, 2004

Despite a large Israeli military presence, the people of Jayyous and Israeli and international activists today planted olive seedlings on Jayyous' bulldozed land. 75% of Jayyous land was been cut off from the village by Israel's Apartheid Wall. Now the Israeli government is attempting to expand the illegal settlement of Zufim on Jayyous' land which is isolated between the Apartheid Wall and the Green Line. Over the last weeks Israeli contractors have bulldozed over 600 olive trees for the expansion of Zufim. The International Court of Justice recently affirmed that Israeli settlements are a violate international law.

Students at Tel Aviv high school Protest "Militarization"

Mon, 07 Nov 2005 09:51:24 -0500

Yulie Khromchenko, 1/2/2005

Haaretz
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Students at Tel Aviv high school protest `militarization'
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/520381.html

Hebrew: http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/pages/ShArtPE.jhtml?itemNo=520649
By Yulie Khromchenko

The principal of Ironi Aleph high school in Tel Aviv, Ram Cohen, couldn't believe what was happening to him. As he prepared to enter the auditorium yesterday with the guest speaker, an Air Force brigadier general invited to inject a little fighting spirit into students and motivation to enlist, he found three seniors chained to the entrance in protest over "the school' militarization."

Students at Tel Aviv high school Protest "Militarization"

Mon, 07 Nov 2005 02:32:23 -0500

Yulie Khromchenko, 1/2/2005

Haaretz
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Students at Tel Aviv high school protest `militarization'
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/520381.html

Hebrew: http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/pages/ShArtPE.jhtml?itemNo=520649
By Yulie Khromchenko