Rabbi Yehiel Grenimann, member of Rabbis for Human Rights Board of Directors, speaks from the olive groves in the West Bank Village of Burin to remind us that the Palestinians’ struggle for human rights is also out struggle as Jews who live by the sacred commandment, “love your neighbour as you love yourself”.

My Dear Friends and Supporters,

I have been active in Rabbis For Human Rights in various capacities over the past 30 years – as a board member, as chair, treasurer, staff member for 12 years and again, in my retirement, as a board member. In that time I have been inspired by the devotion and idealism of both staff and volunteers of our unique and dynamic organisation. We have determinedly pursued justice, peace and the cause of human rights throughout those three decades. We do so in the light of our humanistic understanding of Judaism and the prophetic vision mentioned in Israel’s declaration of independence. In the field helping the poor and dispossessed within Israel and under Israeli military occupation, in the corridors of power, in the world of Jewish education and internationally our rabbinic voice has had a significant impact. I often have been told that what we do is “Kiddush Hashem” – sanctification of G-d’s name, that we save Jewish honor and faith in a sometimes cynical and harsh reality here in Israel.

One of the most important projects with which I have had the honor to be associated has been RHR’s annual West Bank olive harvest. Now concluding its 18th year, the harvest succeeds in bringing together hundreds of volunteers every year to work in Palestinian villages which are all too often set upon by local settlers as they attempt to stoke fear among the Palestinian population, interrupt the olive harvest itself and prevent the farmers from reaping the fruits of their trees by destroying or damaging the trees themselves.

We stand together with them, in solidarity, hand-in-hand. I am asking you to join us and support the harvest efforts and our direct work with Palestinian farmers. We are all in this together and only by actually loving our neighbors as ourselves will we find the true path to peace.

We need your help to continue our holy work into the next decade. Please give generously to support us now.

Thank you!

Rabbi Yehiel Grenimann

Listen to Rabbi Yehiel Grenimann, speaking from the West Bank here.

We invite you to support RHR and the olive harvest by donating to the British Friends of Rabbis for Human Rights today