Tag Archives: Israel

Davar Torah for Parashar Emor: After the Death (of) a Person, Speak

Read RHR’s most recent newsletter HERE.  Former Knesset Member and friend of all those fighting for social justice, Ilan Gilon, is remembered by Rabbis for Human Rights and Rabbi Ruti Baidatz.  Also read about RHR’s support of the Hebrew Israelite Community who are currently facing deportation orders and RHR’s involvement in the Alternative Independence Day Torch Lighting, with Becky Cohen Keshet representing their commitment to economic justice.

If you would like to donate to BFRHR, you can find more information on the Donations page

Avi Dabush: This Purim: Join us in UNMASKING Jewish Terror

Dear Friends,

Purim is well known as a time for celebration, partying, dressing up, wearing our masks and thinking about Jewish resilience and perseverance over oppression. That, in short, was the story of Purim.

Today, however, some of us have taken things too far. When we look at the steady rise of settler violence/Jewish terror in the West Bank we see that some, too many, of us have gone from perseverance to extremism and hate. We are witness to too many instances of Jews moving beyond resilience to perpetrating violence against Palestinians and solidarity activists. Continue reading →

Dvar Torah: Building a Tabernacle for the Public Good

Read RHR’s most recent newsletter HERE. Rabbi Daniel Burstyn reminds us of the Jewish traditions of generosity and donations, Revach and Tzedaka; there is also an update on Sheikh Jarrah as the Supreme Court freezes the evictions; RHR’s Executive Director Avi Dabush’s latest article; and a response from RHR on the invasion of Ukraine.

If you would like to donate to BFRHR, you can find more information on the Donations page

RHR Newsletter: Standing up to Immorality and more

Read RHR’s most recent newsletter HERE, with the Parashat HaShavua – Va’Yakhel: Standing Up to Immorality (Rabbi Dr Sigalit Ur), an update from a visit to Sheikh Jarrah by Activists and Rabbis from RHR, and an article from RHR Executive Director, Avi Dabush, ‘The Israeli Weapon Isn’t Always in Good Hands’.

If you would like to donate to BFRHR, you can find more information on the Donations page

Tree Planting Met With Terror: We Will Not Be Intimidated

Dear Friends,

I am writing to you following the events of this past Friday, January 21st, that took place in the village of Burin. We were engaged in a tree planting activity together with our friends from the Olive Harvest Coalition, side by side with Palestinian farmers. Suddenly, we were set upon by a group of masked, messianic attackers. There is no other way to describe this attack other than an act of terror. They stormed down from the nearby hill, from the illegal outpost called Givat Ronen, and began to beat activists with their clubs, to stone them and to set a car ablaze.

Continue reading →

Parashat VaYishlah: Words of Peace

“And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, so they hated him, and they could not speak peacefully with him”. (Genesis, 37, 4)

How is hatred born? What is the human mechanism that creates such a harsh feeling? Is it jealousy that causes hatred? Perhaps it is the difference or specialness of the other, that I lack, that arouses the hatred. Is it the absence or neglect of a significant person who arouses love that causes hatred? Perhaps the past difficulties and memories of the father are reflected in the relationships of his children. We are referring to hatred amongst brothers.

No doubt Joseph is an annoying younger brother. Continue reading →

Be With Us: From the Harvest, To Planting and Accompanying Palestinian Shepherds

Following a successful harvest season, in which volunteers went out to harvest with Palestinian over 700 individual times in the Northern West Bank. There, on the ground and in the olive trees the truth of solidarity was revealed. Standing together for justice, peace and human rights is the only way that each olive harvested will grow again into another tree that can be harvested in peace and with equality.

Unfortunately, the harvest this year, while it was a success in terms of how many people we brought out, the solidarity and awareness we raised, we cannot help but be profoundly disturbed by the frustration, anger, pain of the farmers. Continue reading →

The Olive Harvest Continues: Over 500 Volunteers So Far!!

Dear Friends,

The Olive Harvest continues and this week, as we reported, has been one of excitement, pain and success. As we reported to you earlier in the week, on Monday our staff and volunteers were attacked as they participated in the harvest near Awarta. However, even in the face of violence, threats and indifference we continue and are proud of the over 500 volunteers who have joined us thus far, where we all work to show that justice and solidarity can overcome violence and oppression. Continue reading →

PRESS STATEMENT: RHR Volunteers & Staff Attacked During West Bank Olive Harvest

// Press Release – 25.10.2021 //

Volunteers and employees from Rabbis For Human Rights were attacked not long ago by settlers from the Itamar settlement, while the volunteers were assisting Palestinian farmers harvesting their olives in the village of Awarta in the West Bank.

The attackers who arrived on foot and on “tractoronim” (small tractors used for racing) sprayed pepper gas at the harvesters. One of the employees of RHR was hurt and needed medical assistance. Volunteers with RHR reported that there was an army presence at the time but that the soldiers barely intervened. Continue reading →

We Can Make 5782 a Turning Point: It is up to us!

Shana Tova!

Dear Friends and Partners,

The New Hebrew Year stands before us. After the Jewish month of Elul, a month in which we prepare our hearts we arrive at what is known as Judgment Day. Standing before God or facing ourselves, we are called to engage in serious soul searching. Who is to live and who is to die and what is to live and what is to die in our souls? How can we abandon our habits and our flaws and be just a little bit better in the coming year? Which of our curses will we leave behind in 5781 and which blessings will we carry forward and bring upon ourselves in the New Year? Continue reading →