October 1, 2004/Tishri 6 5765, Vol. 57, No. 5
Isn't it ironic...EditorialIf the matter itself weren't so deadly serious, the timing might be almost funny.After four years of war, even the Palestinian Authority's own prime minister is calling on his people to rethink the fight against Israel. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is calling directly on Yasser Arafat to get out of the way of peace. And President George W. Bush is calling on the world community to end its support of "corrupt" Palestinian leaders. Yet, here comes the Presbyterian Church, en masse, as it were, to punish Israel by calling for divestment of that state. In a meeting of Presbyterian and Jewish leaders held Sept. 28, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, explained why the church's position has stirred a passionate reaction in the Jewish community - a response that apparently comes as a surprise to church leaders. Yoffie ventured that, "Despite our past contacts, it seems apparent that we do not yet know each other well enough." He went on to express the reasons for his opposition to the church's recently adopted declaration that "the occupation (of the disputed territories is) at the root of evil acts committed against innocent people." "Surely," Yoffie said, "when Palestinians are running 'kill the Jews' summer camps in Gaza, and bombers target Jewish children in pizza restaurants and school busses, we should not resort to sweeping and one-sided assertions on what constitutes the source of evil in this terrible conflict." Before leaders of the Presbyterian Church, Yoffie stated, rightly, that the role of religious leaders should be to support the voices of peace and moderation on both sides, not to support one side against the other. He made it clear that what we need to do, and what Israelis and Palestinians need to do, is "reach out to our neighbors and listen for God's presence in their voice." And he pointed out that a number of nonprofit organizations in Israel and Palestine promote Palestinian-Israeli understanding and coexistence. Why, if the Presbyterian Church is concerned about peace in the Middle East, has it not resolved to support those organizations through funding and volunteerism, or even to establish a mission of its own? (Perhaps it could divert some of the money it currently spends trying to convert American Jews to Christianity.) Why have church leaders called instead for an economic move that threatens not only the state of Israel but all those who live in the region, Jews and Palestinians alike? Perhaps because it's easy to sit back and feel good about manipulating money at a distance. It's much more complicated - and conscientious - to figure out how to make a difference on the ground. |
