Rabbis For Human Rights' Rabbi Arik Ascherman Visits Seattle
Friends,
An announcement about the May 19th Seattle visit of Rabbi Arik
Ascherman follows. Rabbi Ascherman spent two days helping Craig and
me to see the West Bank and Jerusalem when we visited last September. We
were with him as he opposed a home demolition in East Jerusalem, in court
at a sentencing where he was hoping to speak on behalf of a Palestinian who
was found guilty of rebuilding his home, in Jayous where farmers were
waiting for the gates to open in the barrier that separates their homes from
their land, in the caves of the south Hebron hills where through efforts in
Israeli courts threatened cave dwellers have been allowed to remain, and
in Jerusalem at the site of a suicide bombing. All of this was very
helpful to our understanding. I am sure that time spent with him in
Seattle next Wednesday will be, as well. He is a passionate human rights
activist--currently on trial for standing before a bulldozer to prevent a
demolition. Please consider coming. Cindy Corrie
Forwarded from Tom Buchanan of Temple Beth Am in Seattle:
Rabbis For Human Rights' Rabbi ArikAscherman Visits Seattle. All
Are Welcome.
Rabbi Arik Ascherman speaks to the Seattle community, Wednesday, May
19, 7 PM, Temple Beth Am, 2632 NE 80th (just East of NE25)
*Find out why over 400 Rabbis have signed onto an RHR letter to the Israeli
Prime Minister calling for an end of the demolition of Arab-Israeli homes in
Jerusalem. Rabbi Arik is on trial in Israeli Supreme Court this fall for
blocking bulldozers demolishing Palestinian homes. If guilty, he can go to
prison for a long time. He writes: "I have
to be careful in describing what happened next, as this may come to trial. The
charge sheet against me claims that I ran in front of the bulldozers,
interfering with the work of security forces and endangering myself.. In
addition, there was a kippah I lost in the rubble and I feel that it means
something. Perhaps it symbolizes the trampling and burial of the Jewish Values
I grew up believing in. Perhaps it means the opposite. Perhaps it symbolizes
the fact that their were Jews who stood against this injustice in the name of
Torah." Since 1987, while thousands of homes have been erected for
Jews in West Bank territories annexed to Jerusalem, 2,500 Palestinian homes
have been demolished due to "incomplete permits".
*The Social Action Commission of the Union for Reform Judaism in the United
States, passed a resolution March,2004, which reads in part...
"We commend the Rabbis for Human Rights for their efforts towards
defending the human rights of all people of Israel."
*Hear his update on the last three years of RHR's leadership in supporting
the Palestinian Olive Harvest and their Olive Tree Planting Campaigns with
the farmers inside the present West Bank Green Line. Rabbi Arik
has written, "...one of the greatest problems is that hundreds of
families can't access their land which lies between the separation barrier
and the Green Line. A way must also be found for the State of Israel to
compensate Palestinians for olives stolen and trees which were cut down. We
call on the IDF to prosecute those involved in theft of olivcs, destruction
of trees and violence."
* Listen to Rabbi Arik explain the RHR on-going programs of Economic
struggles against the present Israeli Budget in crisis, RHR's Israeli Single
Mothers' religious and political struggles in Israel, the RHR fight against
women's and minorities' involuntary servitude in Israel.
Come to see for yourselves why an Israeli/ Palestinian human rights
organization has said of Rabbi Ascherman, "his leadership is deeply
moving and very effective."
The Wednesday event at Temple Beth Am will be sponsored by: Temple Beth Am,
Rabbi Jim Mirel (Temple B'Nai Torah), Temple DeHirsch Sinai, Brit Tzedek
V'Shalom, Rabbi Seth Goldstein, Temple Beth Hatfiloh
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