In response to reports of Israeli extremists vandalizing an Islamic mosque in the Palestinian village of Yasuf, the following statement was issued by Mr. Stephen Savitsky, president, and Rabbi Steven Weil, executive vice president, of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America:
We condemn the reported acts of vandalism, in which Israelis are alleged to have entered a mosque and set fire to its carpet, destroyed holy objects and wrote hateful graffiti messages on the walls. There is no justification for such actions.
Jewish synagogues and holy sites, in Israel and across the globe, have been similarly vandalized and desecrated over the course of history and, thus, Jews should know very well that such actions are beyond the pale.
We support the efforts of the Israeli authorities to investigate this matter and bring those responsible to justice.
(YWN Desk – NYC)
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5 Responses
This pertinent OU message was from their “yashrus” sub committee.
All other things in this world found so far their approval.
The day after 9/11, an arab gas station owner burned down his gas station and announced that he’s being targeted for being Muslim. Perhaps some arab group did the same here, to decry what the jews are doing.
Otherwise, it is definitely unacceptable to have such behavier among us, and it would be to our benefit if more jewish organizations would come out and condemn this.
Why did the OU jumped to conclusions without knowing all the facts, it is well known that the arabs like to fabricate stories against our brothers that live in the Yehuda and Shomron. For us that have the privilege of living in Israel, we know very well the lies and the propaganda that spewed the arabs in this region. The originator of this lie is none other than ynet arab “reporter” ali waked, he is known for this virulent anti-Semitism and anti-zionism and for reporting lies as facts. Where was the OU when kever Yosef was destroy by the arabs?, where was the charedi world when the Yeshivot and Batei Kennesiot were destroy in Gush Katif? Where is the condemnation from the “gedolei Israel” when shuls are destroy by the government to appeased the arabs and the US.
My dear friends,
Maybe you have a good Kashya on the OU, maybe not.
Maybe they feel the lesson learned over the thousands of years of Golus is that we gain little protesting acts of violence done to us. Look, even when we do what the Goyim want from us, like dismantle Gush Katif, it doesn’t really make them happy. Do they now see us as kind and compassionate peacemakers? Not a chance.
Why are you spilling so much bile over the OU’s correct observation that this behavior is beyond the Jewish pale? Even a half-truth (according to you) should be better than nothing at all.
Please use your energy to say something nice and encouraging to a fellow Jew. Make the world a better place with your time, dont waste it away dumping on whoever you dont like.
#4, what is so correct about it? Where in the Torah do you see that “this behavior is beyond the Jewish pale”?
And the real question is why is the OU “spilling so much bile”, and why can’t it (and you) use its energy to say something nice and encouraging instead of condemning Jews who may not even exist?