Jewish Voices for a Just Peace
As proud, South African Jews, concerned about both Palestinians and Israelis, we write this open letter welcoming your attendance at the SAJBD Biennial Conference titled “Gathering Voices, Combating Global Racism, and Anti-Semitism”.
We believe this to be an ideal opportunity for you[as president] as an activist, freedom fighter and president of democratic South Africa, to engage the audience on some key issues:
– The definition of racism includes Islamophobia which homogenises the Muslim world into a singular thinking-and-acting body with a nucleus of irrational militant Islam.
– The safety of Jews from another Holocaust can in fact be realised, by fighting all forms of racism and hatred. Building walls will never achieve safety; only make one more of a target.
– Jews – like many other cultural and religious groups – have strong traditions of charity, education and social justice. As a community who benefited under apartheid and still continues to benefit, we have an active role to play in rebuilding the society we all want to be part of.
– The SAJBD claims to be representative of the Jewish community, but in fact only amplifies the voice of Jews who support Israel uncritically. The SAJBD as the umbrella organisation of Jews in South Afric, should embrace all views equally and ensure no voices are marginalised.
– The SAJBD has organised this conference to discuss ways of combating anti-Semitism. The best way to counter anti-Semitic sentiment is to pressure Israel – which claims to be speaking on behalf of all Jews- into negotiating a just peace with Palestinians.
-The SAJBD supported Israel’s Operations Cast Lead in 2008/2009 and Protective Edge in 2014 in Gaza which killed thousands of people, mainly civilians, including hundreds of children. They destroyed infrastructure and housing, much of which has never been rebuilt. Gaza’s citizens continue to languish under the blockade.
Death and destruction should never be celebrated, let alone through the hosting of a nationalistic rally in support of the Israeli military and might.
We might not represent the majority of Jews in South Africa, but neither did Dietrich Bonnhoefer in Nazi Germany nor Beyers Naude, Antjie Krog, Bram Fischer, Joe Slovo and Ruth First in apartheid South Africa.
Our individual consciences and our Jewish tradition compel us to declare to the SAJBD and to the Israeli government that we will continue to speak out.
We ask you [as the president] to provide the necessary guidance by urging all parties to overcome all forms of racism, discrimination as well as social, economic and political injustice by sitting down at the negotiation table for a long-term, sustainable solution towards peace, reconciliation and self-determination for all.
Johannesburg
Mike Fisher
Nov 19, 2015 at 10:14 am
‘I’m not going to use the old hackneyed term \”self hating Jews\”. This bunch are beyond that even. They wish harm and destruction on our Jewish state. There is no other explanation for this nonsensical drivel. I’m so baffled why any Jew would wake up in the morning and feel the need to write this kind of poison. One has to wonder what their actual agenda is. Would be good to be able to expose their ties to certain other organisations. The members of this organisation are known to the community..they do not attempt to hide their identities. Are they proud? Do they feel better about themselves (and their images) falling into line with their mainstream ultra liberal academia peers? Members of SAJVP, what would your grandparents and parents, who had to run and escape Jew hatred, feel about your views? Shame on you. This community needs to excommunicate these individuals.
‘
Myron Robinson
Nov 19, 2015 at 1:31 pm
‘What Hogwash. I support Israel but not uncritically. It is a pity the author of the letter chooses to approbate & reprobate in his/her comments. The SA Govt. has supported every despot in Africa without any criticism as well as Hamas, Iran & China. I have yet to read any article by JVJP criticising any of the above.’
Mack Abee
Nov 19, 2015 at 2:12 pm
‘A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself.For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear.—Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 – 43 BC)
‘
asher
Nov 19, 2015 at 5:57 pm
‘How about a rowing outing to the Zoo Lake? Bring along your Palestinian flags and scarves. Leave your Jewish symbols (Israeli flag, Magen David, etc) at home. We don’t want our anti-semitic friends to feel uncomfortable.’
Laurence Seeff
Nov 19, 2015 at 6:06 pm
‘This pitiful letter is the epitome of
Holocaust inversion, unfounded and unsubstantiated facts, and filled with junk
propaganda more befitting of Anti-Semitic hate sites.
\”The best way to combat Anti-Semitism is to pressure
Israel…\” suggests that Anti-Semitism as a fixation that came about only
after the founding of Israel and directly as result of the Jews’ return to
their homeland from the ashes of Auschwitz. There is nothing narrower and
shortsighted than this twisted JVJP self-appointment as
overseers in a ridiculous blame game.
Anti-Semitism is a discriminatory
prejudice against Jews. Conflating Anti-Semitism with Israel in any way
whatsoever, is disingenuous and a trendy practice employed by Israel’s
detractors in an attempt to justify anti-Semitic sentiments.
The entire letter is not only
a stab in the back of Israeli citizens of all denominations and ethnicity, it
is also pathetic patronising junk issued very far Israel, Israelis and the
harsh reality of terror. It is an apology of appeasement filled with self-guilt
or rather self-hate, a common superlative afforded to JVJP.
Publishing
this letter is a stain and is not appreciated, however well meaning the SAJR is
in providing space for dissent voices. It is not dissent – it is detestable. Let’s
not forget that recent calls for “Intifada!” were cheered by a prominent
JVJP-SA member with “Amandla!”. It is very difficult not to associate the fresh
blood of 5 Jews that were murdered in the last 8 hours with the JVJP call.
‘
Gary
Nov 20, 2015 at 9:18 am
‘A promiment JVJP member openly supports Hamas killing of Israeli women and children and calls it ‘resistance’
IT is sickening that the JVJP which support the killing of Jewish women and children can compare themselves to Germans who opposed the Third Reich. They need to look at Judenrat and kapos to find a better analogy for themselves.
one of the most unfortunate developments in the exile was the loathsome moser (informer), the negative counterpart of the shtadlan (intercessor) who intercedes with the authorities who speak for the Jews to those in power. \”The Jewish community was always hostage to it’s unhappiest members who stood to gain by serving the powers that be.\”
‘
Jonathan Fishman
Nov 22, 2015 at 3:03 pm
’18 year old student Ezra Schwatz was murdered on Thursday! Since then a 13 year old girl and a 17 year old girl were stabbed. It’s not the stupidly named fake psychological disorder, Islamophobia, (a phobia!?) as claimed by Jessica Sherman, Rina King and Leonard Shapiro, who go under the pretentious, righteous sounding name, ‘Jewish Voices for a Just Peace’ (JVJP) ! Their Justice in \”JUST PEACE\” is not \”Just\” . These cold hearted people are trying to tie Israel’s hands behind her back when she tries to defend her children in kindergartens from rocket attacks. Their \”VOICES\” lack compassion and mercy and are even silent about this week’s teenage victims!’