Nonviolence & Violence in Judaism

By Rabbi Brian Walt
[Walt grew up in South Africa; was graduated by the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College; was the founding rabbi of Mishkan Shalom, a Reconstructionist congregation in Philadelphia; was the founding director of Rabbis for Human Rights/ North America; and most recently is co-founder of Taanit Tzedek, the Jewish Fast for Gaza. This is from his blog, at http://rabbibrian.wordpress.com ]   Read more »

By Rabbi Arthur Waskow

In the present Presidential campaign, suddenly the question has arisen whether Martin Luther King or Lyndon Baines Johnson was more responsible for passage of the Civil Rights Acts of the 1960s.

I was there, folks: working on Capitol Hill and then in the Institute for Policy Studies, a progressive research/action center. And the answer is – both MLK and LBJ were responsible – AND one might add with some exaggeration, NEITHER. .   Read more »

By Rabbi Arthur Waskow *

Over its long history, how has the Jewish people viewed violence and nonviolence as approaches to tikkun olam, social change in the service of the healing of the world? (The literal phrase “tikkun olam” has been used in that sense only recently, but the vision that one major purpose of Jewish peoplehood is to achieve justice, peace, and ecological wholeness is a very old vision.)

If we look back at the history of Biblical Israel, there are two very important strands in it, both of which we need to learn from and wrestle with. One is the strand of constant willingness to challenge and disobey arrogant power, whether it’s located in Pharaoh or it’s located in a Jewish king. The other is the strand of willingness to use violence – sometimes hyper-violence – to advance the Jewish vision of a decent society.   Read more »

A Failed Israeli Society is Collapsing
By AVRAHAM BURG

JERUSALEM - The Zionist revolution has always rested on two pillars: a just path and an ethical leadership. Neither of these is operative any longer. The Israeli nation today rests on a scaffolding of corruption, and on foundations of oppression and injustice. As such, the end of the Zionist enterprise is already on our doorstep. There is a real chance that ours will be the last Zionist generation. There may yet be a Jewish state here, but it will be a different sort, strange and ugly.

There is time to change course, but not much. What is needed is a new vision of a just society and the political will to implement it. Nor is this merely an internal Israeli affair. Diaspora Jews for whom Israel is a central pillar of their identity must pay heed and speak out. If the pillar collapses, the upper floors will come crashing down.   Read more »

The Tent of Abraham: Stories of Hope and Peace for Jews, Christians and Muslims (Beacon Press, 2006). By Joan Chittister, OSB; Murshid Saadi Shakur Chisti; & Rabbi Arthur Waskow. Foreword by Karen Armstrong. *

Reviewed by Claire Gorfinkel *

For some time now, I have longed for a study group that would consider common themes in Jewish, Muslim and Christian texts. But as is so often the case, in my longing I have created a set of expectations that are virtually impossible to fulfill.   Read more »

When shofar meets flute, Pete Seeger meets them both, Debbie Friedman and Shefa Gold Join the chorus.

What could bring Pete Seeger, Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi on shofar dancing with Paul Horn on flute, Peter Yarrow, Debbie Friedman, Linda Hirschhorn, Shefa Gold, Reggie & Kim Harris, David Shneyer, Aryeh Hirschfield – we could go on and on -- all to the same "place"?

An extraordinary brand-new CD, that's what, produced by The Shalom Center!    Read more »

This Tshuva (rabbinic response to a question about Jewish law) was written by Rabbi David Golinkin and posted in November 2005 in recognition of the tenth anniversary of the death of prime Minioster Yitzhak rabin. This, and others, may be found at www.responsafortoday.com

The Assassination of
Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin z”l
HM 4251

Question:

Yigal Amir, the murderer of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin z”l, justified his despicable deed by claiming that Rabin was a rodef (pursuer) and a moser (turncoat) who was about to hand over Jews or Jewish land to non-Jews. 2 Is there any halakhic justification for what Amir did?   Read more »

Rabbi Arthur Waskow *, 6/8/2005

American Jewish efforts to renew Judaism have been exploring new forms of tikkun olam (healing the world toward peace and social justice) and tikkun halev (healing the heart toward calm and equanimity).

In the social   Read more »

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, 4/28/2005

According to tradition, the Israelite band of runaway slaves crossed the Reed Sea on the seventh day of their flight from slavery. So on the seventh day of Passover, as well as in the regular reading of the Toraah in B'Shallach, the Torah reading is the Song of the Sea (Exodus 15) .

That is what Moses and Miriam sang in triumph when the army of Mitzrayyim, the Tight and Narrow Place, was shattered as YHWH, the Breath of Life, became a hurricane of transformation.

Several thoughts about this reading;   Read more »