The Israeli grassroots social action organization, Zazim – Community Action, is mobilizing Israelis to call on the Central Elections Committee of Knesset to protect the Knesset from Kahanists. Over 13,000 Israelis have already signed onto Zazim’s petition expressing their conviction that Kahanists have no place in the Knesset and represent a fundamental threat to Israel’s core democratic values.
Zazim and the New Israel Fund have now launched a parallel petition for Jews living outside of Israel to sign as a show of solidarity and support for their efforts. We invite members of Reconstructionist communities to read it and consider signing on to it if you agree. To do so, click here. While Reconstructing Judaism and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association do not advocate for or against any candidate or party in any election, we do stand in solidarity with Israelis who believe that Kahanists have no place in the Knesset, and who are working hard to protect Israel’s democracy. (See our recent February 21, 2019 statement, “Kahanists are a danger to Israelis and Israeli society.”)
We invite you to consider adding your name to this statement of solidarity, which will be accepting signatures until March 28, the deadline for Israeli organizations to approach the Central Elections Committee of the Knesset. Clicking this link will take you to a New Israel Fund (NIF) sign-on web page. NIF is coordinating this effort, whose co-sponsors currently include Reconstructing Judaism and the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, as well as Ameinu, Americans for Peace Now, J Street, the Jewish Labor Committee, the National Council of Jewish Women, Partners for Progressive Israel, T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, and the Union for Reform Judaism.
Thank you for considering this call to action.
