The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies
August 11, 2014
For more information, contact:
info@wymaninstitute.org / 202-434-8994
400 JEWISH LEADERS & SCHOLARS DENOUNCE "GENOCIDE" CHARGES AGAINST ISRAEL
Washington, D.C. – More than 400 Jewish leaders, rabbis, and Holocaust and genocide scholars have signed a public statement denouncing accusations that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza.
The statement was organized by The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies, based in Washington, D.C. It follows a July 9 claim by Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas, that Israel is "committing genocide," an August 1 assertion by Fatah foreign affairs spokesman Nabil Sha'ath that the situation in Gaza is "a Holocaust," and an August 1 accusation by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan that Israel is guilty of "Hitler-like fascism."
"The Holocaust was the deliberate, systematic mass murder of six million innocent Jews by Nazi Germany and its collaborators," the statement by the 400 leaders notes. "By contrast, Israel is acting in legitimate self-defense against Hamas terrorism. Israel has no interest in harming innocent civilians, and indeed has done its utmost to avoid civilian casualties, whereas Hamas deliberately targets Israeli civilians. Any comparison between Israel and the Nazis outrageously distorts Israel's actions and trivializes the enormity and nature of the Holocaust."
The signatories include:
* Prominent figures in the American Jewish leadership, including David Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee; Michael Siegal and Jerry Silverman, the chair and president, respectively, of the Jewish Federations of North America; David J. Michaels, Director of UN and Intercommunal Affairs for B'nai B'rith International; Rabbi Dr. Yitz Greenberg and Prof. Walter Reich, past chairman and past executive director, respectively, of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum; and leaders of the American Society for Yad Vashem, the Simon Wiesenthal Center; the National Council of Young Israel; the Religious Zionists of America; and the Wexner Foundation.
* Leading rabbis from coast to coast, including Rabbi Dr. Haskel Lookstein of Kehilath Jeshurun; Rabbi Mark Dratch, executive vice president of the Rabbinical Council of America; Rabbi David Wolpe of Sinai Temple (Los Angeles); Rabbi Harold Schulweiss, co-founder of Jewish World Watch; the presidents of the New York Board of Rabbis, the Westchester County (NY) Board of Rabbis; and the South Jersey Board of Rabbis and Cantors; as well as numerous presidents and board members of synagogues of all denominations.
* Prominent Holocaust scholars, including Prof. David S. Wyman, author of the best-selling The Abandonment of the Jews: America and the Holocaust 1941-1945; Prof. Deborah Lipstadt, author of History on Trial; and Prof. Michael Berenbaum, former research director of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
* Academic notables such as Prof. Jonathan Sarna, chair of Brandeis University's Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program; Dr. David Berger, dean of Yeshiva University's Revel Graduate School; and faculty members at numerous other universities, including the directors of the Jewish Studies or Holocaust Studies centers at the University of California-Berkeley; the University of Alabama; the University of Texas at Dallas; Florida International University; Concordia University; Indiana University; Fairfield University; Brooklyn College; Florida Gulf Coast University; and UCLA Hillel.
* Noted Jewish commentators, including Leon Wieseltier, of The New Republic; Dr. Erica Brown, of the New York Jewish Week; Prof. Gil Troy; and Rabbi Dov Fischer.
The complete text of the statement, with all the signatories, follows below.
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A STATEMENT OF CONCERN
As officials of Jewish or Holocaust-related institutions, or scholars of Holocaust and genocide studies, we are deeply troubled by the false accusations of genocide that have been made against Israel in recent days.
On July 9, Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas, in a speech in Ramallah, accused Israel of "committing genocide." On August 1, on Al Jazeera's English-language TV broadcast, Fatah foreign affairs spokesman Nabil Sha'ath described the situation in Gaza as "a Holocaust." Also on August 1, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan accused Israel of "Hitler-like fascism."
The Holocaust was the deliberate, systematic mass murder of six million innocent Jews by Nazi Germany and its collaborators. By contrast, Israel is acting in legitimate self-defense against Hamas terrorism. Israel has no interest in harming innocent civilians, and indeed has done its utmost to avoid civilian casualties, whereas Hamas deliberately targets Israeli civilians. Any comparison between Israel and the Nazis outrageously distorts Israel's actions and trivializes the enormity and nature of the Holocaust.
Rabbi Stephanie S. Aaron
Congregation Chaverim – Tucson, AZ
Rabbi David Adelson
East End Temple – New York, NY
Cantor Lauren Furman Adesnik
Temple Emanu-El of Greater Atlanta, GA
Rabbi Benjamin Adler
Adath Israel Congregation – Lawrenceville, NJ
Jacob Adler
Rabbi, Temple Shalom, Fayetteville, AR
Associate Professor, University of Arkansas
Prof. Ana Maria Tapia Adler
Universidad de Chile
Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein
Director, Interfaith Affairs, Simon Wiesenthal Center – Los Angeles, CA
Rabbi Daniel Alexander
Congregation Beth Israel – Charlottesville, VA
Prof. Robert Alter
Director, Center for Jewish Studies, University of California-Berkeley
Rabbi Dr. Elisha Ancselovits
Liverpool Hope University, UK
Rabbi Spike Anderson
Stephen S. Wise Temple – Los Angeles, CA
Rabbi Marc D. Angel
Founder and Director, Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals – New York, NY
Rabbi Maurice Appelbaum
Congregation Ahavas Israel – Greenpoint (Brooklyn), NY
Rabbi Raphael Asher
Congregation Bnai Tikvah – Walnut Creek, CA (emer.)
Prof. Sidney Aster
University of Toronto (emer.)
Rabbi Ira Axelrod
Congregation Chesed V'Emes – Brookline, MA
Rabbi Aryeh Azriel
Temple Israel – Omaha, NE
Ari Babaknia, M. D.
Chairman, Memorah Foundation
Dr. Harvey Babich
Chairman, Biology Department – Stern College for Women
Rabbi Andy Bachman
Congregation Beth Elohim – Brooklyn, NY
Rabbi Hanan Balk
Golf Manor Synagogue – Cincinnati, OH (emer.)
Rabbi Eliot J. Baskin, D. Min.
Jewish Community Chaplaincy & Rafael Spiritual Healing Center of
Jewish Family Service of Colorado – Denver, CO
Prof. Paul R. Bartrop
Director, Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Genocide Studies
Florida Gulf Coast University
Marilyn & Jack Belz
Memphis, TN
Prof. Michael Berenbaum
Director, Sigi Ziering Institute: Exploring the Ethical and Religious Implications of the Holocaust
American Jewish University – Los Angeles, CA
Rabbi Shalom Z. Berger, Ed.D.
The Lookstein Center for Jewish Education, Bar-Ilan University
Rabbi Saul J. Berman
Associate Professor, Stern College of Yeshiva University
Adjunct Professor, Columbia University School of Law
Rabbi Yaakov Bieler
Kemp Mill Synagogue – Silver Spring, MD
Rabbi Gabriel Botnick
Temple Aliyah – Woodland Hills, CA
Dr. Erica Brown
Consultant to the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington & the Jewish Agency
Rabbi Peter Berg
The Temple – Atlanta GA
Prof. Alan L. Berger
Director, Center for the Study of Values and Violence After Auschwitz – Florida Atlantic University
Dr. David Berger
Ruth and I. Lewis Gordon Professor of Jewish History and Dean
Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies, Yeshiva University
Prof. Michael Berger
Emory University
Rabbi David Berkman
New City Jewish Center – New City, NY
Rabbi Alan Berkowitz
Principal, Magen David Yeshivah Elementary School – Brooklyn, NY
Rabbi Seth L. Bernstein
Bet Aviv – Columbia, MD
Rabbi ElizaBeth Beyer, RN, MS, JD
North Tahoe Hebrew Congregation| – Tahoe Vista, CA
Jay A. Blum
Author & Board Member, Temple Israel – Columbus GA
Prof. Rabbi David R. Blumenthal
Emory University
Rene Don Boni
Second Generation
Rabbi Mark Borovitz
Beit TShuvah – Los Angeles, CA
Prof. Oded Borowski
Emory University
Rabbi Bradd Boxman
Congregation Kol Tikvah – Parkland, FL
Rabbi Dr. Reeve Robert Brenner
Congregation Bet Chesed – Bethesda, MD
Rabbi Charles K. Briskin
Temple Beth El – San Pedro, CA
Adina Burian
Member of the Board, American Society for Yad Vashem
Lawrence Burian
Member of the Board, American Society for Yad Vashem
Rabbi Lee Bycel
Congregation Beth Shalom – Napa, CA
Rabbi Dr. Shalom Carmy
Editor, Tradition
Miriam Chaikin
Author & editor
Dr. Frank Chalk
Professor of History and Director, Montreal Institute for
Genocide and Human Rights Studies, Concordia University
Cindy Chazan
Vice President, The Wexner Foundation
Rabbi Michael Chernick
Professor Emeritus, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
Rabbi Yisroel Ciner
Congregation Beth Jacob of Irvine, CA
Rabbi Malcolm Cohen
Temple Sinai – Las Vegas, NV
Rabbi Stephen Cohen
Congregation B'nai B'rith – Santa Barbara, CA
Rabbi Karen Companez
Temple Beth El – Flint, MI
Rabbi Abraham Cooper
Associate Dean, Simon Wiesenthal Center – Los Angeles, CA
Rabbi Neil Cooper
Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El – Wynnewood, PA
Rabbi Menachem Creditor
Congregation Netivot Shalom – Berkeley, CA
Leslie Katz Crotty
Immediate Past President, B'nai Israel – Southbury, CT
Jordan Dale
Executive Director, Surprise Lake Camp
Rabbi Stanley M. Davids
Temple Emanu-El – Atlanta, GA (emer.)
Rabbi Judi Ahavah Del Bourgo
Beth El Synagogue – Margate, NJ
Michael Dickerman
Adj. Faculty in Holocaust and Genocide Studies
The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey
Gemma Del Duca, S.C., Ph.D.
National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education, Seton Hill University
Prof. Michael N. Dobkowski
Department of Religious Studies, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Rabbi Michael Dolgin
Temple Sinai Congregation of Toronto, Canada
Michael Drake, MD
Past President. Temple Adath B'nai Israel – Evansville, IN
Rabbi Mark Dratch
Executive Vice President, Rabbinical Council of America
Rabbi Menashe East
Mount Freedom Jewish Center – Randolph NJ
Rabbi Denise L. Eger
Congregation Kol Ami – West Hollywood, CA
Rabbi Dr. Stephen J. Einstein
Founding Rabbi, Congregation B'nai Tzedek – Fountain Valley, CA (emer.)
Rabbi Richard Eisenberg
Beth El Synagogue – Torrington. CT
Rabbi Dennis Eisner
Peninsula Temple Beth El – San Mateo, CA
Rabbi Warren Elf
Rabbi, Southend and District Reform Synagogue
Trustee, Forum for the Discussion of Israel and Palestine (Fodip)
Sammy Eppel
Latin America Coordinator, Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy
Stuart Erdheim
Filmmaker
Rabbi Morley T. Feinstein
University Synagogue – Los Angeles, CA
Rabbi Dr. Carl Feit
Yeshiva University
Rabbi Dr. Mordecai Finley
Ohr HaTorah – Mar Vista, CA
Arlene Fickler
President, Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel – Philadelphia, PA
Risa Filkoff
Board President, Beth Sholom B'nai Israel – Manchester, CT
Rabbi Steven N. Fineblum
Temple Sinai – Cinnaminson, NJ
Rabbi Shai Finkelstein
Baron Hirsch Congregation – Memphis, TN
Rabbi Dov Fischer
Young Israel of Orange County, CA
Adj. Prof. of Law, Loyola Law School
Suzette Adouth Fisher
Board President, Jewish Federation of Cincinnati
Dr. John D. Fonte
Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute
Rabbi Joseph M. Forman
Or Chadash – Flemington, NJ
Rabbi Gerald R. Fox
Temple Beth Shalom – Brigantine, NJ
President, South Jersey Board of Rabbis and Cantors
Rabbi Jeffrey Frances
Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy – Rockville, MD
Rabbi Josh Franklin
Temple Beth Elohim – Wellesley, MA
Rabbi Carla Freedman
Beth Israel Congregation – Sun City Center, FL
Rabbi Matt Friedman
Instructor, University of Phoenix
Prof. Arie A. Galles
Member, Weinstein Holocaust Symposium / Soka University
Prof. Zev Garber
Chair, Jewish Studies and Philosophy, L.A.Valley College (emer.)
Editor, Shofar – An Interdisciplinary Journal of Jewish Studies
Rabbi Wendi Geffen
North Shore Congregation Israel – Glencoe, IL
Rabbi David Gelfand
Temple Israel of the City of New York
Rabbi Laura Geller
Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills, CA
Cantor Robert M. Gerber
Har Sinai Congregation – Baltimore, MD
Rabbi Matthew D. Gewirtz
Congregation B'nai Jeshurun – Short Hills, NJ
Rabbi George D. Gittleman
Congregation Shomrei Torah – Santa Rosa CA
Rabbi David Glanzberg-Krainin
Beth Sholom Congregation – Elkins Park, PA
Lawrence M. Glaser
Adjunct Professor, Holocaust & Genocide Studies, Richard Stockton College
Assistant Director, N.J. Commission on Holocaust Education
Rabbi Ozer Glickman
Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (Yeshiva U.)
Adjunct Professor of Law, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
Rabbi Gary Glickstein
Temple Beth Sholom – Miami Beach, FL
Dr. Myrna Goldenberg
Montgomery College, MD (emer.)
Rabbi Ezra Goldschmiedt
Congregation Sha'arei Torah – Cincinnati, OH
Rabbi Yamin Goldsmith
Menahel, Sha'alvim for Women
Rabbi Aaron Goldstein
Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue, UK
Rabbi Dr. Andrew Goldstein
Hon. President, Liberal Judaism, UK
Rabbi Josh Goldstein
Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Sha'arey Shalom – Springfield, NJ
Rabbi in Residence, The Chai Center for Jewish Life – Warren,NJ
Rabbi Lisa L. Goldstein
Executive Director, Institute for Jewish Spirituality
Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin
Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies
Dr. Henry Gonshak
Professor of English and Holocaust Studies, Montana Tech
Rabbi Evan Goodman
Santa Barbara Hillell – Santa Barbara, CA
Rabbi Roberto D. Graetz
Temple Isaiah – Lafayette, CA
Rabbi Bruce D. Greenbaum
Congregation Beth Israel – Carmel, CA
Gerald S. Greenberg
President, Adath Israel Congregation – Cincinnati, OH
Prof. Gershon Greenberg
American University, Washington, D.C.
Rabbi Irving Yitz Greenberg
Founding President, Jewish Life Network/Steinhardt Foundation
Chairman, United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 2000-2002
Rabbi David Greenstein
Congregation Shomrei Emunah – Montclair, NJ
Rabbi Micah D. Greenstein
Temple Israel – Memphis, TN
Rabbi Nicki Greninger
Temple Isaiah – Lafayette, CA
Dr. Elvira Groezinger
Former lecturer, University of Potsdam & Freie Universitaet Berlin
Prof. Dr. Karl E. Groezinger
Zentrum Juedische Studien, Berlin Brandenburg, Humboldt Universitaet
Rabbi Yonah Gross
Congregation Beth Hamedrosh – Wynnewood, PA
Andy Groveman
Belz Enterprises – Memphis, TN
Jan Groveman
Member of the Board, American Society for Yad Vashem
Prof. Jeffrey S. Gurock
Yeshiva University
Rabbi Jason Gwasdoff
Temple Israel – Stockton, CA
Rabbi Jon Haddon
Danbury, CT
Dr. Elana Stein Hain
Shalom Hartman Institute of North America
Prof. Paul Halpern
University of Toronto (emer.)
Rabbi Jon Hanish
Temple Kol Tikvah – Woodland Hills, CA
Chair, West Valley Rabbinic Task Force
Martha Hare, PhD, RN
Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation – Bethesda, MD
David Harris
Executive Director
American Jewish Committee
Rabbi Mordechai Harris
Baron Hirsch Congregation – Memphis, TN
Prof. Michael R. Hayse
Director, Master of Arts in Holocaust and Genocide Studies
The Richard Stockton College of NJ
Rabbi Sidney M. Helbraun
Temple Beth-El – Northbrook, IL
Rabbi Jason Herman
Executive Director, International Rabbinic Fellowship
Rabbi Avraham Y. Heschel
Director of the Brandler Institute of Chas