Identity, Israel, Justice

Orthodox American Rabbis Visit Desecrated Mosque in Kfar Yasuf

On Tuesday, rabbis representing Open Orthodox communities in the United States and Israel visited the community of Yasuf, expressing shared pain and condemnation for the desecration of the Yasuf community mosque, allegedly committed by Jewish extremists.
Wearing their kippot, Rabbi Avi Weiss, founder of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah and rabbi of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, and Rabbi Yair Silverman, formerly of Beth Israel of Berkley CA and now rabbi of Moed in the Zichron Yaakov community in Israel, told a crowd outside the mosque: “We come in peace to express deep pain for what occurred. We condemn it with all our hearts and souls. As a people that has experienced such desecration, we come to reach out to you in the spirit of brotherhood.”rabbi-avi-weiss-in-yasuf-december-2009
The visit was conducted without press or military escort. “Just this morning, I looked in the papers and said, ‘Wow, [the vandalism] was unacceptable,’ and I felt it was very critical to reach out, human to human” said Rabbi Weiss. “There needs to be a strong voice of Torah protest against this.”
At first, the visit created tension. “When we first arrived, people were confused why we were there. They were also angry. The pain of the community was palatable,” said Rabbi Silverman. “But we needed to bear witness to the pain acknowledge that any desecration of one’s religious worship is unacceptable.”
When the rabbis initially extended their hands the community did not return the gesture. After some sign language and the help of an Arab interpreter, the mood changed. Eyad, a driver for the rabbis, said “I told the people that these rabbis have put their lives in danger to come and be by your side, to help as Jews. Listen to what they have to say.”
The rabbis offered support to the rebuilding efforts and met with Munnir Abushi, local governor. “We joined them as brothers to share in their effort to rebuild, as we celebrate the Hanukah message together that a bit of light can chase away the deepest darkness,” said Rabbi Silverman. By the end of the visit, the two groups reached an air of respect and understanding and the rabbis departed to handshakes and warm wishes.
When asked about the outcome of the encounter, Rabbi Weiss said “In spiritual activism, I measure the success of an action by its purity- is it right or is it wrong. To come here today was the right thing to do. It’s what the Torah is all about.”

22 thoughts on “Orthodox American Rabbis Visit Desecrated Mosque in Kfar Yasuf

  1. Unless these rabbis also advocated for the granting of full, immediate Israeli citizenship rights to the residents of Yasuf, or to the immediate establishment of a Palestinian state with full legal jurisdiction over the settlers in its midst, along with a demand that US charities stop supporting terrorist organizations, this was an empty gesture, a photo-op slithery with cynicism.

  2. For his part, Rav Froman of Tekoa–who along with his son and few others was among the first group to visit the Arab village after the attack–has long supported the establishment of a Palestinian state. He supports two states ruling over the entire land jointly, along with the right of return.
    While his ideal is two states sharing the same land, in the event that a Palestinian state is established in the West Bank, where he lives, he is fully prepared to become a Palestinian citizen. He advocates for the possible Israeli withdrawal from the territories, leaving the settlements and the Jewish residents under Palestinian rule, and has often made clear that he would rather live in his home in a future Palestinian state than leave to live in Israel.

  3. EV – perhaps you are rushing to judgment? Go R. Silverman! I remember him from Berkeley and don’t recall him slithering, cynically or otherwise. I remember him as a nice, sincere teacher.

  4. Yaakov and SimonF, Thanks, I wasn’t aware of that, it’s great to hear. The name I recognized was Avi Weiss, and I’d never seen him come out against the settlements and the occupation, or in favor of living under Palestinian sovereignty — so my cynicism blinders came out. (If I’m wrong about Weiss, too, please let me know, thanks)

  5. For his part, Rav Froman of Tekoa
    There aren’t really any other Rav Fromans in the territories, EV.
    Even in his own community, Tekoa, many of the people won’t talk to him because of some of his views/activities.
    The “ideological” settlers didn’t move to their homes to live in Palestine, and the “economic” settlers won’t cause too much tumult if they are told to move.

  6. Jonathan1:
    The issue of people not speaking to him because of his views/activities is, I think, overblown. My wife and I lived in Tekoa until just a few months ago, and I learned in the yeshiva there. I never encountered anyone who would not speak with him. The idea that “many of the people won’t talk to him because of some of his views/activities” is patently false.
    There was an issue a number of years ago, when Koby Mandell and Yosef Ishran were murdered either just after or just before (I forget which) R’ Froman had a meeting with a Hamas leader. It left some people understandably upset. As someone who knows the Mandell family, R’ Froman, and the Tekoa community, I can say that those feeling have largely cooled off.
    All that being said, most people in the Yishuv are not eager to follow in his footsteps and live in a Palestinian state. Then again, very few of our prophets have been popular in their lifetimes.

  7. The issue of people not speaking to him because of his views/activities is, I think, overblown. My wife and I lived in Tekoa until just a few months ago, and I learned in the yeshiva there. I never encountered anyone who would not speak with him. The idea that “many of the people won’t talk to him because of some of his views/activities” is patently false
    I had always heard differently. I’ll have to take your word on that. I stand corrected.
    I don’t understand why any Jew would prefer to live in Palestine rather than in Israel, but if that’s what he–or you–wants to do, that is your right.
    The overall point is that the settlers didn’t move to Judea and Samaria to live under “foreign” control.

  8. Jonathan1:
    “The overall point is that the settlers didn’t move to Judea and Samaria to live under “foreign” control.”
    But many of them didn’t move there to live under Israeli control, either. Granted, many (especially those in the political vein of Merkaz HaRav) do actively seek to live in settlements in order to expand the political control of the Israeli government. However, for better or for worse, many other settlers moved to the territories because of their commitment to the traditional homeland of their people.
    Following the disengagement from Gaza, I see more and more Religious Zionists increasing their commitment to the Land of Israel and decreasing their commitment to the Government of Israel.
    If someone cares more about the People of Israel, the Land of Israel, and the Religion of Israel than the corrupt Government/State of Israel, why is it hard to understand why they would prefer to live in Tekoa or any other Jewish town in the territories than in the the political State of Israel?

  9. But many of them didn’t move there to live under Israeli control
    True, they don’t want to live under Jewish control in its current manifestation, which is Israeli control. But they do want to live under Jewish–not non-Jewish–control, just with a different reality than exists presently.
    Following the disengagement from Gaza, I see more and more Religious Zionists increasing their commitment to the Land of Israel and decreasing their commitment to the Government of Israel
    Unfortunately that is true (although how strong their commitment to the state of Isral ever was–if the disengagement damaged it so–is another question.)
    But, the increased commitment to the Land of Israel means ideas like “the state of Judea,” it doesn’t mean handing over Judea and Samaria to Palestinian rule.
    If someone cares more about the People of Israel, the Land of Israel, and the Religion of Israel than the corrupt Government/State of Israel, why is it hard to understand why they would prefer to live in Tekoa or any other Jewish town in the territories than in the the political State of Israel?
    Obviously these are all value judgements. I guess for me, I’d rather live in the year 5770/2009, and try to figure out how to build a society that might be a kiddush Hashem. For others, maybe it’s more important to live in the Land (to bring Moshiach quicker? for mystical reason? I don’t know. I’m sure there are plenty of reasons.)

  10. Jonathan, I’ve been spending the last month talking to quite a few people in communities in the Shomron, specifically. Most are quite committed to staying. I think the economic settlers you’re talking about are more clustered in the big settlement blocks that Israel will keep no matter what happens. One person I’ve become friends with, Marc Prowsor, from Shilo.
    I spoke to Marc on the phone for an hour earlier today. He’s a security consultant these days and I was gathering information for a company a friend of mine owns.
    Anyway, our conversation veered towards the settlements; he can tell stories you wouldn’t believe. The Arabs in the area call him Abu Yusuf. One of his good friends is the Arab security chief for the region, and he routinely gets called in to help mediate tribal blood feuds, or to calm tensions between Jews and Arabs (which lately have been flaring due to leftist agitation, according to him). Everything is so different on the ground from what gets reported. During the Second Intifada, he used to get calls asking for his help to battle Arafat’s goons. There were running gun battles in the villages between the PA and fellahin. Arafat murdered so many people. All the families that welcomed Jewish settlement because they knew it would bring development have been targeted, many murdered. Picking his brain is an awakening experience.
    Anyway I asked Marc, flat out, if the IDF leaves, can the communities survive. His response was amazing. We don’t need the IDF here, he said. Half the men in the settlements are from elite Israeli units, which operated in all the Arab villages and understand the terrain by heart. They are highly trained, have good relations with many Palestinians in both the villages and the PA. He said the problem is not the IDF leaving, but the IDF leaving overnight, because it takes time to set up volunteer teams to take over security duties. In fact, overall security might actually improve, because the IDF is staffed by 18 year olds, and the settlers are hardened veterans.
    I have a completely new appreciation for the level of preparedness the Jewish communities have to survive and thrive without Israeli support. Will it be difficult, yes, but it can be done. And that’s not idle chatter spoken by a fool. Marc was an army coordinator in the Shilo region (just north or Ramallah, next to Sinjil) for a decade, which experienced some of the most violent terror attacks during the second intifada.
    The only thing they need from the outside, Marc said, is money. Security and preparedness costs money, and the IDF has been slashing community defense budgets for a decade. It’s up to Jews who can give, to give.
    The point is, for those of us who care, our mindset needs to change. Not only is what we are discussing possible – the preservation and growth of Jewish communities in Shomron and Yehudah – but we can make it a reality.

  11. I hear what you’re saying Avigdor, but Yaakov and you are referring to two different things (I think.)
    I don’t think the residents of Shilo are hoping to remain in their homes in a Palestinian state; I think they’re expecting (hoping?) to stay in their homes without the IDF/Israeli government getting in their way.

  12. Jonathan1, could you rework that last sentence? I’m not sure what you’re trying to say.
    Yes, residents of the communities don’t want to live in a Palestinian state. Judging by this, they won’t have to:
    The IDF has been arresting Hamas activists in Yehuda and Shomron at an increased rate as Dayton’s boys are having some difficulty. Now that they see Hamas gaining power, they don’t want to shoot themselves in the foot, or defecate in their own bed.
    We have been training tens of thousands of Palestinians in advanced infantry tactics. Do you remember what happened after their police got handguns in the 90s? G-d help us if Hamas takes over the West Bank. Self-inflicted wounds, all of them.

  13. I’m saying that the residents of Shilo are prepared to stay in their homes, even if the Israeli government renounces any claims to the area, and even if the IDF leaves the area . . . but that’s not the same thing as saying that they’ll live there as citizens of Palestine.
    Do you remember what happened after their police got handguns in the 90s?
    Unfortunately, I do.

  14. Btw, Avidgor, Mr. Prowisor’s biography makes this reference:
    such as Sderot, currently besieged by daily rocket attacks as a direct result of the disengagement from Gaza in 2005.
    You might want to remind him that there were rockets flying out of Gaza for years before the Disengagement.

  15. I wan’t in Israel at the time, I think you were(?), but I remember reading that most of those rockets and attacks were launched against the Jewish communities in the strip. Once they were evacuated, Hamas moved to the nearest next available target, Sderot. This is actually the same reasoning used to create the “even if they come for straw” halacha. Every Jewish community is a strategic garrison. Remove it, and the rest of the land will be attacked. There were those who argued it is a silly law from 2000 years ago. The same logic holds for communities in Shomron and yehudah. They take the brunt of the violence, but if they didn’t the violence would not stop, it would move to Tel Aviv. I think, besides ideology, Marc is a fascinating person, with a unique perspective. He told me he gets calls from military professionals around the world asking for tours of the region. Not even people that particularly like Jews, but who want to see the conditions on the ground. They are always amazed, he said, by how the situation is

  16. Sorry, on cellphone. They are always amazed at how different the situation looks on the ground from what they read in the news. #1 question, why do u give them weapons? It’s a good question. Hearing Marc talk about the situation on the ground, nothing is more remote than the politics we debate here. They are a world away from normal life. It’s amazing how there is the reality, and a whole world of journalism and media which keeps the whole world engaged, but which has almost no bearing to the situation. Even the politics in Israel, according to him, are so removed from the reality of daily life in the settlements. This idea, of all these realities stacked on top of each other, bludgeoning each other where they connect, but not really synthesizing… Ecevryone sees things differently.

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