Israel’s United Nations Ambassador Benjamin Netanyahu last week called upon rabbinical leaders in the United States and Canada to spearhead a campaign of teaching and preaching in their communities to Jews and Christians in order to educate the public of the evils caused by the UN resolution equating Zionism with racism.
Addressing a meeting of over 100 rabbis and synagogue presidents, convened by the Synagogue Council of America, Netanyahu said that during the past decade the global UN printing press has utilized this resolution, which this November marks its tenth anniversary, to spread “layers of lies and slander about Zionism and Israel throughout the world.” He charged that this topic has been featured in a vast amount of propaganda material produced by the world organization.
Netanyahu called for a campaign to “expose this resolution, reaffirm Zionism and eventually press for a repeal of this resolution.” He said that a substitute resolution would require time to adopt, given the complicated UN machinery and the delicacies of international politics. He stressed that Israel knows of many nations willing to vote in favor of repealing the Zionism-racism resolution.
RABBIS TO RECEIVE MATERIAL
Rabbi Mordechai Waxman, SCA president, announced meanwhile that background material would be forwarded to the 3,500 U.S. and Canadian rabbis and the 3,500 Conservative, Orthodox, Reform synagogues with the cooperation of the SCA’s six member agencies, representing the rabbinic and congregational bodies of the three branches of Judaism.
Waxman urged that rabbis “take this opportunity to teach local clergy and churches about the history and accomplishment of Israel.” He further recommended working with Jewish college youths, enabling them to respond to the type of counter propaganda this campaign will bring from pro-Arab forces on the college campus. He stressed that the “synagogue must make this issue one of special concern and demonstrate our important political impact both in the community and in Washington.”
Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, chairman of the SCA Israel Affairs Committee, said that “other religious forces reject Zionism. We embrace it because of its religious significance — Torah, Zion are integrally related.” Lookstein emphasized that we must tell the world that Zionism is not a national or cultural movement but a reflection of deep Jewish religious longing.”
Rabbi Henry Michelman, SCA executive vice president, announced that synagogues would be urged to devote the sabbath of November 8-9 to teaching and preaching about Zionism and Israel; devote one of the rabbis’ High Holy Day sermons to this theme; reach out to local clergy boards, political leaders and organizations; and to generate articles and programs in their local media.
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