JTA: More than 1,000 US rabbis have signed a letter calling on elected officials to welcome refugees.
The letter, sponsored by HIAS, the lead Jewish body dealing with immigration issues, said the rabbis are “alarmed to see so many politicians declaring their opposition to welcoming refugees.”
Rabbis in 46 states as well as Washington, DC, are among the signers. A condensed version of the letter and the full list of rabbis who signed on to it will appear in the print editions of Politico and the daily Forward on Thursday.
“Since its founding, the United States has offered refuge and protection to the world’s most vulnerable,” the letter says. “Time and time again, those refugees were Jews. Whether they were fleeing pogroms in Tzarist Russia, the horrors of the Holocaust or persecution in Soviet Russia or Iran, our relatives and friends found safety on these shores.
“Last month’s heartbreaking attacks in Paris and Beirut are being cited as reasons to deny entry to people who are themselves victims of terror. And in those comments, we, as Jewish leaders, see one of the darker moments of our history repeating itself,” the letter continues, citing the US turning away the SS St. Louis in 1939, sending some 900 Jews back to Europe; many were killed by the Nazis.
The letter urges elected officials to support legislation to resettle refugees and oppose any measures that would “actually or effectively halt resettlement or prohibit or restrict funding for any groups of refugees.”
COMMENTS POSTED:
* Rabbi Bernhard Rosenberg: I believe there is a big difference between European Jews before and during World War II — who were not just caught in a war zone, but were being actively persecuted — and Syrian-Muslims. These young Syrian Muslim men, who make up the vast majority of the would-be refugees, should be fighting for their country. These young men from Syria — and in many cases young women — should be trained to be the boots on the ground against, first, ISIS, and then Assad. They are caught in a war zone. They are not being persecuted for who they are.
The story of Syrian Christians (and, in fact, all Middle Eastern Christians) is quite different. Their plight is much more similar to that of the European Jews in World War II. These Christians are being actively persecuted and killed and would probably not be accepted into a Muslim army fighting ISIS and/or Assad. Middle Eastern Christians merit refugee status.
I think a strong argument could be made for forming a 21st century version of the Kindertransport for Syrian Muslim children under the age of 12. That way they could be given safe haven until they can be reunited with their parents in a (hopefully) safe and sane Syria.
On a similar note, discussion on immigration into the U.S. has, by and large, neglected a very important issue: demographics. The U.S. is not replacing its population. The birthrate is dropping precipitously. If this is to remain a Judeo-Christian country, we must strongly re-think any opposition to Latino immigration. These people from Central and South America are a strong Christian (predominantly Catholic) church-going community —and we need them and their children if the Judeo-Christian ethic in the U.S. is to be maintained.
To all my facebook friends and supporters:
I need your help. While Rabbis and clergy are busy supporting Syrian refugees coming in to America without assurances by the FBI that they are not threats, I am fighting them knowing in my heart that Americans will be killed if this is not done correctly. No one can tell me that there is no connections between what happened in California and Syrian indoctrination. IN addition I sent material re my being threatened by a former student at Rutgers. Nothing has been done by the university, the Jewish newspapers, or the local Rabbis
* Absolutely, or force Muslims countries to take them,they will be much happier where they share religion and language.
* These clowns and their handlers are trying to drive Jews away from Judaism.
* Hopefully the Rabbis who have spoken will lead and follow their words and take a refugee family into their own home and set an example of their belief in their words.
* Sooooo…..perhaps these 1000 rabbis want to check their history. The linkage and comparison between THESE refugees and those from WWII are different worlds altogether! The Jews etc were not bent on the destruction of their new host country. Here, we have already.seen the affects of terrorists coming in under the.guise of ”refugees.” Witness Paris…
* What is wrong with these rabbis? Have they gone all insane? Who are they? Does anyone have a list of names and denominations?
* Homicidal maniacs were not seeded throughout the population of Jews who went to the death camps. There is no comparison. Misplaced pity is a crime. There are scores of Muslim nations to send these people. Many filthy rich.
* For the sake of the rest of us Jews, gather up these crazy rabbis and ship them to Syria.
* These idiotic rabbis, most likely from Reform movements have a wish to turn American cities to the European cities where the Jews are no longer safe. HIAS is selling out for few dollars they can earn upon sponsoring the Muslim refugees.
* These rabbis are speaking only for the lost souls within the misguided American Jewish communities who live in the la la land.
* As a reform Jew from south I am disgusted with these rabbis wanting these muslim fanatics to settle in the u.s.a.they are all wolves in sheep’s clothes.
