Whereas the Rabbinical Assembly has taken seriously the “614th commandment” of “Never Again!,” the compelling covenantal responsibility deriving from our people’s painful history of oppression and persecution and
Whereas the Rohingya Muslim community of Burma/Myanmar, after many hundreds of years of residency and citizenship in that country, has been systematically disenfranchised, dehumanized, scapegoated, and persecuted by the government, joining with an aggressive military and extremist nationalistic monks, with few if any signs that policies will change under the newly elected Myanmar government and
Whereas 15 national Jewish organizations (listed below) have joined to form JACOB: The Jewish Alliance of Concern Over Burma, to inform the Jewish community of this genocide and urge Jews to join the Jewish and other efforts to help the Rohingya and address the root causes of this oppression;
Therefore be it resolved that Rabbinical Assembly members encourage, as possible, the integration of email or print updates, invitations from our institutions to speakers from/about the Rohingya community, advocacy-action announcements, and information about what Jewish organizations (such as American Jewish World Service and the Anti-Defamation League, etc.) and other organizations (such as the U.S. Holocaust Museum and the U.S. Campaign for Burma) are doing to address this human rights catastrophe, furthering opportunities for dialogue and advocacy; and
Be it further resolved that the Rabbinical Assembly join in the JACOB effort as an “Endorser”, to educate and activate our synagogue members and Jewish communities about the Rohingya’s persecution and plight.
Endorsing Organizations: JACOB: Jewish Alliance of Concern Over Burma, as of February 2016:
American Jewish Committee
American Jewish World Service
Anti-Defamation League
Central Conference of American Rabbis
Foundation for Ethnic Understanding
Hebrew College Rabbinical School
Jewish Council on Public Affairs
The New York Board of Rabbis
The Orthodox Union
The Religious Action Center
Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association
T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
Union for Reform Judaism
Uri l'Tzedek
Yeshivat Maharat