Rabbis' dubious silence

Conspicuously absent from the conference were the most prominent and vociferous Holocaust deniers; some because of their prison incarceration, some due to illness and others due to a flicker of embracement. Those who did send full representation to the Holocaust deniers' conference were the ultra-Orthodox Neturei Karta members.

Jewish Holocaust deniers are a rare breed, and it is not surprising therefore that Iranian TV cameras focused on them, and it was no wonder that the images were broadcast on every network worldwide. It also wasn't surprising to Jewish-Israeli eyes to see the images of ultra-Orthodox Jews shaking hands with the enemy of the Jewish people.

An immediate and unequivocal condemnation of this atrocious act, therefore, could have been expected from prominent rabbis throughout the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community.

An angry, shocked "voice crying out in the wilderness" could have been expected by the rabbis' committees who could have harshly denunciated the participation of Neturei Karta in the anti-Semitic festivity in Teheran. Their participation is accompanied by the argument that the Jews themselves bear the responsibility for the murder of Jews during the Holocaust. This is despicable and blasphemous.

Nonetheless, ultra-Orthodox rabbis have remained silent. These same rabbis, who united forcefully to raise a vehement voice against the recent pride parade in Jerusalem and against El Al flights on Shabbat, are unable to jointly utter words of condemnation and public admonition of the alliance between Neturei Karta and Holocaust deniers. When questioned they only half-hearted express their reservations.

In matters of this nature, it seems that one rabbi will not criticize another. Their common response is total disregard and silence. This is an inappropriate and disturbing silence that only falls slightly short of the silence towards the participation of Neturei Karta members at the Tehran conference.