According to Jewish tradition, the holiday of Shavuot commemorates the day God delivered the Torah to the people of Israel at Mount Sinai.
On the eve of Shavuot, the US based organization "Jews Against the War" will deliver a petition signed
by over 1000 Jews urging the US government end the war in Iraq. The signatures were gathered during the weeks between Passover and Shavuot, and include the support of over 250 rabbis, educators and Jewish professionals.
The petition will be delivered to all members of Congress. A major ad campaign in all major Jewish publication will coincide with the delivery.
A recent Gallup poll indicated that a 77 percent of American Jews think the Iraq War was a mistake, compared with just 52 percent of the general American public. The grassroots organization, JAW, was launched three months ago on the fourth anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq and is dedicated to giving a voice to the majority of American Jews who oppose the war.
The petition states in part that "the 'permission' to prosecute this war was gained under false pretenses by our president, and that the goals of the war were ill-considered, unrealistic, and poorly planned...we believe it is the moral responsibility of the current administration to end this war! We ask that Congress set hard and fast limits on the ability of the President to expand this war or to extend it further in a military action against Iran."
"The outpouring of support we've received from Jewish religious leaders of every major denomination is unprecedented on an issue as traditionally divisive to our community as war with an Arab nation," said Dr. Rabbi Shaul Magid, Indiana University. "This response has strengthened our resolve and validated our belief that a silent Jewish majority that was waiting, ready, and eager to speak out is emerging. Today we join together and speak as one: end this disastrous war and bring our troops home."
"Shavuot marks the day the Torah 'all of whose paths are peace' was received by the Jewish people," said Prof. Aryeh Cohen, Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies, American Jewish University. "As we celebrate that day at Mount Sinai, when the Torah was revealed, we are called on to rid ourselves of Pharaoh - representing the violent delusions of the efficacy and justice of military might. Right now, there is no more righteous a calling than for every Jewish American that believes this war was a mistake to join us in working to end it."
For more information about the petition – click here
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