From Jerusalem 7-16-06

Dear Friends,

Several have written me out of concern for the situation. I am glad to be here. The country is unified. Everyone is worried, but there is no panic. I know that trips are being organized for American Jews to come over to express solidarity. Come. It is important to be here.
I recommend reading David Brooks piece in the New York Times. Link It is the best piece I have read which gives perspective on the historic moment.

Here is a quote from the piece:
"The core issue is that just as Israel has been trying to pull back to more sensible borders, its enemies have gone completely berserk. Through some combination of fecklessness and passivity, the Arab world has ceded control of this vital flashpoint to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Bashar al-Assad. It has ceded its own destiny to people who do not believe in freedom, democracy, tolerance or any of the values civilized people hold dear.

And what’s the world’s response? Israel is overreacting."

During our studies today we reviewed a famous text by Maimonides (12th century) on his notion of the days of the Messiah. His vision of that time was striking: "The Sages and the Prophets did not want an end time in which Israel would rule over the world, or that it would have dominion over the ages, or that it would rule over other nations, or would enjoy a world of material enjoyment. Rather Israel would be free to engage in Torah and wisdom. "

In this medieval language, Maimonides expressed a profound ideal which in some ways remains central to a larger Jewish vision. There is no desire by to control others, to rule over others, to oppress others. In the case of Israel, a state formed by the Jewish people, the aim is to live in peace and security with its neighbors and to foster a society which can pursue peacefully the ideals of Judaism and the Jewish culture. The great majority of Israelis have no desire to rule over Palestinians and have no interests to conquer Lebanon.

The aggression Israel faces now seeks to undermine and destroy Israel entirely. Israel faces forces that deny the validity of a Jewish state entirely and thrives on a religious ideology and messianic vision that is triumphalist, intolerant, and will use any means to achieve its aims. These forces are distorting modern Islam and bear violent intentions toward the West.