Well over 1,500 Orthodox rabbanim from across the United States, hailing from a cross section of communities, have joined the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce’s call to support the Israeli government’s effort to combat the BDS movement, which promotes a boycott of Israel and related individuals and businesses around the world. The chamber letter was signed by Founder and CEO Duvi Honig; Dr. Joseph Frager, executive VP of the chamber’s public policy committee; and Chairman J. Morton Davis.
This powerful call follows the Israeli government’s decision to deny entry to several American BDS activists who sought to promote this dangerous movement on the shores of the Holy Land. Over 200 non-Orthodox clergy members issued a letter in support of those activists. The Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce and its supporting rabbanim stressed the damage that the BDS movement seeks to inflict upon Israel and Jews, even Palestinians. As such, they exclaimed, “As a shining democracy amidst a sea of tyranny, and top terror target, Israel has the full right—indeed obligation—to protect its nation and citizenry from their most determined enemies.”
Duvi Honig, founder and CEO of the chamber, relates his amazement at the enthusiasm this large cross section of rabbanim had to join this call. “Literally within a few hours of submitting this letter to them, these prestigious rabbanim and rabbinical organizations all expressed their solid support,” he relates. “This is a truly pressing issue for global Jewry, and one that we cannot afford to ignore.”
Among those who expressed support for the chamber’s efforts were Igud Harabbanim, Rabbinical Alliance of America, which represents 950 rabbanim across America, who said that the BDS movement “undermines the security and safety of Israel and its inhabitants.” Also supporting their efforts were National Council of Young Israel, which represents 130 shuls and approximately 100,000 Jews, and said that “there are those who side with the BDS movement and everything it represents…We agree to stand with Israel at this critical time.” The Vaad Harabonim of Queens, which represents over 80 Queens area rabbanim, called the OJC mission a “holy mission of strengthening our brothers in the Holy Land.” The Coalition for Jewish Values, representing hundreds of rabbanim across America, exclaimed, “No one with an understanding of the history of anti-Semitism and its penchant for new facades…could support this evil (BDS) program.” Additionally, support came from a long list of prominent rabbanim, including Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld, Young Israel of Kew Garden Hills; Rabbi Steven Pruzansky, Congregation Bnai Yeshurun of Teaneck; Rabbi Eytan Feiner, Congregation Kneseth Israel; Rabbi Yaakov Menken; Rabbi Mendy Mirocznik; Rabbi Chaim Schwartz; and Rabbi Yisroel Schenkolewski of The Lakewood Vaad, a leading askan and public policy force for decades.
Battling the BDS movement is among the chamber’s top year-round public policy priorities. The chamber and its associated business leaders and activists have fought this battle in the halls of power across the world, and helped implement effective anti-BDS legislation in a growing number of states across America.
“The BDS movement is hateful and dangerous, and we will utilize the strength of the chamber to defeat it from every possible angle,”says Dr. Frager. “We would like to thank the rabbanim and the communities they represent for offering such powerful and unequivocal support towards our efforts.”
For more information, or to add your
signature to the letter, please contact
[email protected].
