parents circle

the association of bereaved families in the middle east

A Letter to the Rabbis

Gimzo 31st December, 2000

To : Rabbi Eliezer Melamed - Rabbi of Judia & Samaria Council (the West Bank Settlements)

To : Rabbi Avraham Shapira - Former Chief Rabbi of Israel

To : Rabbi Eliyahu Mordechai - Former Chief Rabbi of Israel

Honorable Rabbis,

Six and half year ago on 28 Tamuz Tashnad my eldest son Arie Zvi was murdered by Hamas terrorists. Arik was murdered not because he was an Israeli soldier and an enemy of the Palestinians. It is not only Arik who was killed but hundreds of Israelis perished since then and until this very day, and all this because there is no peace.

In the last generation we have returned to our homeland, Israel. For over 50 years neither government nor governor have alienated or persecuted Judaism. Jewish teaching and moral had not been on the decline. Hundreds of Yeshivehs (Jewish seminaries) have been founded, and thousands of Rabbis have been ordained as teachers of Halacha and moral to the People of Israel. On the other hand, we have reached a stage where many Jews shy away from Judaism and drift further apart from religion to the extent of refraining from circumcising their children. All this due to the harsh fact that religious leaders like yourselves, this generation's Rabbis who teach Halacha, do not do enough to love the people and bring them closer to the Torah.

I regard your action in recent years as destructive to Judaism, democracy, and fundamental Jewish moral. I regard your action and words as a direct line leading to bloodshed as in the words of the Mishnah: "A sword cometh to the world for the distortion and miscarriage of justice and for distortion of the Torah's teaching". Over the last few days you repeat your rulings regarding the political sovereignty of the State of Israel and your doings will bring about bloodshed amongst our enemies, our beloved ones, and within the Israeli society. Your call "to take action" has but one meaning - murder.

I beseech you to spread the word not to prey upon each other. I beseech you to call upon the marvelous Jewish religious public and Settlers to obey the government lest we harm each other. Peace between the Palestinians and us shall come despite and in spite of your conduct as religious leaders of Israel. Indeed I have lost my eldest and beloved son Arik in the absence of peace. Indeed the Jewish people have drifted apart from Judaism instead of being drawn closer due to the distance between you and the people - a real shame. I call upon you to retract your political statements and start leading the people in the true spirit of the Torah so they will be drawn closer to Judaism and work the Lord. Behold how many more lives will be lost because there is no peace.

This morning a husband and wife were killed.

Do you not see that the result of your actions and statements bring to the loss of more and more and lives?

Is it not a situation of Pikuach Nefesh (the duty of saving lives) which requires you to take responsibility as religious leaders?

Have we tried but once to live in peace with the Palestinians?

Painfully yours,

Yitzhak Frankenthal