The Need to Speak Out

Our About page contains our statement of principles, explaining our view of the Israel/Palestine conflict and our ideas about how to strive towards a saner future.
​
We feel deep dismay at the absence of democratic and human rights of Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation. The ongoing occupation has tragically caused neighbours to turn on each other at tremendous moral and human cost. We are appalled by the enormous destruction and numerous deaths that have resulted from the conflict. We also mourn the shattered dreams of Israelis and Palestinians—young people in particular—whose lives have been upended in so many different ways by the conflict. As Jews and humanitarians, we feel we can not stand by idly or silently. 

One of our first actions as an organization were to publish a statement on the conflict and to gather signatories from our community.

Our belief is that Canadian Jews need to speak openly among ourselves and with the public regarding our opposition to violence by all sides. We need to advocate for an alternative to the current corrosive conflict between Israelis and Palestinians: the launch of a genuine effort to achieve peace on terms supported by the international community with the involvement of the disputants. 

On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, we are guided by the following principles:

​1. Commitment to Co-Existence 
We believe in the urgent need for peaceful co-existence between Palestinians and Jews, built on mutual recognition of each other’s right to self-determination, security, and dignity. True peace—the Hebrew word for peace, shalom (שָׁלוֹם), derives from ‘wholeness’—demands an honest reckoning with the specific histories and power imbalances that have defined this conflict. Only by acknowledging these painful realities can we lay the groundwork for a just and enduring resolution.

2. Promotion of Human Rights
We believe in the universal application of human rights, rooted in the Jewish values of b’tzelem elohim (בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹהִים)—understood by both secular and religious Jews as a reference to the inherent dignity of all people—and tzedek (צֶדֶק), which calls for justice grounded in fairness and righteousness. In Jewish tradition, tzedek goes beyond legal justice, emphasizing the moral imperative to act justly toward the vulnerable. Upholding universal human rights for all, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, or religion, is essential to advocating for both Israelis and Palestinians.

3. Opposition to Occupation 
We oppose the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories, recognizing it as a fundamental barrier to peace, justice, and equality. Rooted in Jewish principles of derech eretz (דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ), ethical conduct or respectfulness as the proper “way of the land,” we believe that ending the occupation is essential to ensuring the dignity, security, and self-determination of both Israelis and Palestinians. Peace can only be achieved when the rights of all people in the land are upheld.

4. Opposition to Violence
We oppose violence as a means to resolve conflict, guided by the Jewish principle of pikuach nefesh (פִּקוּחַ נֶפֶשׁ), the sanctity of human life, which teaches that respect for life is the most enduring path to reconciliation. While we recognize the right to self-defense when necessary, it must always be proportionate and aimed solely at protecting lives, not retaliation, which merely perpetuates the cycle of violence. In the long run, true peace can only be achieved through non-violent methods that honour the sanctity of life.

5. Condemnation of Discrimination
We stand against all forms of bigotry and discrimination, rooted in the Jewish ethical teachings of ahavat ger (אַהֲבַת גֵּר), love for the stranger, and lo ta’amod al dam re’echa (לֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל דַּם רֵעֶךָ), the prohibition against bystanding at the suffering of one’s neighbour. We unequivocally oppose antisemitism in all its forms, recognizing it as a persistent and dangerous threat to Jews and Jewish communities worldwide. Similarly, we reject anti-Palestinian racism, Islamophobia, and all other forms of hatred, upholding the Jewish responsibility to act with justice and compassion toward all.