In advance of the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s biennial General Assembly this summer, church leaders made the disappointing decision to approve a report that calls for divestment from three companies for their sales to Israel. The Jewish Council for Public Affairs, together with the Israel Action Network, an initiative of The Jewish Federations of North America in partnership with the JCPA, called on Presbyterians to return to their commitment to positive outcomes and abandon the path to divestment which will not foster reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians will poison the well for positive interfaith relations between the Jewish and Presbyterian communities.
"We are profoundly disappointed by the General Assembly Mission Council's decision to recommend this report," said JCPA President Rabbi Steve Gutow. "Neither peace nor the long friendship between our two communities is served by this action. It is tragic that national Presbyterian leaders are making the delegitimization of Israel a public witness of their church. Once again, we turn to our friends who will gather in the church's General Assembly this summer to find a path towards peace rather than dissension. The proposed resolution drives a wedge between our two communities, frustrates interfaith cooperation and undermines our joint efforts to pursue social justice."
Rabbi Gutow continued, "The JCPA and the IAN encourage communities to work together to foster peace through efforts of reconciliation. The parties know enough conflict. Why add to the division?"
"The Presbyterian and Jewish communities should work together to build support for goals everyone should share - a two-state solution with peace and security as the only means to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," said JCPA Chair Dr. Conrad Giles. "Divestment does not achieve this goal. It ignores the complexity of the conflict by singling out one party. It weakens relationships that are already fragile. It misuses American companies as a proxy for parties to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."
The JCPA has worked closely with the Israel Action Network, which is chaired by David Sherman of Chicago, key JCPA national member agencies, Jewish Community Relations Councils throughout the country, and local rabbis to build relationships with local church leaders to foster dialogue and programs that support peace and reconciliation and reject delegitimization and divestment.
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