Published: Dec. 6, 2023
I have good news about the controversy sparked by my talk in Montclair, NJ, November 12, 2023.
Since my peace talk at the Montclair Public Library, I have been in a robust and friendly dialogue with an Orthodox rabbi from Montclair. We disagree about many things, but do agree that all human life is precious, equality matters, and civil discussions about US policy toward Israel/Palestine and a political solution are needed. On my suggestion, he is also meeting with members of North Jersey Jewish Voices for Peace (JVP) from Montclair to encourage healing, a de-escalation of heated and often false rhetoric about different members of the local Jewish community in Montclair, and promote civil debate about US policy towards Israel/Palestine. He and I are also exploring the possibility of doing a joint dialogue in Montclair to model exploring our differences on what could lead to a peace with justice in a friendly, rational, and respectful way. He is an unsung hero in Montclair and is doing much more to improve community relations so far than the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Montclair that abruptly canceled my scheduled October 22 peace talk and established a discriminatory policy against JVP at their church. I will continue to work with the ministers there to see if we can change their discriminatory policy against an important segment of the Jewish community. The co-pastors seem open, but have not yet convinced their board to play a more constructive role in the community.
Anyway, I thought several people on this list might be interested in new developments that center Quaker voices about US policy towards Israel/Palestine and the need for a ceasefire, release of captives, full humanitarian assistance to the 2.3 million civilians in Gaza, and a meaningful just peace to the ongoing conflict that moves beyond both apartheid and mass murder, as well as standing up against anti-Jewish and anti-Arab bigotry here in this country.
from Steve Chase, Friends Meeting of Washington, DC (12/6/2023)