After Annapolis

We waited with baited breath to see what the Bush administration might accomplish at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis in the week following Thanksgiving. Now that our breath has been baited, it’s time to fish.

Of course, Israel and the Palestinians first have to negotiate a two-state solution and then Abu Mazen and Olmert have to find the political capital to sell the agreement (and not get killed or indicted).

It was great that for the first time, a broad spectrum of international representatives was brought to Annapolis. Still, George W. Bush has only to run out the clock and leave his successor yet one more potential mess to clean up, especially if any part of the Quartet’s score is played off key. With all of these government level negotiations going on that affect the state of human rights in the world; what’s a rabbi to do?

First of all, we need to pray for a miracle. That’s a good thing to do at this season. But as our ancient rabbis teach, we can’t depend on miracles. Like it or not, we must continue to encourage the Bush administration, through a combination of praise and pressure, to keep Israel, the Palestinians, and their neighbors on track. This means speaking out, lobbying, writing Op-Eds, the usual. But there are many things we can do on the personal and congregational levels that will not only help the Annapolis process, but will also advance the cause of peace and human rights.
RHR’s focus on banning torture must remain on the front burner.

It will help get the U.S. back on the long path to having some moral claim again in the world. This helps us among the Muslim nations who can make or break a peace with Israel. Stopping torture in general also helps Israelis and Palestinians (and Americans) who might become targets of torture or terrorism. Everyone who is interested in RHR’s work should be part of the campaign to ban all forms of torture.
In our communities and synagogues, we need to constantly reach out to Muslim and Christian groups in genuine interfaith work.

This means not only dialoguing (what Asra Nomani, a Muslim feminist activist characterized as “hug a Jew”), but also engaging together, across religious boundaries, in human rights work. If you have a homeless shelter, invite not only Jews, but also your Christian and Muslim neighbors to work there together. If the neighborhood Church has a soup kitchen, ask if your synagogue and local Mosque can join in serving the hungry. Do winter-coat drives together, send socks to the troops (no matter what you may think of our mission in Iraq, dry feet seem to be a basic human need), arrange an interfaith Habitat for Humanity project.
Nothing brings communities together better than serving all who are created in God’s image. As your communities get to know one another better, invite them to meet Israelis and Palestinians first hand. There are many groups that allow for such interchange right here in the U.S. Two that I know are run by our colleague Melodye Feldman: “Seeking Common Ground: Building Bridges for Peace” (Denver http://www.s-c-g.org/buildingbridges/) and “Face to Face: Faith to Faith” (with Auburn Seminary in New York City http://www.auburnsem.org/multifaith/faithtofaith.asp?nsectionid=4&pageid...) .

If you can bring groups to visit Israel and Palestine, Rabbi Melissa Weintraub (who wrote RHR’s torture materials) runs an organization called Encounter (http://www.encounterprograms.org/contact.html). They bring American Jews across the Green Line to see Palestinian life first hand. The New Israel Fund (http://www.nif.org/) also runs initiatives for Civil and Human Rights, Religious Pluralism and Tolerance, and Israeli Arab and Bedouin Citizens. Finally, our own Rabbis for Human Rights has, among other interfaith activities, the Olive Harvest (http://rhr.israel.net/olive-harvest).
These are just five of the many organizations that do the kind of work that builds peace and human rights on the ground. One hopes that in reply to this posting, others will list the organizations they would commend to this effort. Without these grassroots programs, nothing that happens at the governmental level will take hold. We can gaze at our navels, or we can help the gathering at the U.S. Naval Academy lead to peace.

Rabbi Burton L. Visotzky is Professor of Midrash at the Jewish Theological Seminary and has been active in Moslem-Jewish Dialogue for many years.