33 rabbis call on Jews not to interfere in politics

Religious Information Service of Ukraine

KYIV - Thirty-three rabbis of the largest Jewish communities of Ukraine, including Azriel Chaikin, chief rabbi of Ukraine of the Lubavitch Chabad movement, demanded before the repeat run-off of the presidential election that Jewish figures stop interfering with the internal political conflicts of the country and supporting one or the other side, because this can "harm Jews first of all." This was reported on December 22 by Religare.ru.

A number of recent speeches by Oleksander Chervonenko, vice-president of the All-Ukrainian Jewish Congress, in support of presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko were the reason for the appeal. According to the spiritual leaders of Ukrainian Jews, such actions contradict Jewish tradition.

"We think that leaders of unions of minority groups should not actively support this or that side in internal political conflicts, should not support one political camp against another one," read the statement of the rabbis.

According to the authors of the statement, "this can lead not to peace and harmony, not to the strengthening of tolerance and mutual understanding, but to negative consequences, not just for one organization or another, but for society in general."

"The millennia-old history of the diaspora tells us," wrote the rabbis, "that every time Jews irresponsibly interfere in the matters of nations in which they are living, they themselves are the first to suffer harm."

The statement said that if a Jewish figure thinks it necessary to become actively involved in the political struggle in Ukraine, then he or she should first leave his or her position as leader of the community or organization and continue speaking as a private person.

The rabbis also called the spiritual leaders of all denominations to turn to their faithful in these days with a call to peace and love.

"Political differences, sharp discussions and debates should not lead to adversity and splits," the authors of the statement stressed, demanding "to not turn a political confrontation into an inter-ethnic or inter-religious one."

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, January 2, 2005, No. 1, Vol. LXXIII

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