By Haaretz
Addressing the British House of Lords, former U.K. Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks warned recently that radical Islamist forces were using the demonization of Israel to win support in the West, and argued that Palestinian incitement was the primary impediment to achieving peace in the Holy Land.
“The Islamists… know that the only way they can win the sympathy of the west is by demonizing Israel,” Rabbi Sacks said. “They know you cannot win support for ISIS, Boko Haram or Islamic Jihad but if you can blame Israel you will gain the support of academics, unions and parts of the media and you will distract attention from the massacres in Syria and Iraq, the slow dissent of other countries into chaos and the ethnic cleansing of Christians throughout the region.”
Sacks declared that “when power is secularized, peace is possible,” warning that in much of the Muslim world, “a seismic shift is taking place in the opposite direction.”
Rabbi Sacks implored Muslims to take responsibility for the failure of their leaders, rather than blame Israel and the west for their woes: “When you blame others for your failures you not only harm others you harm yourself and your people. To be free you have to let go of hate.”
Turning specifically to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Rabbi Sacks said that “the vast majority of the Jewish people care deeply about the Palestinians. We want Palestinian children, no less than Israeli children, to have future of peace, prosperity, freedom and hope,” adding that this is why he opposes forces that, in an implicit reference to Hamas, use money given for humanitarian aid to buy weapons and dig tunnels.
Sacks ended his address by saying, “Every religion must wrestle with its dark angels. And so today must we, Jews, Christians and Muslims alike, for we are all children of Abraham and it will only be when we make space for one another as brothers and sisters that we will redeem the world from darkness and walk together in the light of God.”
VIDEO:
What you have said is absolutely true and I pray that all will listen for the sake of many lives will be saved. This is a hate driven crusade that serves no purpose but lost lives and in the end that will be the outcome like many other wars..sad oh so sad to see people fleeing for their lives only to live their lives in peace as one should be allowed, your words in the end say it all, we are all children of Abraham and we should all allow one another to believe as we wish without prosecution, fear… Read more »
G-d spoke from the mouth of Rabbi Lord Sacks Shlita.
Yes, it is a noble appeal to the Moslems. It would work if they had any logic. It is so entrenched in their religion to wipe us out a la B’chol dor vador omdim aleynu l’chalotenu, v’hakosh boruch hu matizilenu myadam, that they will not change their minds. And if any of them think of changing their minds they too are murdered. That insures a Moslem mutual admiration society. There is no one left alive to make peace with. Those who think differently are afraid of getting killed. We can fantasize that there is a ‘silent majority’ but I think… Read more »
#9 is on the right track. Moslem run states are a disaster. Check out what happened in Turkey. It was about the only sane Moslem dominated country when it was run as a secular country until recently when it went to Islamist extremist government.
How did America come to be? It was because there were Brits who didn’t like their life dictated by the Kurchs.
Get it? Best not to have religion run governments outside of Israel.
I agree with much of what he said the exception being his remarks about Jewish people caring equally about Palestinian’s futures. This in my experience is simply untrue.
A half Israeli Jew
An eloquent speech by a polished speaker, full of intelligent theoretical wisdom that one expects from a clergyman of Rabbi Sach’s stature. Yet it lacks the reality of life and ignores the facts of history which have been repeated for over a thousand years. It ignores the differences between Judeo Christian philosophy and the tenets of islam, which fundamentally clash. The Muslim teaching toward the Dhimmi and infidel should not be overlooked.
Rabbi Sacks specifically spoke about secularization as it relates to political power. And there is nothing anti-Torah about that. It is the American concept of separation of church and state. If you allow religion to dictate international politics you invite the extremism that we are seeing in the world today. Political power should be based on morality, justice and the basic human right to be free, religiously and otherwise. Rabbi Sacks was in no way advocating the secularization of Eretz Yisroel or of a Torah way of life.
I agree with 23 initial sentence. The speech was superb and to the point. Did they listen? I doubt it! Was he on the mark? 100%. Just as we teach our children that they will have to learn from their mistakes, so too will the world at large. They will have to learn the true meaning of the Land of Israel, the depth of what it means to be a Jew, the true meaning of a hatred for all people and the length that a group of people will go to deceive others. I pray that my grandchildren generation shall… Read more »
There are no Palestinians. They are Arabs, plain and simple.
We’ve seen what happens when a country is based on secular “logic and rational thought” rather than religious beliefs, because anything can be ‘rationalized’. That’s why America can think of making a despicable immoral act “legal”. That’s why Israel gives away land ‘for peace’ and is kinder to palestinians than to frum Jews.
It is okay for a country to run according to its beliefs as long as those beliefs don’t harm others and are in accordance with the Sheva Mitzvos Bnei Noach.
The speech was nice. I do not believe in god, and question any real history when it comes to Abraham. BUT, the message was very true and quite moving. However, those people have already made up their minds. Look at the guy in the background, to the sides, the reaction after he was done. It was wasted on a group of men who have made up their minds. They do not care about Israel, nor do they care to listen to facts. Humanity falls very easily to popular ideas, and stick very stubbornly to those too. Israel is a peaceful… Read more »
Pretty lame.
Spoke a lot and didn’t say much.
My message would have been o fight the islamociast wherever they are, not to muslims to “please don’t kill us”
On one of his shows, the moderator was a substitute. He said that, while in France, he visited a Moslem school or institution of some sort. The Imam gave him a tour. The Imam said, “What does a Moslem see when he looks at Western society? DECADENCE! – prostitution, adultery, drugs, public exposure, alcohol, etc. You think we are going to assimilate with you? No way!” So, the sub concluded that we will not be able to stop the Moslems from making their advances unless we go back to Judeo-Christian ethic that this nation was founded on. Now, this show… Read more »
Very well said, May hashem bless you.
Many have joined the worst radical Islamic terror groups specifically as a result of rejecting the meaningless, selfish, gross materialistic atmosphere of the secularized West. If they would be introduced via (at least) a moment of silence and preferable more concrete means to the concept of a higher authority from their youth – in a positive, ethical way, perhaps things would look different. We need to inject positive spirituality into the secularized world, rather than spread the secularization that ironically feeds the fanatic flames.
You sound angry, but despite the essay you failed to address the important concern until your final paragraph. Kindly elaborate on addressing the actual concern. I am ready to learn.
hope they all hear it!
We’ll said.however I wish Washington would understand this and stop slamming Israel ,
You speak with dignity and you should go from strength to strength in good health and spirit. Gd bless our people Gd bless our Gd given land and Gd should grant us the ultimate redemption of Moshiach tzikenu.
You correctly opened up your thought with “Perhaps I am ignorant.” I would have to validate that concern. For someone who did not follow the precision of the message, let alone its context and situation, let me enlighten you this way. The Rebbe took an exceedingly young man who wished to be a barrister (there were other choices too) but surely not a rabbi, and convinced him to become a rabbi; then to accept a major Rabbinical position; and eventually to become the Chief Rabbi of Great Britain (each separate occasions, specific directives upon his consulting the Rebbe, as he… Read more »
stole? eh, i think you have to pay back double
Rabbi Sacks is a gift to humanity G-d bless him
The sheva mitzvos means denouncing hatred and bloodshed, but not because of secular ideals, rather because of religious belief.
If a society cannot be run according to Torah, then the Torah cannot be true, G-d forbid. From what I understand, one of Rambam’s proofs of Moshiach is that the Torah laws were given, and have never been fully implemented and cannot be fully implemented without Moshiach and the Geulah. He states that if G-d gave these laws, then that itself is proof that they will all eventually be observed fully. Certainly then, a Jewish country can be run according to the Torah. At the very least, to publicly claim otherwise is to deny the true divinity of the Torah.… Read more »
Read the Koran and study history before claiming Islam is peace.At the best of times “the golden age”, we were mostly tolerated.. But second class, with still violence against us.
Islam started as a religion forced by a war lord named Mohamed. It’s basic history 101…
There is no way to have a public state run according to torah law. torah is for the jewish people, and the jewish people only. to have a state occupied by non-jews as well as jews, that is run according to the laws of torah, would result in utter chaos. Can you imagine what would be if when someone stole, all he would have to do, is pay back the worth of the object? no jail? that could only work in a totally jewish population. until mashiach comes, for as long as non-jews reside in israel, israel will, and must,… Read more »
Thank goodness G-d has graced our people with such an eloquent and dignified spokeman as Rabbi Sacks is.
You have to know who you’re speaking to.
The people sitting there would never accept an opinion that sounds like: give israel to the jewish people.
but they are much more likely to find reason in an opinion that says: don’t let anyone do crazy things just because of their religion (which works great with us, because we don’t do crazy things).
Better to convince them of a secular government than come out with nothing.
Your speech is eloquent full of wisdom. I admire the way you said its about time that religious leaders of all kind should get up and stop the hate on campuses and etc and let freedom take his place. Thank you
Perhaps I am ignorant, but it sounds to me as if the Rabbi is conceding that Torah based leadership Torah is no less dangerous than Islamic or other religious leadership at the governmental level. That is to completely undermine the Torah. It is possibly excusable as an academic or whatever but not as a Rabbi. The Rebbe spoke for hours on the subject of security in the Holy Land, and proved that specifically by following the halachic approach on the matter can we achieve peace – and no other approach can be effective. The Rebbe also lamented the violent anarchy… Read more »
T LOVE IT MAY HASHEM BLESS YOU RABBI LORD SACK
well said!!!!!
Genious.
Academically, religiously and economically, and socially balanced.
Perfect.
Eloquent speaker,very impressed.