By COLlive reporter
Political pundits are debating comments made by Rabbi Levi Shemtov during a meeting between Democratic senators and Jewish organizations.
Shemtov, director of the Washington office of American Friends of Lubavitch, was invited to speak at the conclusion of the Wednesday meeting and began with a Dvar Torah.
His message at the Capitol Hill meeting was that “just as there is more than one way to be pro-Israel, there is more than one way to be pro-peace.”
“Show me a Jew who is against peace, and I would like to know what his Jewish source is,” JTA quoted him as saying.
“Show me a Jew who doesn’t want a decent life for Palestinians,” he said, and he’ll ask what his Jewish source is.
The meeting, organized by the Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee and chaired by Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), was attended by 22 senators and leaders of 18 Jewish organizations.
Writing on the conservative Commentary website, Jennifer Rubin said Shemtov’s remarks were “a dig at the left-wing groups that posit themselves as the ones in favor of a peaceful solution to the conflict.”
In response, Shemtov told JTA that was completely untrue.
The rabbi said he was saying that “fundamentally, there does not need to be a conflict between people of the Jewish faith and people of the Muslim faith. While we obviously have theological differences, they shouldn’t be the basis for conflict.”
While some say that peace needs to be “imposed” on the Middle East, Shemtov said “the Jewish quest is for peace,” and it is conflict that has been “imposed” on the region.
One representative of a left-wing pro-Israel groups praised the rabbi’s remarks, JTA reported.
“He was very positive,” said Steve Masters, president of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom. “It was very clear he feels being pro-peace is an essential part of being a Jew.”
rabbi shem tov take over the hill. beemes.
tell them how to fix the budget,
You make us all proud. Yasher Koach!
a fellow shliach
Vigilant about making agreements means making good ones and not bad ones. But saying your not in favor of peace – even a good one – means your against it, like the sonei yisroel.
make agreements with who??? the guy who says clearly he wants to drive you into the water, the guy who says he wants to nuke Israel, the guy who wants to get as close as possible to crowds to blow himself up?? or the people who voted in and go along for the most part with their leaders who don’t recognize the right of Jews to have their own homeland. Jews want peace that’s true. But as long as we have very serious enemies out there who NEVER kept their side of the agreement and even those who have any… Read more »
being under threat doesnt mean you don’t want peace – it means you must be more vigilant about making agreements, which might be what he meant.
Too complicated for you?
you are being disingenuous. Everyone wants (to live in) peace even the Arabs??? Making a statement of this sort is totally and completely untrue. They want to kill the Jews and then live in peace. Until then they want to kill us and all Americans. That is the truth and a fact demonstrated when the Gazans voted in the Hamas and every time a suicide bomber does his thing and the fact that the PLO to this day will not recognize the right for Israel to exist. For any Lubavitcher Chossid to speak in these days that we are not… Read more »
To #7 Not only did the Rebbe care about the Chinese, but the Rebbe even expressed himself, saying that even Palestinians are entitled to live and should not get killed just because. I know that all the kanoim will wake up attacking this statement by quoting hundreds of sichos about defending Israel against the terrorists. But the Rebbe did say so. I heard it myself. The debate about Jews and Israel defending themselves against PLO attackers has nothing to do with allowing Arabs to live in peace if they agree not to harm Jews. Jews with the Rebbe as our… Read more »
FYI Jennifer Rubin is one of the best friends the pro-strong-Israel community has in the media. If she pointed this out, it was meant not as a “dig” against Levi, but as affirmation of his point of view. There is much good to read about the “peace process” at Commentary’s website, and particularly its “Contentions” blog, which is short pieces by top columnists and conservative political thinkers, often responding to each other.
Who was talking about if they come to attack you? His comments were about innocent Palestinians. When did the Rebbe ever say not to wish a decent life upon innocent people? Did you not ever read the story of the Rebbe raising the plight of Asian immigrants (Chinese, Cambodian boat people, etc.) in NY with public officials in yechidus? Of course he would never deviate from the Rebbe’s opinion when it comes to defense of Eretz Yisroel, he was just making the point that every Jew should be in favor of peace and perceived as such EVEN IF they don’t… Read more »
There is just a difference of opinion on the method to achieve peace.
Please clarify the comment, I didn’t get it. (Not R.Shemtov asking)What do you mean,make the Rebbe smile by dreying.The Rebbe you make smile by Tachlis.
very nice levi , yr just like yr dad and grandad, u know how 2 drey, as long as u make the Rebba smile.thats the bottom line . ” kear ah velt hiynt “
Maybe the first Lubavitcher Rabbi, since a long time, who is not Zionist
why couldnt he just say what the rebba said for years . the rebba said that if they come to harm u u have to fight back etc. nonesense with this peace .they want to kill us. why rabbi shemtov did u forget what the rebba said. unbelievable .
shemtov to the rescue after the freidman debacle
lesson to be learnd by all they are litsening to EVERY word we say be carefull