The Or Shalom Board of Directors drafted and approved the following statement in response to the current violence in Israel/Palestine, as of February 5, 2024:

At Or Shalom, in the spirit of pikuach nefesh (the Jewish ethical mandate to preserve life), we call for a just resolution to the ongoing violence in Israel/Palestine, which begins with a ceasefire.

Our call for a ceasefire does not just mean a temporary cessation of violence. A just resolution must be:

Multilateral: All parties engaged in any military, militant, or violent activity in the entire region of Israel/Palestine must lay down their weapons and cease violence.
Liberating: All Israeli hostages being held in Gaza must be released. All Palestinians being held without due process in Israel must be released.
Humanitarian: Humanitarian aid must be immediately allowed into Gaza. Borders must be opened for refugees seeking to leave Gaza.
Lasting: There must be negotiations toward a lasting, just peace that takes into account the histories and ongoing realities of marginalization, persecution, and oppression of all involved parties.

May it come speedily and in our days.

The Or Shalom Board of Directors voted unanimously on October 17th to sign on to the Synagogues Rising call to Congress and President Biden to de-escalate and interrupt the cycle of violence in Israel/Palestine. You can read the full statement here.

Or Shalom is a member of the group Reconstructionists Expanding Our Conversation on Israel-Palestine, which has the following statement of purpose:

Reconstructionists Expanding Our Conversation on Israel-Palestine is an independent project organized by rabbis and laypeople and co-sponsored by several Reconstructionist congregations – Congregation Shaarei Shamayim, Havurah Shalom Israel/Palestine Committee, Kadima Reconstructionist Community, Kol Tzedek, Mishkan Shalom, Or Haneshamah, and Or Shalom Jewish Community. We embrace the Reconstructionist movement’s values of justice (tzedek), compassion (chesed), and the dignity of all human life (b’tselem Elohim). Our embrace of these values leads us to oppose Israel’s domination of the Palestinian people. We hope this series will expand our understanding of historical and present-day conditions in Israel/Palestine and strengthen our commitment to a just future. All are welcome to join us in learning and listening with open hearts and minds.

For Or Shalom Members Only:

Our email discussion listserv is for Or Shalom members who support a ceasefire to share information about upcoming events and actions, as well as for educational and organizing opportunities. Click here to request to join this group.

On February 18, March 3, and March 10, 2024, Or Shalom members participated in a three-part Israel-Palestine Communal Values Process to help Or Shalom clarify our values as a community both at large and regarding Israel/Palestine. The end of this process will result in a values statement, which will be displayed on our website and provide guidance to our board when decision-making is needed. Additionally, other action items on how we move forward as a community around this topic would emerge from these sessions, which could include but are not limited to educational opportunities, organizing opportunities, and cultural activities.