I would like to join my voice in welcoming everyone and expressing appreciation for the support once again shown to our community and to Israel. A few housekeeping items. Please silence your phones.  Restroom are in the social hall building next door.  We are still raising funds for a ramp to make our historic sanctuary more ADA compatible so we apologize for that and hope to be able to correct the situation.  We would prefer to be totally inclusive.  Should an urgent situation arise, there are exits both through the doors you entered and through the back of the building.  Please follow instructions that may be given by security.
 
This community is no stranger to anti-Semitism and the very real violence that rhetorical hate and fear can generate. So we gather… in anger, in fear, in sorrow, in mourning for our people, our land, our generational trauma. We gather because we need to be together.  We need to know that the human soul rejects the inhumanity of terrorism that we watched unfold half way across the world and that we watched celebrated in some corners of our own country and state. 
 
Jews are 16 million people - .2% of the world population.  More than 7 million of us, nearly half, live in Israel.  It is not then surprising to find that for most of us, there is a direct relation or at most 1 degree of separation from what happens in Israel.  Many of us are overwhelmed and confused. How could this have happened… again?  Israel, a country deeply divided 9 days ago, is now one body, one soul and one motivation… survival.  Hamas is a terrorist organization with a mission, a charter, to annihilate Israel and the Jewish people. And by the way, the same charter, the Hamas charter, notes that the Islamic world view completely contradicts the idea of a secular Palestinian state as well.  This war does not advance the Palestinian cause. Terrorism is not resistance.  Israel has the right to exist and fight against terrorism.  We mourn for the loss of lives to terrorism.
 
I have been on countless conferences, webinars and constant contact with organizations both here and abroad since the end of Simchat Torah. Our hearts are with all the civilians, nationalities, families and individuals that have been effected by this war. Make no mistake, though Jews are the target, there are Israeli Bedouins, Druz, Kurds, Arabs, Palestinians, Christians, Bahai and others. Additionally, the last I heard, citizens of 49 countries are caught up in the chaos created during this past week of terror.  All will be effected by the outcome.  
 
Beyond headlines and geopolitical fighting… are real people … parents, children, grandparents, teachers, doctors, cooks, plumbers, the women and men we each encounter everyday who were just going about their lives, who were simply living. The party revelers, peace party revelers, the families starting their days, those filling synagogues for holiday attendance, the end of our High Holiday season; their lives will never be the same.  We pray that they will find a way to go forward with strength, courage and a resolve to make the world a better place.
 
We are a people who strives for shalem, completeness - and shalom, peace.  We are taught rodayf shalom, pursue peace.  We raise our voices every day seeking joy in the world and in the pursuit of God’s light.  We offer gratitude for the newness of each morning and for being held in protection, redemption and mercy each evening. We know we could not do so without our friends and supporters.  If you are clergy of any religion, please rise as you are able and remain standing.  We could not continue without the aid of our government and law enforcement. In particular, we know that our beautiful, historic building would not be standing without the assistance of the FBI, the Pueblo Sheriff’s Department and the local police. If you hold a governmental office of any type, represent law enforcement, assist in legal protection or security, please rise as you are able and remain standing.  We could not continue without fellowship, friendship, family both born and chosen. If you are Israeli, know Israelis, have lived in or visited Israel, support Israel and her existence, please rise as you are able. 
We thank you all.  You are our strength.  Please be seated.
 
We continue in prayer.  Ribbon shel Olam, Sovereign of the world, today is Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of a new month.  We should be singing songs of praise. But our hearts are heavy and our mouths utter, “open for us and our leaders the gates of wisdom, ah-nay-nu/answer us, hoe-she-ah-na/ save us.”
 
When the Hamas slaughter began, we had just begun to pray for rain, proper rain, in its season. May the rain wash away the blood and cause flowers to burst forth so a new day, a new season, a new life can begin. One with long termed, livable solutions throughout the land so that all the people, all the people, can follow a new path forward. Only then, can peace stretch across the land.
 
Hashkivenu Adonai Eloheinu.... Lay us down to sleep in peace, Adonai our God, and raise us up to life; spread over us the shelter of your peace. 
I invite you to sing with me.

NOVEMBER 15, 2012 (posted on facebook)
Over 100 Rockets have exploded in Israel so far this week. Missiles from Gaza are hitting Ashkelon, Sderot and Be’er-Sheva. The residents of southern Israel - men, women and children have been traumatized by the terror of ongoing rocket attacks. With only 15 seconds to find cover, lives are in jeopardy. Nearly 1 million residents are within striking range of missiles from Gaza. Over 13,000 Kassam ... Rockets have been fired into southern Israel in the last 10 years, deliberately targeting Israeli civilians, causing chaos, destruction and death.

An additional problem exists at the UN where Palestinians are seeking state observer status. This will be voted on at the end of November. Voted on by Iran and Syria (where 36,000 of its own citizens have been slaughtered and untold tortured) who maintain
leadership roles in the Human Rights Council. Voted on by Sudan (you remember Sudan of massacres and genocidal fame), just elected to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)—which regulates human rights groups and oversees human rights related committees. Voted on, where Israel is constantly and consistently singled out as a human rights violator.

Meanwhile: Syrian army tanks crossed into the demilitarized zone on the Golan Heights in pursuit of rebel forces and a mortar shell hit an IDF post in the Golan Heights adjacent to the Israel-Syria border, as part of the internal conflict inside Syria this week. 

Amidst these onslaughts, a letter signed by 15 interdenominational Christian leaders* was sent to Congress calling for “the United States to withdraw military aid to Israel until such time as Israel’s violations of Palestinian human rights cease, and it begins to behave in accordance with U.S. and international law.”

Really? What other country provides aid to the enemy who has sworn to annihilate them?

According to the Civil Administration, over 100,000 Palestinians received medical care in Israel during the past year.

Israel also provides economic and educational assistance. A project initiated by the ICLA (Israeli Civic Leadership Association, established in 1986 by JDC) and coordinated with the Khan Younis Association and the Arava Export Growers as part of the continuous support for agricultural development in the Gaza Strip, enabled Gaza farmers to export spices for the very first time. Farmers in Gaza were given tutorials on how to grow spices and they were then provided the seedlings from Israel.
READ MORE:
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/HumanitarianAid/Palestinians/
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/HumanitarianAid/Overview/

Tell
me again why aid to Israel is being protested?
* THE LIST

1.Rev. Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (USA)
2.Mark S. Hanson, Presiding Bishop Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
3.Bishop Rosemarie Wenner, President, Council of Bishops, The United Methodist Church
4.Peg Birk, Transitional General Secretary, National Council of Churches USA
5.Shan Cretin, General Secretary, American Friends Service Committee
6.J Ron Byler, Executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee U.S.
7.Alexander Patico, North American Secretary Orthodox Peace Fellowship
8.Diane Randall, Executive Secretary, Friends Committee on National Legislation
9.Dr. A. Roy Medley, General Secretary, American Baptist Churches, U.S.A.
10.Rev. Geoffrey A. Black, General Minister and President, United Church of Christ
11.Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins, General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
12.Rev. Julia Brown Karimu, President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ),, Division of Overseas Ministries, Co-Executive, Global Ministries (UCC and Disciples)
13.Rev. Dr. James A. Moos, Executive Minister, United Church Christ, Wider, Church Ministries, Co-Executive, Global Ministries (UCC and Disciples)
14.Kathy McKneely, Acting Director, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
15.Eli S. McCarthy, PhD, Justice and Peace Director, Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM)

OCTOBER 30, 2012 (posted originally on facebook)

Posting for those interested in Israel as relevant to their vote:

An Open letter on Israel from the chairman of the senate Armed Service Committee

Dear Friend,

This is the first letter I've ever written in the hope that the "social media" winds take it not just to people I know, but also to people I've never met and to places I'll never see.

I do so because I'm deeply troubled by how the Jewish community is being flooded with inaccurate and sometimes inflammatory attacks on President Obama, claiming that he is not a strong supporter of Israel.

I do so because as a Jewish senator and chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I feel a responsibility to share what I have personally seen and what I know about Barack Obama and Israel.

As I write this, U.S. and Israeli forces are engaged in a large joint military exercise. We hold these exercises regularly. But this is
the largest joint exercise we have held with Israel, involving over 3,500 U.S. troops, about 1/3 of them deployed to Israel for 3 weeks.

This exercise comes at a critical moment for putting massive pressure on Iran to end any quest for a nuclear weapon.

The joint exercise will dramatize our joint military capability to defend against an Iranian missile attack. The exercise combines U.S. Patriot batteries and Aegis ship radar with Israel's Arrow, Iron Dome and David's Sling missile defenses. These Israeli missile defenses received significant funding by the U.S. and have been strongly supported by President Obama.

As Iran decides whether to try to build a nuclear weapon, Iranian leaders will now have to factor in more than ever that they will not be able to deter a strike against a nuclear weapon facility by threatening to retaliate with their missiles. Iran's leaders can't do so because a retaliatory threat by them or by their allies Hezbollah or Hamas has been degraded by Israel's and our combined missile defenses, as demonstrated by the current joint exercise.

I have seen up close how President Obama has acted in many other ways to strengthen Israel's military capability.


Ehud Barak,
Israel's current Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, recently put it this way:

"I should tell you honestly that this Administration, under President Obama, is dong in regard to our security more than anything I can remember in the past." (July 11, 2012)

Prime Minister Netanyahu himself told the AIPAC Conference in May of this year:

"Our security cooperation is unprecedented. And President Obama has backed his words with deeds."

President Obama has also made clear that he will not permit Iran to get a nuclear weapon. For instance:

"It's my firm belief that an Iran with a nuclear weapon would pose a security threat not only to the region but also to the United States." (November 14, 2011)

"My policy here is not going to be one of containment. My policy is prevention of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons. And as I indicated yesterday in my speech, when I say all options are at the table, I mean it." (March 5, 2012)

Iran must know from the record of President Obama, including his use of force in Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia, that he doesn't bluff or bluster.

He is a serious man.
He speaks carefully.
He doesn't flip flop around.
He doesn't throw
words around carelessly.

Iran has seen him act -- his warnings aren't
idle threats.

President Obama has succeeded in unifying the world against Iran with biting sanctions. Those sanctions have done major damage to Iran's oil revenues (they are down by 60% over the last year) and to its currency (the value of which is down by 80% over the last year).

In part because of the respect in which he is held around the world, he has also succeeded in the challenging environment at the UN in preventing unfair damage to Israel at a number of crucial moments, including stopping a UN condemnation of Israel when it prevented a flotilla of ships from forcing itself through its blockade of Gaza.

President Reagan is rightly remembered as a strong friend of Israel, although he led the world's condemnation of Israel at the UN when Israel knocked out Iraq's threatening nuclear facility. I'm amazed how some in our community judge President Obama, who has prevented unfair condemnation of Israel at the UN, by a different standard.

I have seen President Obama act forcefully to protect Israeli citizens at Israel's embassy in Cairo when a violent mob recently came within minutes of reaching and attacking them. Here is what Prime Minister Netanyahu said about President Obama's actions:

"I requested President Obama's assistance at a decisive -- I would even say fateful -- moment. He said he would do everything possible, and this is what he did. He activated all of United States' means and influence -- which are certainly considerable. I believe we owe him a special debt of gratitude."

By any standard, fairly and consistently applied, President Obama has been a proven friend of Israel.

Support for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship has been bipartisan, and it is essential it remain so for our security and for Israel's security. It is harmful to that relationship and to Israel for some in our community to attempt to drive a wedge between the Obama administration and Israel.

I won't comment here on the many other reasons I support President Obama. My goal is to simply express my abhorrence at blatantly unfair, inaccurate and sometimes inflammatory claims that President Obama is not a strong supporter of the U.S. -- Israel relationship, when that relationship is important to U.S. security and to the goal of Middle East peace.

I hope that this effort will succeed in utilizing the internet's ability to have one's thoughts shared broadly. If you believe they are worthy or interesting, please share them with your friends.

Thanks.
Carl Levin