On May 14, 1948 near midnight, the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel was read aloud in a dark hall in Tel Aviv. This moment marked the birth of the Jewish State, one that would face challenges from the moment of its inception, this week more than ever before.
In this moment of challenge those words remind us of the great hope of that moment and demand our participation in this moment to insure its democratic future.
“The State of Israel will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the Exiles; it will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”
We raise our voices in support of democracy, upholding these sacred values.
We invite you to join us in supporting the work of the Israel Religious Action Center , an organization standing firm for justice, democracy and pluralism.
As we enter this Shabbat, we raise our voices in prayer for a democratic and just Israel that upholds the values enshrined in our sacred texts and embraces the rights of all its inhabitants.
