Rabbis For Human Rights: The Annual Report 2012-2013

RHR Annual Report – Chair’s Letter
Opening Word
Rabbi Rabbi Arik Barry Ascherman Leff
As you will see from reading this report,
2012 was a year of notable successes for
Rabbis for Human Rights. However, for every
success we also have ongoing challenges.
For example:
After a decade of working and advocating for
the right of Palestinian farmers to access their
lands, the Israeli security forces are doing a
better job of guaranteeing this safe access.
But destruction of olive trees by radical
settlers continues.
We saved the tires and mud school of the
Jahalin Bedouin in Khan El Akhmar from
demolition. But the Jahalin Bedouin near
Mishor Adumim are still threatened with
relocation closer to the garbage dump.
Our letter writing campaign convinced
the Jewish National Fund not to evict the
Sumarin family in Silwan. But the JNF has
only said they are not evicting the family “for
now.”
A building tender that would have resulted in
the eviction Kurdish immigrants in the former
Arab village of Lifta was cancelled, allowing
the residents to remain in their homes. But
the state and the developers have not given
up.
Our legal department secured a victory that
allowed the residents of Bir El ‘Id to return to
additional caves. But the Israeli government
continues to threaten the expulsion of
hundreds of Palestinians from their homes to
create a new “Firing Zone.”
Our Rights Center in Hadera provided
hundreds of Jewish and Arab residents of the
area with advice and legal help regarding
their socio-economic rights. But the situation
of many remains desperate, as shown by the
tragic suicide of Moshe Silman, one of the
many people we helped.
There are many more examples. Is the
“glass half-full” or is it “half-empty?” Both.
Our successes and our on-going challenges
represent the reality of the human rights
situation in Israel and the Occupied
Territories.
Organizationally, the end of 2012 brought
with it a major change: the ending of our
formal affiliation with Rabbis for Human
Rights – North America. RHR-NA has a new
name, T’ruah – the rabbinic call for human
rights. Over the past several years RHR-
NA has grown, and its focus has changed.
We welcome them as a new member of the
Jewish human rights scene. In the meanwhile,
Rabbis for Human Rights is now conducting
its own fundraising and advocacy campaigns
in North America.
It is the generous support of our members and
donors that allows us to continue our mission
to help insure that Israel as a nation and a
community lives up to the highest ethical
ideals of the Jewish tradition. The Jewish
people have been called “compassionate
children of a compassionate God.” There
is no greater expression of compassion than
taking action to protect those whose basic
human rights are being violated.
Occupied Territories
RHR’s Occupied Territories Field Department, led by Rabbi Yehiel Grenimann, works to protect the rights of
Palestinian farmers in the West Bank to safely access and work their lands throughout the year. An annual
highlight is our Fall “Olive Harvest Campaign,” during which we bring hundreds of volunteers to work side
by side with Palestinian farmers. After ten years, we now see a marked improvement in the willingness of
the Israeli security forces to accept their responsibility (established in a court ruling in 2006) to ensure
that farmers can reach olive trees in even the most dangerous locations. However, the scourge of olive tree
destruction continues. Every year, RHR plants thousands of trees to replace those destroyed or damaged by
settlers, or in areas in danger of takeover. We also advocate on behalf of the rights of the Jahalin Bedouin
near Ma’aleh Adumim to remain on their lands, and run language courses and summer camps for children.
This year, RHR and our coalition partners orchestrated international pressure forcing the Israeli security
forces to commit not to forcibly move the Jahalin without an agreed upon plan for their welfare, but the
intent is still to expel them. We also work in cooperation with other organizations to defend the rights of
Palestinians to remain in their homes in East Jerusalem.
“It is inspiring to work with so many good, devoted
and idealistic people whose vision of peace and justice
remains steady despite everything that happens. It is
heartening to receive constant feedback emphasizing
the importance of our presence as a religious Israeli
group for human rights and to hear that we inspire
hope in others, save Judaism (and humanism) for them,
and break down stereotypes of both Israelis
and Palestinians.
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