Here is a picture of the front of the building taken on Thursday.

Kehillat Ra'anan

     

Rabbi Tamar Kolberg, the congregation's rabbi, said "it is almost impossible to grasp the enormity of the shock we felt when we saw this graffiti tattooed on the beautiful Beit Shmueli building that houses our community. It is even more shocking when you read the quotes they wrote on these walls"

Taken from the Rambam's law of repentance it reads: 'Rambam Hilchot Teshuvah, Chapter 3, Halacha 14'. This Rambam quote refers to the passage in which Maimonides declared that renegades, heretics and deniers of Torah do not have a place in the world to come, even though they are Jews, if they die before repenting. 

 The quote from the book of Psalms (Psalms 139, verse 21-22) reads: 'Do not I hate them, Adonai,, that hate you? And do not I strive with those that rise up against you? I hate them with utmost hatred; I count them mine enemies'

"On behalf of the community and its members" Rabbi Kolberg continued, "I denounce this phenomenon of intense expressions of hatred from such low, dark people.  I reject their right to sit in judgment, which they think allows them to use such harsh and derogatory words. I call upon the Israeli public to wake up from its slumber and take educational and social steps that will allow all of us to lead meaningful and significant Jewish lives."

Rabbi Gilad Kariv, Executive Director of the Israeli Reform Movement stated "The repeated damage to the Ra'anan synagogue proves that this is no isolated incident but rather a violent phenomenon that requires serious and fundamental handling at the police level and no less at the public and educational level. Such attacks will not deter us from serving thousands of families in Ra'anana who are interested in tolerant and egalitarian Judaism. We call upon the Orthodox rabbis and leaders of the city of Ra'anana to publicly denounce this act, in the strongest and most unequivocal terms".

 ARZA Canada is shocked by the vicious nature of the graffiti which points to the hatred of the perpetrators toward those who choose alternative expressions of Judaism. We offer our sincere support to the congregants of Kehillat Ra'anan and to all our fellow Reform Jews in Israel. They should be able to practice our form of Judaism in peace and prosperity in the homeland of the Jewish People.

We need to continue to support the growth of a vibrant Reform Movement in Israel. May I suggest that this would be a perfect time to make a donation either to the congregation, to help offset cost of repairs, or better still to the Israeli Reform Movement so that they can continue their work of expanding the Reform Movement throughout Israel.

 Please click here to make a donation:

For the congregation - select "An Israeli Reform Congregation" and write Congregation Ra'anan in the message space.

For the Israeli Reform Movement please select IMPJ.

May we all have a Shabbat Shalom, a peaceful Shabbat

Les Rothschild

President

ARZA Canada