I welcomed much of what the president of the Union for Reform Judaism, Rabbi Eric Yoffie, had to say in the interview published in the Nov. 14 Chronicle and in a sermon he gave at Congregation Sinai.
But I feel distressed about the focus (not the intent) of Yoffie’s outreach to the Muslim community.
In the interview, he correctly advised Jews not to be alarmist about anti-Semitism, because “it sends a message that we’re eternal victims.” Would that he have the same expectations of Muslims, particularly Islamist-apologist organizations such as the Islamic Society of North America, the focus of his outreach.
If Jews were committing 90 percent of world terrorism in the name of God, we would publicly demonstrate our outrage with highly visible demonstrations. Should we expect less of Muslims?
Yet ISNA is nowhere to be heard on Islamic terror. Instead, they cry “Islamophobia” (despite little evidence of intolerance toward Muslims in this country).
It is discouraging that Yoffie would expect so little from an organization he embraces, let alone echo their cries of victimhood while eschewing the same for Jews.
It is especially disturbing that he would embrace ISNA when there is at least one Muslim organization, the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, that unabashedly confronts the Islamists and defends Israel.
There can hardly be a higher priority today than for Jews to distinguish between our friends and our enemies. By rejecting one of Judaism’s best friends — Rev. John Hagee, founder of Christians United for Israel, whom Yoffie denounced last April — yet embracing ISNA, Yoffie shows lack of such discretion.
Jim Beer
Fox Point
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