As Egypt’s President Arrives In Washington, 100 Jewish Leaders Challenge Him On Darfur

News Release
August 16, 2009

WASHINGTON – On the eve of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s visit to the White House, one hundred American Jewish leaders have criticized Mubarak for recently hosting a visit by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for his role in the Darfur genocide.

One hundred Jewish leaders signed a letter of protest to Mubarak, which was sent to the Egyptian embassy in Washington on the eve of Mubarak’s August 17 visit to the White House.

“Bashir should be behind bars, not treated as if he is a respected international leader, ” said Dr. Rafael Medoff, director of The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies, in Washington, D.C., which organized the Jewish leaders’ protest.

The Jewish leaders urged Mubarak “to declare that Bashir will no longer be welcome in Egypt, and that Egypt will cooperate in efforts to implement the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant.” They also wrote that “the warm welcome Bashir was given in Egypt evokes painful memories of the sheltering of fugitive Nazi war criminals in Egypt after the Holocaust.”

The Jewish leaders’ letter is part of the Wyman Institute’s “Bashir Watch,” a project that tracks Bashir’s travels and urges governments to treat Bashir as a pariah and cooperate in efforts to arrest him.

The signatories on the letter, representing a broad religious and political cross-section of the American Jewish community, include senior leaders of the Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, and Reconstructionist movements; senior past or present officials of the American Jewish Congress, the Anti-Defamation League, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, the National Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism, the Foundation for Jewish Culture, the Jewish Educators Assembly, and other organizations; and prominent rabbis from coast to coast.

The text of the letter, and the complete list of signatories, follows below.

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The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies

August 16, 2009

Hon. Hosni Mubarak
President of Egypt
c/o Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
3521 International Court NW
Washington, DC 20008
via fax 202-244-4319

Dear Mr. President,

We wish to express our deep concern that Sudanese president Omar Hassan al-Bashir recently visited Egypt, despite the fact that the International Criminal Court has issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with the genocide in Darfur.

As Jewish leaders living in the aftermath of the Holocaust, we are keenly aware of the need for swift action against the perpetrators of genocide. Bashir should be brought to justice, not treated as if he is a respected international leader. The warm welcome he was given in Egypt evokes painful memories of the sheltering of fugitive Nazi war criminals in Egypt after the Holocaust.

We urge you to declare that Bashir will no longer be welcome in Egypt, and that Egypt will cooperate in efforts to implement the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant.

Cordially,

Rabbi Dr. Haskel Lookstein
Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, New York NY

Rabbi Dr. David Golinkin
President, Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem

Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm
Chancellor, Yeshiva University

Rabbi Dr. Irving Greenberg
Founding President, CLAL: National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership
Founding President, Jewish Life Network
Chairman (emer.), United States Holocaust Memorial Council

Elise Bernhardt
President and CEO, Foundation for Jewish Culture

Rabbi Peter M. Knobel
President (emer.), Central Conference of American Rabbis
Beth Emet the Free Synagogue, Evanston, IL

Lawrence M. Katz
President, Jewish Educators Assembly

Rabbi Charles A. Kroloff
President (emer.), Central Conference of American Rabbis
Vice President for Special Projects, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

Rabbi Paul Menitoff
Executive Vice President (emer.), Central Conference of American Rabbis

William E. Rapfogel
CEO / Executive Director, Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty (NY)

Cantor Dana Anesi
Temple Beth El, Chappaqua NY

Rabbi Allen B. Bennett
Temple Israel, Alameda CA
Executive Director (emer.), Northern Pacific Region, American Jewish Congress
Executive Director (emer.), Jewish Community Relations Council, Oakland

David I. Bernstein, Ph.D.
Dean, Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, Jerusalem

Cantor Arianne Brown
Sinai Temple, Los Angeles CA

Rabbi Meryl M. Crean
Martins Run Senior Residential Community, Media PA

Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Diamond
Associate Professor of Talmud and Rabbinics
Jewish Theological Seminary of America

Rabbi Mark Dratch
Yeshiva University
Vice President (emer.), Rabbinical Council of America

Rabbi Yitzchok Feldman
Congregation Emek Bracha, Palo Alto CA

Rabbi Reuven Fink
Young Israel of New Rochelle, NY
Instructor of Talmud, Yeshiva University

Rabbi Dov Fischer
Young Israel of Orange County, Irvine CA
Board Member, Hillel Council of Orange County

Rabbi Adam D. Fisher
Temple Isaiah (emer.), Stony Brook NY
Founder and past president, Shalom Interfaith Project

Stephen M. Flatow
Past Chair, Community Relations Committee
United Jewish Communities of MetroWest, NJ

Rabbi Anthony Fratello
Temple Shaarei Shalom, Boynton Beach FL
Board Member, Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County
Vice President, Palm Beach County Board of Rabbis

Rabbi Allen I. Freehling
Deputy Chief of Staff, Council District 6, City of Los Angeles
President (emer.), Pacific Region, American Jewish Congress
President (emer.), Board of Rabbis of Southern California

Rabbi Daniel Friedman
Beth Israel Synagogue, Edmonton AB
Vice President, Jewish Family Services

Rabbi Mark Friedman
Congregation Sha’ar Shalom, Chomedey, Laval, QC

Rabbi Stephen Fuchs
Congregation Beth Israel, West Hartford CT
Member, National Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism

Rabbi David Gelfand
Temple Israel of the City of New York
Co-chair, Rabbinic Cabinet, World Union for Progressive Judaism

Rabbi Dr. Gershon C. Gewirtz
Young Israel of Brookline, Brookline MA

Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg
Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek, Chester CT
Board Member, Rabbis for Human Rights – North America

Rabbi Alan Goldman
Director, Ramah Programs in Israel

Mikah Goldman
PANIM: The Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values, Washington DC

Rabbi Lt. Andrew A. Goodman
Temple Beth Israel, Plattsburgh NY

Rabbi Mel Gottlieb
President, Academy of Jewish Religion, California

Rabbi Laurie Green
Aspen Jewish Congregation, Aspen CO

Rabbi C. Michelle Greenberg
Temple Jeremiah, Northfield IL
Board Member, Anti-Defamation League, Chicago

Rabbi Yonah Gross
Young Israel of Phoenix AZ

Rabbi Joshua Hammerman
Temple Beth El, Stamford CT
Member, National Rabbinic Cabinet, United Jewish Communities
President (emer.), Stamford Board of Rabbis

Rabbi Maurice Harris
Temple Beth Israel, Eugene OR
Director (emer.), Holocaust Oral History Project, San Francisco

Rabbi Dr. Robert A. Harris
Chair, Department of Bible, Jewish Theological Seminary of America

Rabbi Shmully Hecht
Executive Director, Eliezer – The Jewish Society at Yale University

Rabbi Joel Hecker
Associate Professor of Jewish Mysticism
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College

Rabbi Herzl Hefter
Yeshivat Hamivtar – Torat Yosef, Efrat

Rabbi Sidney M. Helbraun
Temple Beth-El, Northbrook IL
President, Chicago Region, Central Conference of American Rabbis

Rabbi Jason Herman
Executive Director, International Rabbinic Fellowship
Rabbi, West Side Jewish Center, New York NY

Nancy Hersh
Education Director, Congregation Beth Hatikvah, Summit, NJ

Rabbi Daniel Horwitz
Congregation Beth Yeshurun, Houston TX
President (emer.), Mid-Continent Region, Rabbinical Assembly

Rabbi Mitchell M. Hurvitz
Temple Sholom, Greenwich CT
President, Greenwich Fellowship of Clergy

Collette Kaplan
Chair, Social Action – Congregation Shir Ha-Ma’alot, Irvine CA

Rabbi Dr. Dana Evan Kaplan
Temple B’nai Israel, Albany GA

Rabbi David Klatzker
Temple Ner Tamid, Peabody MA

Rabbi Allen Krause
Temple Beth El (emer.), Aliso Viejo CA

Rabbi Levi D. Lauer
Founding Executive Director, ATZUM, Jerusalem

Rabbi David C. Levy
Temple Shalom, Succasunna NJ
Chair, National Jewish Coalition for Literacy
Chair (emer.), Hartford Jewish Community Relations Council

Rabbi Stan Levy
Vice Chair, Academy for Jewish Religion
Congregation B’nai Horin-Children of Freedom, Los Angeles CA

Rabbi Dennis Linson
Temple Judea, Laguna Hills CA

Rabbi Norman Lipson
Temple Dor Dorim, Weston FL

Rabbi Stephen Listfield
Tree of Life Congregation, Pittsburgh PA

Rabbi Randy Mark
President, North Jersey Board of Rabbis
Congregation Shomrei Torah, Wayne NJ

Rabbi Bernard H. Mehlman
Senior Scholar, Temple Israel, Boston MA
Professor of Homiletics, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

Rabbi Amy L. Memis-Foler
Temple Judea Mizpah, Skokie IL
Co-chair, Women’s Rabbinic Network Conference

Prof. Jonathan Milgram
Jewish Theological Seminary of America

Rabbi Avis D. Miller
President, Open Dor Foundation, Chevy Chase MD

Rabbi Jason Miller
Congregation T’chiyah, Oak Park MI

Rabbi Joshua Minkin
Temple Emanu-El of Canarsie, Brooklyn NY

Rabbi Dr. David Oler
Congregation Beth Or, Deerfield IL
President, North Shore Fellowship of Rabbis

Rabbi Schachar Orenstein
The Spanish & Portugese Synagogue, Montreal QC

Rabbi Laura Owens
Congregation B’nai Horin – Children of Freedom, Los Angeles, CA

Rabbi Barbara Penzer
Temple Hillel B’nai Torah, Boston MA
President (emer.), Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association
President (emer.), Massachusetts Board of Rabbis

Rabbi Dr. Richard Plavin
Beth Sholom B’nai Israel, Manchester CT

Rabbi Eric Polokoff
B’nai Israel, Southbury CT
Member, National Commission, Anti-Defamation League

Rabbi Reuben Poupko
Beth Israel Beth Aaron Congregation, Montreal, QC

Rabbi Philip “Flip” Rice
Congregation Micah, Brentwood TN

Glenn Richter
National Coordinator, Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry

Rabbi Ronald S. Roth
Fair Lawn Jewish Center / Congregation B’nai Israel, Fair Lawn NJ
President (emer.), Nashville Association of Rabbis, Priests, and Ministers

Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger
Director of Community Education, Community Kollel of Dallas TX

Rabbi Menachem Schrader
Director, Alisa Flatow Program – Nishmat, Jerusalem

Rabbi Dr. Barry Dov Schwartz
Temple B’nai Sholom, Rockville Centre NY
Past President, Rabbinical Assembly of Long Island

Rabbi Sid Schwarz
Founder, PANIM Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values
Executive Director (emer.), Jewish Community Council of Greater Washington

Rabbi Ari Segal
Head of School, Robert M. Beren Academy
Congregation Ahavat Yisrael, Houston TX

Rabbi Ahud Sela
Sinai Temple, Los Angeles CA

Rabbi Diana R. Siegel
Congregation Beth Yeshurun, Houston TX

Rabbi Yedidya Sinclair
Jewish Climate Initiative

Rabbi Ross Singer
Beth Tfiloh, Pikesville MD

Rabbi Suzanne Singer
Temple Beth El, Riverside CA

Dr. Hesch Sommer
Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Beth Tikvah, Madison CT
Director of Rabbinical Placement, Central Conference of American Rabbis

Rabbi David Spitz
Temple Menorah, Chicago IL

Rabbi Andrew Straus
Temple Emanuel of Tempe, Tempe AZ
President (emer.), Board of Rabbis of Greater Phoenix

Rabbi Joshua Strom
Temple Shaaray Tefila, New York NY

Rabbi Dr. Jeremiah Unterman
Director Emeritus, Association of Modern Orthodox Day Schools

Rabbi Chaim Wasserman
Council of Young Israel Rabbis
Editor, The Rabbi’s Letter

Rabbi Mayer Waxman
Associate Director
Yachad / The National Jewish Council for Disabilities

Dr. Racelle Weiman
Vice President, Dialogue Institute, Temple University

Rabbi Elchanan J. Weinbach
Principal, Shalhevet School, Los Angeles CA

Rabbi Elie Weinstock
Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun, New York NY

Rabbi Michael A. White
Temple Sinai of Roslyn Heights, NY
Vice Chair, National Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism

Rabbi David Wise
Hollis Hills Jewish Center, Flushing NY
Vice President for Special Programming (emer.), New Jersey Rabbinical Assembly

Rabbi Stephen Wise
Shaarei-Beth El Congregation, Oakville, ON

Rabbi Michael Zedek
Emanuel Congregation, Chicago IL
CEO (emer.), Jewish Federation of Cincinnati

Rabbi Daniel G. Zemel
Temple Micah, Washington DC
President, Mid-Atlantic Region, Central Conference of American Rabbis

Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman
The Jewish Center of the Hamptons, East Hampton NY
President (emer.), Central Conference of American Rabbis
and Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

(Institutions listed for identification purposes only.)