Clarification needed

The Jewish Light’s Jan. 18 article concerning the JCRC’s response to the recent U.N. Security Council resolution on Israeli settlements attributed various statements to me and, for the most part, got it right.  In one respect, though, it did not.  

The article portrayed me as supporting the U.N. resolution, which is not correct.  What I supported is the Obama administration’s decision to abstain on the resolution, and not veto it, as a means of one friend telling another friend a hard truth it needs to hear —  that the Netanyahu administration’s settlement policies could be disastrous for Israel.  That is something different from supporting the resolution itself.

Gerry Greiman, University City 

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JCRC should take stand against UN resolution

We, the undersigned, do not understand why the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis did not issue a statement against U.N. Security Council Resolution 2334. Representing a broad consensus within the St. Louis Jewish community, we believe the resolution is unbalanced, anti-Israel and destructive to peaceful efforts for a two-state solution. The resolution ignores all of Israel’s concessions to the Palestinians and rewards the Palestinians for their refusal to negotiate with Israel.

Many JCRCs throughout the country made statements condemning the resolution, but our St. Louis JCRC issued a statement that only provided information concerning the resolution and various Jewish groups’ responses.

Along with other JCRCs, the majority of mainstream Jewish organizations across the spectrum — from the Reform Movement’s Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) to the Zionist Organization of America — condemned this resolution and the U.S. abstention. On the day the resolution passed, a CCAR statement said:

“[T]he United Nations is not the arena in which to address these complex issues. Peace negotiations belong between the two parties involved. Further, the UN’s obsessive and relentless criticism of Israel, while ignoring the unspeakable repression committed by illegitimate regimes and terrorist organizations worldwide, falsely and maliciously labels Israel uniquely as a pariah state….Today’s abstention, therefore, leaves us dismayed, disappointed and angry.”

No matter one’s position on the settlements, it is generally agreed that the Kotel (i.e., the Western Wall), the Temple Mount and the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem are part of Israel. Resolution 2334 calls all areas won by Israel in the defensive war of 1967 “illegally occupied.” We appreciate the importance of acknowledging diverse opinions within the St. Louis Jewish community on a variety of issues. However, we also believe there exists a broad consensus in our community that describing the Kotel, the Temple Mount and the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem as “illegally occupied” is false and harmful, and must be addressed by the St. Louis JCRC. 

Our own U.S. House of Representatives, in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, rejected the resolution and criticized the U.S. abstention to it. HR11 states that Resolution 2334 “undermines the prospect of bi-lateral Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and one-sidedly criticizes Israel.” Both Missouri senators — Republican Roy Blunt and Democrat Claire McCaskill — are among 74 senators co-sponsoring a similar Senate bill, which is expected to pass overwhelmingly.

JCRC’s Mission Statement says it “promotes the security of Israel.” Why does the JCRC refrain from standing with Israel in the face of Resolution 2334, but freely issues definitive statements on many other complicated and controversial issues? Our JCRC strives to represent our broad Jewish community. Since the security of Israel is at our core, we should be united in its defense. Rejection of the U.N. Security Council resolution is not controversial. We don’t believe the JCRC should remain neutral; therefore, we urge them to issue a statement critical of the U.N. resolution.

Rabbi Ze’ev Smason	Pat Freed	Lew Levey	Ethan Schuman
Rabbi Brigitte Rosenberg	Wayne Freed	Arnold Levin	Richard Senturia
Rabbi Mike Rovinsky	Gay Lee Freedman	Bud Levin	Dr. Pearl Serota
Cantor Ron Eichaker	Kate Friedman	Judy Levin	Harvey Serota
Lee Weilansky	Robert Friedman	Roslyn Levin	Dr. Jonathan Shanker
Dorie Sher	Alana Fulsom	Bobby Levine	Michael Shapiro
Amy Bender-Levy	Sabrina Fulsom	Louise Levine	Shelly Shapiro
Paul Kravitz	Tony Garavaglia	Chana Levitan	Barry Sharon
Jenny Wolkowitz	Burt Garland	Ed Levitt	Dale Sharon
Nathan Cohen	Michael Geerlof	Helayne Levitt	Dr. Karen Shawn
Harvey Tettlebaum	Alan Gerson	Katie Levy	Smadar Shenav
Galit Lev-Harir	Jackie Gerson	Rich Levy	Kimberly Sher-Vonk
Rabbi Yosef David	Leora Gilboa	Hal Lipshutz	Linda Shore
Rabbi Tzi Freedman	Jacqueline Gitel	Bill Lipsitz	Norman Shore
Rabbi Seth Gordon	Leslie Gitel	Larry Lipsitz	Leon Shrago
Rabbi Yaakov Green	Scott Gitel	Lisa Lipsitz	Cindy Shuval
Rabbi Menachem Greenblatt	Nathanne Gitt	Lynne Lipsitz	Tom Sibrisky
Rabbi Shmuel Greenwald	Dr. Jeffrey Glaser	Sabrina Lipsitz	Ellen Siegel
Rabbi Yosef Landa	David Glazer	Shoshana List	Victor Siegel
Rabbi Naftali Rothstein	Myra Glazer	Carol Littman	Susan Siegfried
Rabbi Moshe  Shulman	Laurie Goldberg	Stephen Littman	Dayna Sievers
Rabbi Zalman Stein	Steve Goldberg	Howard Loiterstein	Sean Sievers
Rabbi Menachem Tendler	Wendy Goldberg	Kathy Machefsky	Dave Simon
Ron Abeles	Robin Gold-Chang	Sidney Machefsky	Deborah Simon
Mike Alter	Devy Goldenberg	Mia Mandel	Keri Simon
Tracy Alter	Jerry Goldenberg	Mark Manlin	Yitzhak Ari Simon
Meir Armoza	Beverly Golder	Joy Marcus	Jerry Sincoff
Rochelle Aronson	Rhonnie Goldfader	Carson McGill	Suzanne Sincoff
Eva  Ashner	Avi Goldfarb	Matt Means	Boruch Smason
Fred Ashner	Evan Goldfarb	Donald Meissner	Chani Smason
Elise Axelbaum-Goldberg	Al Goldman	Dr. Jeff Melnick	Dodi Smason
Judy Baker	Judy Goldman	Ophira Melnick	Leib Smason
Travis Baker	Dr. David Goldmeier	Paul Mendelson	Sivya Smason
Lila Balla	Dr. Laura Goldmeier	Barb Meyer	Irl Solomon
Annette Balzer	Rachel Goldmeier	Stuart Meyer	Myra Solomon
Gerald Bamberger	Traci Goldstein	Bruce Michelson	Adam Spielberg
Maxine Bamberger	Yishai Gorden	Ilanit Michelson	Tali Stadler
Diann Bank	Alan Gorman	Malina Milosevich	Jill Starr
Ellen Bardy	Claudia Gorman	Alana Minoff	Steve Starr
Jan Baron	Shirley Gorman	Ben Minoff	Ellen Stein
Michael Bauer	Danny  Gorodetsky	Michael Minoff	Nancy Stein
Sheryl Bauer	Olga Gorodetsky	Sharon Minoff	Adam Steinman
Rob Beattie	Yuri Gorodetsky	Daniel Morgensztern	Larry Steinman
Stephen Bebout	Ariella Grafman	Marcela Morgensztern	Jennifer Sterling
David  Bender	Michael Grafman	Beth Moritz	Chaim Stobezki
Irv  Benhardt	Barbara Green	Jason Moritz	Keryn Stobezki
Dr. Craig Berkin	Dr. Morton Green	Galia Movitz	Joy Strathman
Jackie Berkin	Marvin Greenberg	Milton Movitz	Joel Suffian
Jennifer Bernstein	Sandra Greenberg	Michelle Mufson	Natalie Sukhadolsky
Eldad Bialecki	Sheilah Gross	Hessie Needle	Yuri Sukhadolsky
Joe Bierman	Mike Gurlin	Sally Needle	Dr. Daniel Sullivan
Lisa  Binowitz	Alan Haber	Jodie Neuman	Susan Marks Sullivan
Randy Bloyd	Daniel Haberer	Len Neuman	Daniel Swindell
Pat Blumenfeld	Debbie Hadar	Bobby Oakes	Menachem Szus
Ron Blumenfeld	Meir Haflon	Ruth Oakes	Chaim Talmon
Dr. Keith Breiman	Deby Halpern	Howard Oppenheimer	Bob Tegman
Scott Brenner	Tom Hardcastle	Jackie Oppenheimer	Merle Tegman
Al Bromberg	Elie Harir	Lynne Palan	Ann Tettlebaum
Alan Brook	Emy Hasky	Dr. Jay Pepose	Joshua Thomure
Marcie Brook	Renee Sigel Hearst	Rachel Persellin-Armoza	Barry Torgove
Shalom Cago	Mark Heller	Nir Peters	Diane Torgove
Harvey Cantor	Linda Horwitz	Orly Peters	Stan Towerman
Mark Cantor	Phil Horwitz	Jordan Pitler	Sharlene  Toybes
Geoffrey Carman	Glen House	Marilen Pitler	Jay Umansky
Lawrence S Carson	Kristy Howard	Judith Plocker	Peggy Umansky
Sandra Cassmeyer	Gertrude Hulbert	Stan Plocker	Dr. Gil Vardi
Courtney Cerulo	Tobie Hupert	Jim Pollock	Sigalit Vardi
Kalanit Chappell	Laura Huvard	David Porter	Hanoch Vilna’i
Matthew  Chase	Harvey Iken	Gail Porter	Yossi Vilna’i
Randee Chasen-Citurs	Warren Isakow	Dr. Hilton Price	Leonid  Vladimirov
Gary Chervitz	Marc Jacob	Bryan Rader	Stella Vladimirov
Larry Chervitz	Kim Jacobs	Howard Rader	Donna Waldman
Steve Chervitz	Kurt Kahn	Jeannie Rader	Mark Waldman
David Cohen	Sandy Kahn	Yaacov Radin	David Wallace
Ellie Cohen	Bob Kaiser	Herb Raiffie	Bruce Waxman
Jenn Cohen	David Kaiser	Alan Raymond	Faith Waxman
Linda Cohen	Joni Kaiser	Cheri Rich	Laurie Weilansky
Sandy Cohen	Dr. Steve Kamenetzky	Dina Rinder	Mark Weinstein
Rodger Cooper	Phyllis Kamenetzky	Michael Lee Robins	Carla Weintraub
Dave L. Cornfeld	Aaron Katzman	Avi Rosen	Leonard Weintraub
Jim Cornfeld	Andy Katzman	Mara  Rosen Raglin	Don Weis
Marcy Cornfeld	Jeanne Katzman	Bud Rosenbaum	Joan Weis
Richard Cornfeld	Rachel Katzman	Zev Rosenberg	Sally Thiron Weiss
Rachel Crall Taxman	Miki Kinkead	Mike Rosenblatt	Sanford Wertheimer
Marie Cuttler	Jay Kirschbaum	Peggy Rothman	Paul Whitson
Dorit Daphna Iken	Patti Kirschbaum	Sharon Rothmel	Sherri  Wieczorek
Guy Dar	Stuart Klamen	Steve Rothmel Ph.D.	Barbara Wolkowitz
Orna Dar	Malcolm Klearman	Barry Roufa	Barry  Wolkowitz
Jeff Dean	Jerry Koenig	Dikla Roufa	Rich Wolkowitz
Shelley Dean	Linda Koenig	Stephen Roufa	Mindy Woolf
Harriet Dunski	Svetlana Kogan	Libby Routman	Richard Woolf
Neil Dunski	B.J.  Konitz	Stephanie Rubach	Alex Yasinev
Linda Edelman	Andrea Korein	Barbara Rubin	Alla Yasinev
Michael Edelstein	Michael Korein	David Rubin	Boris Yasinev
Joel Ehrlich	John Korst	Don Rubin	Dennis Yasinev
David Eidelman	Fran Kravitz	Norma Rubin	Barry Yoffie
Rachel Eidelman	Israel Krechely	Chrissie Rush	Leslie Yoffie
Donald Eisenberg	Natalie Krechely	Jason Rush	Alan Zarkowsky
Julie Eisenberg	Dr. William Kreiger	Nancy Rush	Vivian Zarkowsky
Doron Fadlon	Natalie Kretchly	Sarah  Rush	Keith Zeff
Michal Fadlon	Linda Kusmer	Todd Rush	Barbara Zurcher
Teree  Farbstein	Sanford Kusmer	Elie Sadon
Mimi Feizel	Leslye Laderman	Marcel Saleniuc	Additional names:
Paul Felder	Lou Laderman	Carolyn Satz	Chris Brown
Jonty Felsher	Lori Laird	Larry Satz	Ken Bohm
Julie Ann Felsher	Steve Lander	Heath Schecter	Lois Elfanbaum
Jimmy Fendelman	Michael Landy	Earl Schenberg	Shelah Feldman
Stacey Fendelman	Lisa  Larson	Alvin Myron Scher	Richard O. Fine
Don  Ferman	William Latz	Norma Sue Scher	Marian S. Gordon
Chayaraizel Flaks	Mark Lebedun	Jeff Schneiderman	Alan Levi
Matt Fott	Norman Leve	Robert Schnurman	Mauricio Lisker
Jann Fowler	Cheryl Levey	Deborah Schuman	Robert Rabinoff
Irwin Fredman			Stephen G. Roufa
			Elaine Farkas
			Eric Farkas
			Annette Heller
			Marty & Marilyn Levison
			Barbara Mirowitz
			Morty & Dina Rinder
			Alan & Donna Rosenberg
			Mel Saltzman
			Mark Weinstein
			Rachel Miller
			Barbara Strashun