Orthodox Jewish and Catholic voices, grounded in their respective traditions, call for policies that uphold human dignity and seek justice amid the chaos of war.
Newsroom (20/08/2025, Gaudium Press )In a powerful call for moral responsibility, eighty rabbis from the Modern Orthodox movement, led by Rabbi Yosef Blau, have issued a statement urging Israel to align its actions with the ethical imperatives of Jewish tradition. The appeal, rooted in the Torah’s teachings, condemns the brutality of Hamas while criticizing the Israeli government’s response to the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The rabbis also denounce the “disturbing proposals” of far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, whose policies they see as exacerbating tensions and undermining the moral foundation of Judaism.
This appeal, signed by prominent figures including the head of Yeshivat Maale Gilboa, the chief rabbis of Poland, Denmark, and Norway, and former Chief Rabbi of Ireland David Rosen, reflects a growing unease within the Modern Orthodox community. The signatories, largely from the movement’s liberal wing, lament the rise of extremist voices in Israel and the surge of settler violence in Judea and Samaria (West Bank), which has led to civilian deaths and forced Palestinian villagers to flee. “My support for Israel stems from my commitment to Judaism,” Rabbi Blau, a former leader at Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, said. “Uncritical loyalty distorts the introspection fundamental to our faith.”
The statement invokes the Jewish tradition of justice and compassion, citing Genesis 18:19, which calls for righteousness, and Jeremiah 9:23, which extols God’s delight in kindness and justice. “Allowing an entire people to starve stands in stark contrast to these teachings,” the rabbis declare, urging Israel to facilitate humanitarian aid to Gaza and reject policies that fuel despair. They warn that the absence of a post-war vision from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has allowed extremist voices to dominate, proposing measures like forced Palestinian exile and the abandonment of Israeli hostages for an unattainable “total victory.”
This Jewish call for moral clarity finds a resonant echo in the Catholic Church’s response to the crisis. The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, led by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, issued a statement expressing grave concern over evacuation orders near the Holy Family parish in Gaza City, where bombardments are encroaching on the Catholic community. “Our people on the ground testify that the sound and impact of bombardments are drawing dangerously close to the parish compound,” the Patriarchate reported, pledging to monitor the situation and stand in solidarity with Gaza’s beleaguered residents. The statement concluded with a fervent prayer for an immediate end to the war, aligning with the rabbis’ plea for compassion and peace.
As Israel considers Hamas’s response to a proposed 60-day ceasefire and partial hostage release, the rabbis’ appeal and the Patriarchate’s warning underscore a shared moral urgency. Both Jewish and Catholic voices, grounded in their respective traditions, call for policies that uphold human dignity and seek justice amid the chaos of war. In the words of the Prophet Isaiah, invoked by the rabbis, “Zion shall be redeemed through justice, and those who return to her through righteousness” (Isaiah 1:27). For both communities, this moment demands not only military resolve but a commitment to the divine image in every human life.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Asianews.it
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