QuakerSpeak | A Jewish Quaker Speaks On Pacifism @Quakerspeak | Uploaded March 2024 | Updated October 2024, 11 hours ago.
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Filming and Editing by Christopher Cuthrell
___
Transcript:
I am a Jewish Quaker. I am a Quaker Jew. I am a Pacifist, a Poet, a Jewish Grandmother, A Bubbe, and this is my message.
And this is my Message!!! I became a member of the Religious Society of Friends in 2006, when the Israeli Hezbollah War began. I couldn’t sit back and watch the carnage of that war and do nothing, my heart was broken… I had witnessed “pacifism” in awe, among Quakers, I saw them walking the talk. I worked among Quakers, and learned first-hand of the work of Conscientious Objectors who put their lives on the line during WWII in threatening ways, but through humanitarian efforts. They were unable to pick up arms and kill, they were pacifists. The Quakers served the oppressed and I was impressed. AFSC received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947 for their humanitarian efforts during the war. I wanted to be part of a place that honored pacifism. I did not, do not, have the conscience for war, it is not the answer.
I got involved with the Middle East Working Group out of my Yearly Meeting. We sponsored a YAF Mission to Israel Palestine, where 12 YAF witnessed the Israeli Occupation first hand. We lobbied Friends Fiduciary, to divest from companies profiting from the Occupation. They were the first faith-based organization to do this.
I’ve been involved in this war 24/7, since October 7th. From my shattered place, I have been learning as much as I can, trying to figure out, what’s this all about? Why are more people not outraged witnessing this carnage? Why is America, so complicit? Where are Quakers now? If God, he, she, they, them, if, they are overseeing this, I believe it is through technology. We are witnessing this carnage in vivid color, what will we do, who will we be? Back when America coined Manifest Destiny, there were no cameras or iPhones. The Torah says, Choose Life, what will you choose, life or death? I challenge every Quaker, to ask themselves what does pacifism mean for you, and to come to consensus in one’s meeting, is that possible? It is the foundation of Quakerism!!! There are many already doing this work, among Christians, Jews, and Moslems, but more need to step up, and from this country, confront the complicity of our government, that is really all that we can do!!! And I believe Quakers have an opportunity to be at the forefront of a Pacifist movement, among other Christian faiths.
I am reclaiming Judaism from Zionism, and have found an opening, through a courageous Rabbi, who actually worked for American Friends Service Committee, he started a non- Zionist Synagogue, in Chicago, and I’ve been attending. It is packed with pacifists, who are putting themselves on the line, they are involved with Jewish Voices for Peace, Not in My Name, and this gives me hope, for Judaism, and for the next generation. This movement was not around twenty years ago.
If I could create the perfect Religion, for me, it would be, to bring Pacifism to my Friday night Shabbat Table. I am going to read a poem; it is called Another Mother’s Child; this poem is for everyone.
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil – Isaiah 5:20
I heard the vengeance in their hearts
I felt their anguish, their pain
But mostly I felt shame…
Is the child of another mother’s blood not worthy of the same?
They are not the ones to blame
It’s all the same, and I take claim for that blame
Precious and damned, the child of another mother’s blood
Please, please, we all must die, but how is the wonder?
To whom shall we sit tonight, for whom shall we light the candles of death
I sit forlorn, a call for the soul of a people
For whom I hear the bells toll
For whom with obstinance I will grieve, and remember
How hard the bombs fall
Is the blood of another mother’s child not worthy the candles of my plight?
I cry tonight, for the soul of a people
For somewhere it has died, and somehow must rise out of the ashes of antiquity
Let us all mourn, for death is but a burdensome plight that befalls us all
Tonight I cry for the souls of a people
Who live by the shame of those who carry their name?
I cry for the souls of a people tonight
I will not give up this fight, for the shame that I carry
Is in the heart of the vengeance I listen to, but do not hear
I cry for the souls of a people for fear that from the ashes a spark might not ignite
Out of the thunder and wonder of that child in the night
I cry for the soul of my people tonight, out of fright!
___
The views expressed in this video are of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Friends Journal or its collaborators.
QuakerSpeak is a weekly video series. New video every other THURSDAY!
SUPPORT QuakerSpeak! quakerspeak.com/donate
SUBSCRIBE for a new video every other week! http://fdsj.nl/QS-Subscribe
WATCH all our videos: http://fdsj.nl/qs-all-videos
___
Become a Friends Journal subscriber for only $28
http://fdsj.nl/FJ-Subscribe
Filming and Editing by Christopher Cuthrell
___
Transcript:
I am a Jewish Quaker. I am a Quaker Jew. I am a Pacifist, a Poet, a Jewish Grandmother, A Bubbe, and this is my message.
And this is my Message!!! I became a member of the Religious Society of Friends in 2006, when the Israeli Hezbollah War began. I couldn’t sit back and watch the carnage of that war and do nothing, my heart was broken… I had witnessed “pacifism” in awe, among Quakers, I saw them walking the talk. I worked among Quakers, and learned first-hand of the work of Conscientious Objectors who put their lives on the line during WWII in threatening ways, but through humanitarian efforts. They were unable to pick up arms and kill, they were pacifists. The Quakers served the oppressed and I was impressed. AFSC received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947 for their humanitarian efforts during the war. I wanted to be part of a place that honored pacifism. I did not, do not, have the conscience for war, it is not the answer.
I got involved with the Middle East Working Group out of my Yearly Meeting. We sponsored a YAF Mission to Israel Palestine, where 12 YAF witnessed the Israeli Occupation first hand. We lobbied Friends Fiduciary, to divest from companies profiting from the Occupation. They were the first faith-based organization to do this.
I’ve been involved in this war 24/7, since October 7th. From my shattered place, I have been learning as much as I can, trying to figure out, what’s this all about? Why are more people not outraged witnessing this carnage? Why is America, so complicit? Where are Quakers now? If God, he, she, they, them, if, they are overseeing this, I believe it is through technology. We are witnessing this carnage in vivid color, what will we do, who will we be? Back when America coined Manifest Destiny, there were no cameras or iPhones. The Torah says, Choose Life, what will you choose, life or death? I challenge every Quaker, to ask themselves what does pacifism mean for you, and to come to consensus in one’s meeting, is that possible? It is the foundation of Quakerism!!! There are many already doing this work, among Christians, Jews, and Moslems, but more need to step up, and from this country, confront the complicity of our government, that is really all that we can do!!! And I believe Quakers have an opportunity to be at the forefront of a Pacifist movement, among other Christian faiths.
I am reclaiming Judaism from Zionism, and have found an opening, through a courageous Rabbi, who actually worked for American Friends Service Committee, he started a non- Zionist Synagogue, in Chicago, and I’ve been attending. It is packed with pacifists, who are putting themselves on the line, they are involved with Jewish Voices for Peace, Not in My Name, and this gives me hope, for Judaism, and for the next generation. This movement was not around twenty years ago.
If I could create the perfect Religion, for me, it would be, to bring Pacifism to my Friday night Shabbat Table. I am going to read a poem; it is called Another Mother’s Child; this poem is for everyone.
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil – Isaiah 5:20
I heard the vengeance in their hearts
I felt their anguish, their pain
But mostly I felt shame…
Is the child of another mother’s blood not worthy of the same?
They are not the ones to blame
It’s all the same, and I take claim for that blame
Precious and damned, the child of another mother’s blood
Please, please, we all must die, but how is the wonder?
To whom shall we sit tonight, for whom shall we light the candles of death
I sit forlorn, a call for the soul of a people
For whom I hear the bells toll
For whom with obstinance I will grieve, and remember
How hard the bombs fall
Is the blood of another mother’s child not worthy the candles of my plight?
I cry tonight, for the soul of a people
For somewhere it has died, and somehow must rise out of the ashes of antiquity
Let us all mourn, for death is but a burdensome plight that befalls us all
Tonight I cry for the souls of a people
Who live by the shame of those who carry their name?
I cry for the souls of a people tonight
I will not give up this fight, for the shame that I carry
Is in the heart of the vengeance I listen to, but do not hear
I cry for the souls of a people for fear that from the ashes a spark might not ignite
Out of the thunder and wonder of that child in the night
I cry for the soul of my people tonight, out of fright!
___
The views expressed in this video are of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Friends Journal or its collaborators.
