The WUPJ and the extended family of Reform Jews around the world were shocked to learn of Hamas’ brutal murder of the six hostages: Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Ori Danino, Carmel Gat, Alex Lobanov and Almog Sarusi z”l. May their memory be a blessing – יהי זכרם ברוך.
We share the pain and sadness of their families on this day of mourning and embrace all the hostages and their families as we fear the worst.
Today, it is our commitment from each of our communities around the world to console, accompany, and embrace in grief those who are burying their brutally murdered loved ones. Hamakom Ienachem, we all embrace them in consolation and grief.
We renounce Hamas’ continued terror. We repudiate both sides’ lack of political action to reach an agreement allowing all hostages to be released so that they can return safely to their homes, even if that means, for those who are no longer alive, that they can at least return to their families to be buried in the land of Israel.
Rabbinic tradition is blunt when it states, “ואין לך מצווה רבה כפדיון שבויים” “There is no greater mitzvah than the redemption of captives” (Rambam, Hilchot Matanot Laaniim).
The actions of the government of Israel do not model this ethical principle, and we all know, as was tragically demonstrated yesterday, that there is no more time. We urge the Israeli government to reach an agreement now, and we trust that Israeli society will mobilize to forcefully and peacefully demand an agreement and the release of all hostages held by Hamas who are still in captivity.
Am Israel Chai