South Jersey Board of Rabbis and Cantors Statement on Gaza, Israel and the Middle East II

July 30, 2025

In February 2025, the South Jersey Board of Rabbis and Cantors issued our first statement on Gaza, Israel and the Middle East. Now, as the situation has continued to deteriorate, we feel compelled to raise our voices once again.

We support Israel in its right to live in peace and to defend itself against terrorism and ongoing attacks. We abhor the tactics and strategy of Hamas, whose stated mission is the destruction of the state of Israel. We stand with all people of decency in calling for the immediate release and return of all hostages, living and dead, held in Gaza.

We also, however, hear the cries and see the faces of the people of Gaza. That same sense of decency moves us to speak out against those who are indifferent – or even support – this suffering.

Mass starvation is not a moral policy. We stand firmly against those who advocate for — or even celebrate – this outcome, even if they believe it serves some warped sense of self-defense. These voices may be few, and from the fringe, but they undermine Israel’s position, endanger Jews around the world, and offend our sense of human dignity. We hear the words of our tradition which teach:

“If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.” — Proverbs 25:21

May the hostages all come home. May those who are hungry be fed. May no one feel threatened in their homes again. And may all of us, on all sides of this conflict, find some way to recover and move forward into a different, better future.

The South Jersey Board of Rabbis and Cantors is the collegial association of the Jewish clergy of Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland Counties. Its membership is open to those serving congregations, agencies and communal institutions, as well as retired colleagues in our area. It is a pluralistic organization for those of all Jewish movements willing to recognize and work with colleagues across institutional and denominational lines.