*THIS LETTER IS FOR RABBIS ONLY - PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO BOTTOM TO SIGN

Dear Friends,

We, the undersigned Rabbis in the US and Canada, are concerned about the current ideological environment and the increasingly censorious culture in many American institutions, including in many Jewish communal organizations and places of higher learning.

One of our roles as Rabbis is to foster inclusive communities that welcome people of varied cultural backgrounds, stations in life, and ideological perspectives. While becoming more inviting of culturally diverse Jews, our institutions often fall short in welcoming Jews with varied viewpoints. Some in our organizations and congregations feel stifled by the shrinking space of ‘permissible’ discourse and retreat into silence. Surveys show Americans self-censoring at record levels. Jewish organizations and synagogues are called to create a culture that welcomes a wide range of views. Indeed, it’s crucial that we stand against Sinat Chinam--baseless hatred--over differences in political viewpoint, which makes it uncomfortable for many to participate in congregational and organizational life, at a time when Jewish communal organizations are already facing significant difficulty in attracting Jews. We all need space to be tentative, to be wrong and change our minds, to wonder, to explore.

Increasingly, the crowding out of unpopular opinions impinges upon society’s ability to address problems. The culture of disputation and debate in the Jewish world--argument for the sake of heaven--has been a hallmark of Jewish life, and key to creative Jewish survival. Constricting conversation on social issues, including sensitive topics such as race and gender identity, makes it difficult, if not impossible, for society to formulate good policy, promote sound science, and resolve social tensions. “Shema” listen, is our watchword; learning to listen to one another is the foundation of our polity. The Jewish tradition advances the ideals of civil debate alongside an enduring commitment to pursuing goodness and justice. We honor open but respectful conversation, based on the highest ethical values of our tradition.

The ascendency of an ideology that in its most simplistic form sees the world solely in binary terms of oppressed versus oppressor, and categorizes individuals into monolithic group identities, is a familiar and frightening development for the Jewish People. In its contemporary form, Jews are stereotyped as privileged and Israel is marked as the oppressor, fueling the newest iteration of antisemitism and anti-Zionism. Recent examples of this phenomenon abound. In the days ahead Rabbis and other Jewish leaders must articulate the dangers of this brand of antisemitism to the Jewish community and the larger society.

Original Signatories:

Emily Barton, Rabbi, Tifereth Israel Synagogue, Des Moines IA
Daniel Bouskila, Rabbi, Sephardic Educational Center and Westwood Village Synagogue, Los Angeles CA
Mark Cohn, Rabbi, Temple Emanuel, Winston-Salem NC
Joseph Edelheit, Rabbi, Emeritus Professor, St. Cloud State University, Minneapolis MN
Matthew Gewirtz, Rabbi, Congregation Bnai Jeshurun, Short Hills NJ
Jonathan Greenberg, Rabbi, Northbrook IL
David Ingber, Founder and Senior Rabbi, Romemu
Debra Newman Kamin, Rabbi, Am Yisrael Congregation, Northfield IL
David Kaufman, Rabbi
John Moscowitz, Rabbi, Holy Blossom Temple, Toronto ON, Canada
Scott Roland, Rabbi, Beachwood OH
Jeffrey Salkin, Rabbi, Temple Israel, West Palm Beach FL
Hal Schevitz, Rabbi, Congregation Or Atid, Henrico VA
Rona Shapiro, Rabbi, Congregation B'nai Jacob, Woodbridge CT
Amy Wallk, Rabbi, Temple Beth El, Springfield MA
Stuart Weinblatt, Rabbi, Congregation B'nai Tzedek, Potomac MD
Alison Wissot, Rabbi, Cantor, Temple Judea, Tarzana CA
David Wolpe, Rabbi, Sinai Temple, Los Angeles CA

Additional Signatories:

Sarah Hronsky, Rabbi, Temple Beth Hillel, Los Angeles CA
Eli Garfinkel, Rabbi
David-Seth Kirshner, Rabbi, Temple Emanu-El, Closter NJ
Adam Wright, Rabbi, Temple Emanu-El, Birmingham AL
Russell McAlmond, Center for Human Equality
Bruce Dollin, Rabbi, Hebrew Educational Alliance, Denver CO
Matthew Abelson, Rabbi, Jericho NY
Ian Silverman, Rabbi, East Northport Jewish Center, E. Northport NY
Robert Goldstein, Rabbi, Washington DC
James Glazier, Rabbi
Daniel Levin, Rabbi, Temple Beth El, Boca Raton FL
David Markus, Rabbi, Temple Beth El, City Island NY
Samuel Stern, Rabbi, Temple Beth Shalom, Topeka KS
Idit Solomon, Rabbi, Palo Alto CA
Philip Scheim, Rabbi Emeritus, Beth David, Toronto ON, Canada
Samuel Press, Rabbi, Dayton OH
Robert Eisen, Rabbi Emeritus, Congregation Anshei Israel, Tucson AZ
Rhonda Nebel, Rabbi, Congregation B'nai Israel, Danbury CT
Morris Allen, Rabbi  Mendota Heights MN
Eliezer Havivi, Rabbi
Mark Finkel, Rabbi, Pine Brook Jewish Center, Montville NJ
Gerald Sussman, Rabbi, Temple Emanuel-El,  Staten Island NY
Fred Guttman, Rabbi
Dennis Linson, Rabbi, Executive Director, Temple Judea, Laguna Hills CA
Yosi Gordon, Rabbi, Talmud Torah of St. Paul, St. Paul MN
Jennifer Gorman, Rabbi, Executive Director, MERCAZ Canada & Canadian Foundation for Masorti Judaism, Toronto ON, Canada
Andy Warmflash, Rabbi, West Orange NJ
Perry Raphael Rank, Rabbi, Midway Jewish Center
Morris Faierstein, Rabbi, Rockville MD
Sean Gorman, Rabbi
Aaron Gaber, Rabbi, Newtown PA
Joseph Potasnik, Rabbi, Exec VP, The New York Board of Rabbis NY
Carnie Rose, Senior Rabbinic Chair, Congregation B’nai Amoona
Lynn Liberman, Rabbi, St Paul MN
Simkha Y. Weintraub, Rabbi
Michael Rascoe, Rabbi, Temple Israel of Riverhead, Riverhead NY
Alan Cohen, Rabbi Emeritus, Congregation Beth Shalom, Overland Park KS
Gershon Weissman, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Ner Simcha, Westlake Village CA
Azriel C Fellner, Rabbi, Temple Beth ElPatchogue NY
Max Davis, Rabbi, congregation Darchei Noam, Minneapolis MN
Justin Held, Rabbi, Minneapolis, MN
Arthur Lavinsky, Rabbi, Retired, Phoenix AZ
Shalom Lewis, Rabbi Emeritus Congregation Etz Chaim, Marietta GA
Daniel Horwitz, Rabbi, Houston TX
John Crites-Borak, Rabbi
David Ebstein, Rabbi
Claudio Kupchik, Rabbi, Temple Beth El, Cedarhurst NY
Helene Kornsgold, Rabbi, Temple Israel, Charlotte NC
Loel Weiss, Rabbi
Andrew Bloom, Rabbi, Congregation Ahavath Sholom, Fort Worth TX
David Krishef, Rabbi, Grand Rapids MI
Joshua Ben-Gideon, Rabbi, Beth David Synagogue, Greensboro NC
Felipe Goodman Rabbi, Temple Beth Sholom, Las Vegas NV
Aaron Starr, Rabbi, Congregation Shaarey Zedek, Southfield MI
Neal Loevinger, Chaplain, Poughkeepsie NY
Shai Cherry, Rabbi, PhD, Congregation Adath Jeshurun, Elkins Park PA
Lisa Malik, Rabbi, Wynnewood PA
Baruch Frydman-Kohl, Rabbi Emeritus, Toronto ON, Canada
Ita Paskind, Rabbi, Congregation Beth El, Norwalk CT
Robert Golub, Rabbi
Michael Gold, Rabbi, Tamarac FL
Michael Klayman, Rabbi, Great Neck NY
David Locketz, Senior Rabbi, Bet Shalom Congregation, Minnetonka MN
Michael Friedland, Rabbi, South Bend IN
Kenneth Berger, Rabbi, Deerfield IL
Jordan Hersh, Rabbi, Beth Sholom Congregation, Frederick MD
Daniel Alder, Rabbi, Brotherhood Synagogue, New York NY
Earl Kideckel, Rabbi, Congregation Beth El, New London CT
Adam Stock Spilker, Rabbi, Mount Zion Temple, St. Paul MN
David Eligberg, Rabbi, Temple Israel, Albany NY
Ahud Sela, Rabbi
Randall Mark, Rabbi, Shomrei Torah, Wayne NJ
Rachel Brown, Rabbi, Beachwood OH
Sarah Graff, Rabbi, Palo Alto CA
Howard Hoffman, Rabbi, Boynton Beach FL
Dina Shargel, Rabbi
Susan Tendler, Rabbi, Beth Tikvah Congregation & Centre, Richmond BC, Canada
Leslie Alexander, Rabbi, Calabasas CA
Josh Goldstein, Rabbi
Sandra Berliner, Rabbi
David Klatzker, Transitional Senior Rabbi, Temple Israel of Natick
Daniel Cohen, Rabbi, South Orange NJ
David Booth, Rabbi, Palo Alto CA
Bruce Block, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Sinai, Tenafly, NJ
David Vaisberg, Senior Rabbi, Temple B'nai Abraham, Livingston NJ
Shalom Bronstein, Rabbi, Jerusalem
Edwin Farber, Rabbi Emeritus Beth Torah Benny Rok Campus, Miami, FL
Michael Safra, Senior Rabbi, B'nai Israel Congregation, Rockville MD
Michael Pincus, Rabbi
Alan Londy, Rabbi, The New Reform Temple, Kansas City MO
David Baron, Rabbi, Beverly Hills Temple of the Arts, Beverly Hills CA
Ari Goldstein, Rabbi, Temple Beth Shalom, Arnold MD
Jonathan Fisch, Rabbi, Temple Judea, Coral Gables FL
Alexander Davis, Rabbi, St Louis Park, MD
Joel Pitkowsky, Rabbi, Congregation Beth Sholom, Teaneck, NJ
Mordecai Finley, Rabbi, Ohr HaTorah Synagogue, Los Angeles (Mar Vista) CA
Yafa Chase, Rabbi
Cy Stanway, Rabbi, Temple Beth Miriam, Elberon, NJ
Ron Li-Paz, Rabbi, Valley Outreach Synagogue, Calabasas CA
Ronald Roth, Rabbi Emeritus, Fair Lawn Jewish Center/Congregation B'nai Israel, Fair Lawn NJ
Neal Borovitz, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Avodat Shalom, River Edge NJ
Robert Gamer, Rabbi, Oak Park MI
Aaron Bergman, Rabbi
Asher Lopatin, Rabbi, Kehillat Etz Chayim of Detroit MI
Jill Crimmings, Associate Rabbi, Bet Shalom, Minnetonka MN
Kaya Stern-Kaufman, Rabbi, Temple Israel, Portsmouth NH
Marc Berkson, Rabbi, Congregation Emanu-El B'ne Jeshurun, Milwaukee WI
Steven Rein, Rabbi, Agudas Achim Congregation, Alexandria VA
Daniel Weiner, Rabbi, Temple De Hirsch Sinai, Seattle WA
David Glickman, Rabbi, Congregation Beth Shalom, Overland Park KS
Jeremy Kalmanofsky, Rabbi, Ansche Chesed, New York NY
Neal Katz, Rabbi, Congregation Beth El, Tyler TX
Neal Schuster, Rabbi, University of Kansas Hillel, Lawrence KS
Richard Agler, Rabbi, Oceanside CA
Shlomo Yaffe, Rabbi, Congregation B'nai Torah, Springfield MA
Rebecca Ben-Gideon, Rabbi, B’nai Shalom Day School, Greensboro NC
Bill Siemers, Rabbi, Congregation Beth Israel, Bangor ME
Jonathan Miller, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Emanu-El, Birmingham AL
Andy Koren, Rabbi, Temple Emanuel, Greensboro NC
Mitchell Berkowitz, Associate Rabbi, B'nai Israel Congregation, Rockville MD
Brian Strauss, Rabbi, Congregation Beth Yeshurun - Houston TX
Max Nissen, Rabbi
Gordon Yaffe, Rabbi, Congregation L'Dor V'Dor, Little Neck NY
Reuven Taff, Rabbi Emeritus, Mosaic Law Congregation, Sacramento CA
Rachel Safman, Rabbi, Temple Beth-El, Ithaca, NY
Jonathan Blake, Rabbi, Westchester Reform Temple, Scarsdale NY
SaraLeya Schley, Rabbi
Jeremy Master, Rabbi, Sinai Temple, Springfield MA
Adam Watstein, Rabbi
George Barnard, Rabbi, Cincinnati OH
Alan Litwak, Rabbi, Temple Sinai of North Dade, North Miami Beach FL
Herb Schwartz, Rabbi
Paul Citrin, Rabbi, Retired, Albuquerque NM
Irwin Zeplowitz, Rabbi, The Community Synagogue, Port Washington NY
Elliot Dorff, Rabbi, American Jewish University, LA CA
Jessica Fox Epstein, Rabbi, Cantor
Scott N. Bolton, Rabbi
Allan Berkowitz, Rabbi, San Jose CA
Laurence Malinger, Rabbi, Temple Shalom, Aberdeen NJ
Yaron Kapitulnik Rabbi, Temple Judea, Palm Beach Gardens Fl
Joe Blair, Rabbi
Jonathan Infeld, Rabbi, Congregation Beth Israel
Sherre Hirsch, Rabbi, American Jewish University
Jack A. Luxemburg, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Beth Ami, Rockville MD
Kenneth Emert, Rabbi, Sun City Jewish Services, Palm Desert CA
Stephen Richards, Rabbi/Cantor Emeritus, Congregation B'nai Tikvah, Walnut Creek CA
Jordan Shaner, Rabbi, Cantor, Temple Sinai Congregation of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario Canada
Chaya Rowen Baker, Rabbi, Jerusalem
Paula Baruch, Rabbi, Cantor, Hamilton Ontario, Canada
Erez Sherman, Rabbi, Sinai Temple, Los Angeles CA
Nicole Guzik, Rabbi, Sinai Temple, Los Angeles CA
Daniel Wolpe, Rabbi, Flushing Fresh Meadows Jewish Center, Fresh Meadows NY
Elana Zaiman, Rabbi, Seattle WA
Dov Peretz Elkins, Rabbi
Dov Bard, Rabbi, Newtonville MA
Philip Pohl, Rabbi
Peter Kasdan, Rabbi
Michael Weinberg, Rabbi Emeritus
Dan Moskovitz, Rabbi
Lauren Berkun, Rabbi, Miami FL
Micah Peltz, Rabbi, Temple Beth Sholom, Cherry Hill  NJ
Michael Weinberg, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple Beth Sholom, Cherry Hill NJ
Dan Moskovitz, Rabbi, Temple Sholom Vancouver, BC - Canada
Peter Kasdan, Rabbi, Temple Emanu-El of West Essex, Livingston NJ
Matt Friedman, Rabbi, Antelope Roseville Jewish Congregation, Sacramento CA
Neal Gold, Rabbi, A Tree with Roots, LLC Natick MA
Gary Gerson, Rabbi Emeritus, Oak Park Temple B’nai Abraham Zion, Oak Park IL
Sarah Schechter, Rabbi
Rob Morais, Rabbi, Temple Anshe Hesed, Erie PA
Brian Stoller, Rabbi, Omaha NE
Laura Gold, Rabbi, Psychologist, New York NY
Debra Rappaport, Rabbi, Golden Valley MN
Aaron Bisno, Rabbi, Pittsburgh PA
Rabbi Debbie Stiel, Temple Solel, Paradise Valley AZ
Jacob Herber, Senior Rabbi, Herzl-Ner Tamid, Mercer Island WA
Steven Morgen, Rabbi, Congregation Beth Yeshurun, Houston TX
Evan Ravski, Rabbi, Synagogue Emanu-El, Charleston SC
Scott Hausman-Weiss, Rabbi, Shma Koleinu, Houston TX
Mark Mahler, Rabbi, Pittsburgh PA
Jonathan Biatch, Rabbi, Temple Beth El (for identification purposes only), Madison WI
Joshua Gruenberg, Rabbi, Chizuk Amuno Congregation & Schools, Baltimore MD
Iscah Waldman, Rabbi, Dept. Chair of Judaics, Golda Och Academy, Teaneck NJ
Audrey Korotkin, Rabbi, Ph.D., Altoona PA
Jonathan Aaron, Rabbi, Los Angeles CA
Haim Ovadia, Rabbi, SephardciU, Potomac MD
Donna Friedman, Rabbi, West Palm Beach FL
Sharon Mars, Rabbi, Temple Israel, Columbus OH
Andy Green, Rabbi, Congregation Or Tzion, Scottsdale AZ
Joshua Ginsberg, Rabbi, Columbus OH
Michal Shekel, Rabbi, Har Tikvah, Brampton ON
Erica Gerson, Rabbi, New York, NY
Donald Berlin, Rabbi, Bethesda MD
Michael Datz, Rabbi Emeritus, Temple B'rith Sholom, Springfield IL
Gideon Estes, Rabbi, Congregation Or Ami, Houston TX
Manes Kogan, Rabbi, Hillcrest Jewish Center, Fresh Meadows NY
Steven Abraham, Rabbi, Beth El Synagogue, Omaha NE
Jeff Cymet, Rabbi, The New Kehila of Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv
Julie Jacobs, Cantor, Beth David Congregation, Miami FL
Adam Roffman, Rabbi, Congregation Shearith Israel, Dallas TX
Craig Scheff, Rabbi, Orangetown Jewish Center, Orangeburg NY
Bat-Ami Moses, Cantor, Temple Israel, Bexley OH
Saul Strosberg, Rabbi, Sherith Israel, Nashville TN
Ken Richmond, Rav Hazzan, Temple Israel of Natick, Natick MA
Melinda Zalma, Rabbi, New York NY
Mark Zimmerman, Rabbi, Beth Shalom, Atlanta GA
Leonard Berkowitz, Rabbi, Retired, Boca Raton FL
Avis Miller, Rabbi Emerita, Adas Israel Congregation, Washington DC
Lon Moskowitz, Rabbi, D.D., Baywood Park CA
Arthur Weiner, Rabbi, Jewish Community Center of Paramus/Congregation Beth Tikvah, Paramus NJ
Jeremy Wiederhorn, Rabbi, TCS and NY Board of Rabbis, Westport CT
Jordan Cohen, Rabbi, Temple Anshe Sholom, Hamilton ON
Charles Klein, Rabbi Emeritus, Merrick Jewish Centre, Merrick NY
Joshua Kullock, Rabbi, West End Synagogue, Nashville TN
Kenneth Leitner, Rabbi Emeritus, Beth Sholom, Chandler AZ
Matthew Abelson, Rabbi, Jericho Jewish Center, Jericho NY
Yitz Greenberg, Rabbi, Senior Scholar in Residence, Hadar Institute, New York NY & Jerusalem Israel
Loren Sykes, Rabbi, Jerusalem, Israel
Lori Shapiro, Rabbi, Open Temple, Venice CA
Jay Perlman , Rabbi, Temple Beth Shalom, Needham MA
Betsy Forester, Rabbi, Beth Israel Center, Madison WI
Stephen Cohen, Rabbi, Congregation B'nai B'rith, Santa Barbara
Andrea Lobel, Rabbi, Ph.D., Ottawa
Aliza Berger, Rav Hazzan, Temple Emanuel, Newton MA
Wesley Gardenswartz, Rabbi, Temple Emanuel, Newton MA
Michelle Robinson, Rabbi, Temple Emanuel Newton MA
Sara Himeles, Rabbi, New York NY
Efrat Zarren-Zohar, Rabbi, Miami FL
Michael Schwab, Rabbi, Highland Park IL
Jeremy Fierstien, Rabbi, UMBC Hillel, Baltimore MD
Daniel Brenner, Rabbi, Congregation B'nai B'rith, Santa Barbara CA
Richard Perlman, Rabbi, Temple Ner Tamid, Peabody MA
David Meyer, Rabbi, Marblehead MA
Cary Kozberg, Rabbi, Columbus OH
Jonathan Case, Rabbi, Beth Shalom Synagogue, Columbia SC

Organizational Endorsements:

Hadassah, The Women's Zionist Organization of America
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