Due to the horrific attack upon Israel by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 and the extraordinary escalation of antisemitism in various parts of the United States, we believe it is necessary to make the following statements of support for Jews around the world and the nation of Israel. 

On Jewish suffering

As Saint Louisans, we acknowledge that the Jewish community has endured pain, persecution, and suffering throughout the ages as a historically oppressed people group in the nations. We recognize and applaud Jewish resilience throughout history in the shadow of consistent genocidal threat.

Antisemitism, Colonialism, and Racism

We renounce antisemitism in all forms, committing to boldly stand against antisemitic speech and actions within our own communities and around the globe.

We reject the growing narrative that Israel is a colonial apartheid state. We assess that the Israeli population is composed of both religious and non-religious Jews of every ethnicity. As within every diverse society; we acknowledge that there are noticeable socio-ethnic disparities, unhealthy biases, and cross-cultural divisions between the Jewish community and other groups within both Israel and St. Louis which must be thoughtfully addressed with intentionality. We commit to doing the hard work of truth and reconciliation.

As Jews and Gentiles, we will work to eradicate racism and xenophobia within our own spheres of influence here in St. Louis, while encouraging our Israeli brothers and sisters to do the same wherever it may exist.

On Loss and the Atrocities of War

We are crushed by the devastating loss of Israeli lives and livelihoods. We fervently pray for the safe return of all who are being held as prisoners of war. 

We acknowledge Hamas as a terrorist regime that does not represent the will of most Palestinians, who are also victims of Hamas and unwilling casualties of the Israeli-Hamas war.  

We also express our grief, sympathy, and deep concern for peaceable Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank who are also navigating catastrophic loss and various measures of intense hardship as a consequence of this hostility. 

On Rights to the Land and Existence

We support Israel’s right to exist as a Sovereign nation. As a pluralistic society, Jews, Christians, and Muslims live together within Israeli society in relative peace. Consequently, we celebrate and recognize the importance of Israel’s continued existence as a stronghold of democracy in the Middle East. Likewise, we will only support elected officials whose words and actions oppose anti-semitism and who support Israel’s right to exist as such.  

As people of Jewish and Christian faith, we believe that the Jewish people have both a historic and Biblical right to their ancestral homeland of Israel, whose boundaries are described in Ezekiel 47:13 - 20.***

*** This territory was granted by G-d through His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob around 2000 B.C.E. according to Genesis 17.  Since then, Israel has been militarily conquered and occupied by the Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, Ottomans, and others. Remarkably, a consistent Jewish presence remained in the land throughout these empires and up to the re-establishment of the modern nation on May 14, 1948. On March 4, 1949, in Security Council Resolution 69, the UN Security Council voted 9-to-1 in favor of Israeli membership. As a result, we recognize this restoration as a miraculous fulfillment of the Prophet Isaiah’s utterance in Isaiah 66:8**

We bear witness to history which shows that Jerusalem is the ancient capital of Israel, from the time of King David (c. 1000 B.C.E.)  to the present day. Both Jewish and Christian eschatology attests that it will remain so eternally. (Psalm 132:13-14)

As Missourians, we acknowledge the significance of the fact that it was Missouri’s son, U.S. President Harry S. Truman, who immediately recognized Israel as a nation eleven minutes after the Provisional Government and David Ben-Gurion announced the establishment of the State of Israel. 

Rights to Self Defense

We believe that Israel has a right to defend herself against her sworn enemies, namely those terrorist groups and nations that routinely threaten her right to exist.  

We acknowledge that those in political governance over the State of Israel are fallible, meaning not without flaw or error. As a result, standing for and with Israel, does not mean that we unequivocally endorse or stand behind all of Israel’s means, methods, and policies.

In hope, we long for the day when Israelis and Palestinians can coexist in the land in a way that honors and dignifies one another while embracing the Jewish right to exist. We join with Jews, Christians, and Muslims around the world who are praying for a peaceful end to this conflict. 

Ultimately, as people of faith, we share in our longing for the L-rd to come and establish His eternal rule and reign in Jerusalem, where the nations will never again draw their weapons, and learn war no more.

(Isaiah 2:2-4)