November 13, 2025

Amidst a sharp increase in settler violence in the West Bank, it is past time for decisive, public, and consistent action from the Israeli government and from allies committed to ending attacks that violate Palestinians’ human rights and endanger the prospects for peaceful coexistence.

We join our Israeli Reform Movement (IMPJ) and the Council of Reform Rabbis in Israel (MARAM) in expressing deep shock and concern over the violent attack on the Rabbis for Human Rights delegation. The group included activists, and religious and spiritual leaders from Israel and the United States who came to assist Palestinians with the olive harvest in the West Bank.

A drone operated by extremist settlers struck and injured Reform Rabbi Dana Sharon, who required medical treatment. Following the initial attack, more armed settlers—some wearing uniforms—arrived on the scene, firing rifles into the air and further endangering those present.

Such actions must be stopped. Palestinian families and communities must be protected, and the perpetrators of settler violence must be held accountable through prompt investigations, timely prosecutions, and appropriate punishment.

“We will not be silent in the face of this outrage and will continue to speak out for the Jewish and democratic values upon which the relationship between Israel and the Jewish world is based.” —MK Rabbi Gilad Kariv Adv, Chair Knesset Committee on Aliyah, Absorption and Diaspora

We also call on the U.S. and other friends of Israel—both in the region and globally—to urge Israel to act decisively at this critical moment. The path chosen now will help determine whether the possibility of a two-state solution can be preserved. The West Bank Violence Prevention Act, introduced by Rep. Jerry Nadler with the support of 100 House co-sponsors, would impose sanctions on those responsible for such attacks. The legislation represents one important step the U.S. can and should take to address these injustices.

In recent weeks, ever-larger groups of settlers in the West Bank have attacked Palestinian olive groves, businesses, and homes with horrific violence and seeming impunity. These assaults devastate individuals, destroy livelihoods, and desecrate the land itself.

Rabbis, journalists, and others present to bear witness and assist with the olive harvest have also been assaulted. In some cases, even IDF soldiers have been the victims of settler violence. Yet too often, Israeli authorities charged with upholding the law respond ineffectually—or not at all. Justice for victims is rare, and accountability for perpetrators is equally rare. Given the influence of ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, outspoken advocates for expanding West Bank settlements, this failure of justice is especially tragic.

When government officials claim these attacks are carried out by a small group of extremists whose actions tarnish the reputation of the broader settler community, we ask: if the group is truly small, why has the violence grown in both frequency and severity in recent months?

We reaffirm our July statement condemning settler violence against Palestinians—violence that is immoral and a desecration of God’s name. We again call upon the IDF and Israeli police to take immediate and effective measures to locate the perpetrators and bring them to justice, in the spirit of last week’s Torah portion:

“And they shall keep the way of the Eternal, by doing what is just and right.” 
וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת צְדָקָ֖ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט 
(Genesis 18:19)

Union for Reform Judaism
Shelley Niceley Groff (she/her), North American Board Chair
Rabbi Rick Jacobs (he/him), President

Central Conference of American Rabbis
Rabbi David A. Lyon (he/him), President
Rabbi Hara Person (she/her), Chief Executive Officer

American Conference of Cantors
Cantor Josh Breitzer (he/him), President
Rachel Roth (she/her), Chief Operating Officer

October 13, 2025

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם מַתִּיר אֲסוּרִים:  

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, Who frees the captives.

After reciting this prayer daily for more than 738 days, our brothers and sisters who were held in unimaginable conditions by Hamas are now free and have reunited with the loved ones who prayed and fought without ceasing for this day. We share the tears, joy, and profound relief felt by Jews in North America, in Israel, and around the world. With gratitude to all who labored and negotiated their freedom, for all who took to the streets day after day in Israel and around the world, we give thanks for this long-awaited redemption of captives, a supreme mitzvah in our tradition.  

While there must be accountability for those in leadership if we are to prevent this nightmare from reoccurring, for today, we will put aside the gnawing question of why this day did not come sooner.

We are grateful to President Trump and his administration for bringing together this complex plan to end the war, the first part of which we experienced today. We express our appreciation as well to Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who exerted pressure on Hamas to accept this agreement, which also outlines a viable plan for the “day after” in Gaza.  

We are in awe of the hostage families who, morning, noon and night, fought for the release of their loved ones and of the Israeli patriots who took to the streets demanding courageous action from their leaders.  

We love our Israeli Reform Movement that has never stopped advocating and fighting for the hostages, including leading an inspiring Havdalah in Hostage Square every single Saturday night.

We pray that the innocent Palestinian civilians who have suffered mightily from Hamas’ brutality and the crossfire of this deadly war will finally experience safety, consistent flow of vitally needed humanitarian aid, civilian leadership committed to finding a path to peace. 

The path to peace is still long and still to be traveled.  We pray that courageous leaders will press forward on the path to a Palestinian State as outlined in the American plan. However remote it may feel, a two-state solution in some configuration must remain the worthy, long-term goal for Israelis and Palestinians as they contemplate a future with safety, dignity, and hope for all. 

Healing the bodies and spirits of the former hostages, their families, the people of Israel, and the innocent Gazans caught in the conflict will take time, resources, and love. We hold in our hearts the memory of those who did not return, and we embrace the bereaved in their grief. Let this day strengthen our resolve to secure Israel’s safety while advancing a future rooted in dignity, pluralism, and peace for all who live in the land. Today, we exhale the prayer we have carried for so long—shehecheyanu—we thank the “Redeemer of Israel” for allowing us to reach this holy moment and we commit to turning relief into renewal.

As we move into Simchat Torah, on the eve of the Hebrew two-year anniversary of that terrible tragedy, we will be able to rejoice with those who have returned and keep praying and hoping until the last hostage is home.  

Union for Reform Judaism    
Shelley Niceley Groff (she/her), North American Board Chair  
Rabbi Rick Jacobs (he/him), President  

Central Conference of American Rabbis     
Rabbi David A. Lyon (he/him), President
Rabbi Hara Person (she/her), Chief Executive Officer    

American Conference of Cantors     
Cantor Josh Breitzer (he/him), President
Rachel Roth (she/her), Chief Operating Officer

October 9, 2025

After two years of seemingly endless war, we welcome the news that an end is finally in sight. While not a full peace agreement, it is the first and necessary step toward stopping the death and suffering as the hostages come home, the IDF pulls back, long-serving reservists return to their families, and innocent Gazan civilians caught in the crossfire can finally experience a modicum of safety and receive a consistent flow of vitally needed humanitarian aid. The pain and grief of this war will not soon heal, but seeing our hostages finally embraced by their families will fill our aching hearts, as will the sight of bereaved families who will finally have some measure of closure and comfort upon receiving the remains of their loved ones who did not live to see this day.

We are grateful to President Trump and his administration for bringing together this complex plan to end the war. We express our appreciation as well to Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who exerted pressure on Hamas to accept this agreement, which also outlines a viable plan for the “day after” in Gaza. We support the Israeli government in its [reported] agreement to release 250 of some of the most notorious prisoners—many of whom are serving multiple life sentences—and 1,700 Palestinians detained during the course of the war as compensation for the hostages’ freedom, a steep price that is necessary to save lives and end the suffering of our brave and nearly broken hostages.

That this plan will be enacted in stages leaves open the possibility that something could derail it at any time, and we implore the Trump administration and its international allies to continue exerting pressure on all sides to abide by the terms of the plan, which are set to follow the release of the hostages. Even getting to this point seemed unimaginable a few weeks ago, so we pray that the forward momentum will continue.

While a Palestinian State—as outlined in the Trump plan—feels remote at this point, a two-state solution in some configuration must remain the worthy, long-term goal for Israelis and Palestinians as they contemplate a future with safety, dignity, and hope for all.

The Jewish people are in the midst of our observance of Sukkot, our biblical harvest festival. As our people in Israel and around the world sit in our fragile booths, we keenly feel the vulnerability and uncertainty of Jewish life. Our simple harvest booths teach us that we cannot find ultimate security in military might alone, and we believe that the expansion and engagement of the Abraham Accords in building a viable and secure Gaza holds enormous potential to create economic, political, and strategic alliances that could change the region for good.

The prophet Micah dreamt of a time when all will one day “sit under their vines and fig trees, and none shall make them afraid.” (Micah 4:4) While we imagine he doubted that his prophecy would be realized in his lifespan, he also recognized that people could not live without hope. Despite the remaining details that need to be worked out, we are buoyed by the thought that this blood-soaked patch of land might know a better tomorrow, in which none will fear the other. We will never stop working for that secure future.

Union for Reform Judaism   
Shelley Niceley Groff (she/her), North American Board Chair 
Rabbi Rick Jacobs (he/him), President  

Central Conference of American Rabbis    
Rabbi David A. Lyon (he/him), President
Rabbi Hara Person (she/her), Chief Executive Officer   

American Conference of Cantors    
Cantor Josh Breitzer (he/him), President
Rachel Roth (she/her), Chief Operating Officer

Association of Reform Jewish Educators  
Stacy Rosenthal, RJE (she/her), President 
Rabbi Stacy Rigler, RJE (she/her), Executive Director 

Association of Reform Zionists of America   
Daryl Messinger (she/her), Chair  
Rabbi Josh Weinberg (he/him), Director  

Women of Reform Judaism   
Karen Sim (she/her), President 
Rabbi Liz P. G. Hirsch (she/her), CEO

Women’s Rabbinic Network  
Rabbi Lisa Delson (she/her), Co-President  
Rabbi Simone Schicker (she/her), Co-President
Rabbi Mary Zamore (she/her), Executive Director 

Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
Heidi Segal, Chair, Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism
Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner (he/him, Director, RAC and Sr. Vice President URJ 

August 8, 2025

Before his death, Moses implored our people:
וּבָֽחַרְתָּ֙ בַּחַיִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן תִּֽחְיֶ֖ה אַתָּ֥ה וְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃
“Choose life, that you and your offspring may live.”
—Deuteronomy 30:19 

Today, as the State of Israel is faced with difficult choices in its long and deadly war against Hamas, we implore Israel to choose life for our hostages, our soldiers, and innocent civilians in Gaza by ending—not extending—this war.

We are deeply distressed that Israel’s security cabinet approved Prime Minister Netanyahu’s plan to extend Israeli control over the Gaza Strip. As Jews who believe in an Israel that aspires to be both safe and ethical, we are galvanized by the position of a growing array of Israeli military, intelligence, and political leaders and experts, as well as the clear majority of Israeli public, who warn that the Israeli government’s plan to further occupy Gaza would be a military, political, and humanitarian calamity. In the past nearly two years, many thousands of people in Israel and Gaza have already been killed, maimed, and displaced. In Israel and the U.S., leading voices such as the Jerusalem Post’s editorial board and New York Times columnist Bret Stephens, who referred to a potential re-occupation as a “colossal mistake,” agree that an expanded occupation of Gaza is not in Israel’s long-term interests. Former Ambassador Daniel Kurtzer and Middle East analyst Aaron David Miller have referred to re-occupation as “a trap” for Israel. Just days ago, more than 500 prominent Israelis—former leaders of the Mossad, Shin Bet, police, IDF, and others—sent a letter calling for an end to the war, not its expansion. Reports indicate the head of the IDF, Eyal Zamir, threatened to resign over plans to re-occupy Gaza at one point. We do not take comfort in the fact that the plan approved last night is limited to action related to Gaza City with its significant population size and where hostages are believed to be held. We fear plans to occupy Gaza City are but the first step in the expansion so many have warned against. 

Instead of striving to bring the war to an end and return our hostages home safely or for proper burial, the war’s expansion will likely be a death sentence for our hostages. It will likely cause more deaths and injury to our IDF soldiers, who are already struggling physically and mentally, and to civilians trapped in Gaza. It will likely mean more economic challenges and disunion within Israel, more division among world Jewry, and more isolation of Israel on the international stage. PM Netanyahu’s assurance that this is only a temporary measure is hard to believe, given the war’s continuation over the past 22 months and the quagmires of previous military occupations by Israel in south Lebanon, and by other nations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam—all of which began with similar assurances—which only resulted in increasingly deadly and deteriorating conditions years later. The Israeli government has yet to offer an exit strategy or plans for “the day after.”

Israel has become, and remains, a powerful nation thanks, in part, to the support of allies around the world. But the length and horrors of this war thus far means that military and other forms of support from longtime allies may be less forthcoming in the future. The current occupation of part of Gaza already risks Israel’s security and international reputation, and longtime allies of Israel are this morning reacting negatively to the cabinet’s approved plan.

There is no question that Hamas bears the responsibility for this war, for the conditions in Gaza right now, for failing to put down its arms, for its refusal to release the hostages, and for resisting improved conditions for its people. However, Israel has the ability and responsibility to prioritize its own people and values by recognizing that now is the time to end this war, bring the hostages home, and create a coalition of Arab nations with the U.S. and other allies to rebuild Gaza and shape a better tomorrow for all.

Union for Reform Judaism   
Shelley Niceley Groff, North American Board Chair (she/her) 
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President (he/him)   

Central Conference of American Rabbis   
Rabbi David A. Lyon, President (he/him)   
Rabbi Hara Person, Chief Executive Officer (she/her)   

American Conference of Cantors   
Cantor Josh Breitzer, President (he/him)
Rachel Roth, Chief Operating Officer (she/ her)

July 23, 2025

Against the backdrop of so much anguish and crisis in Israel and Gaza, the mounting crisis of settler violence on the West Bank against Palestinian civilians is too often ignored. Albeit involving only a small number of settlers, the violence has intensified, as these settlers kill and injure Palestinians, steal their livestock, burn their olive trees, and destroy their property, terrorizing the Palestinian population in an attempt to clear Judea and Samaria for unfettered Jewish settlement. Since January of this year alone, some 404 incidents of settler violence have been documented, including a growing number of attacks on IDF soldiers and bases.

The Central Conference of American Rabbis, Union for Reform Judaism, and the American Conference of Cantors deplore the growing incidents of unchecked violence inflicted on Palestinians by Jewish settlers in the Occupied West Bank.

Most recently, these incidents have attracted wider attention internationally and particularly in the United States, subsequent to a violent attack by settlers on IDF troops as well as on the murder of an American citizen, Saifullah Musallet, who was visiting relatives in the West Bank village of Sinjil. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has rightly demanded a full investigation.

A thorough investigation must be undertaken—not only of the murder of an American citizen, but also of the growing phenomenon of settler violence overall. Serious measures must be taken against these perpetrators. Too often, when Palestinians call the police and the army during an attack by settlers, both arrive too late to help the victims, if they arrive at all. Similarly, too often police or IDF soldiers are seen in videos or news reports standing by without acting to stop the violence. By contrast, when settlers call for help when Palestinians are simply protecting their own people and property, the army and police come quickly.

Given that the Israeli police force is controlled by Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, and the civil administration of the West Bank is under the command of Finance Minister and Minister in the Defense Department Bezalel Smotrich, both of whom support expansion of West Bank Jewish settlements, none of this comes as a surprise, but it cannot be condoned. This government seems to tolerate and even encourage violence against Palestinians. Frequently, after a Palestinian civilian is attacked or murdered, several Palestinians are arrested, for example for throwing stones in a futile attempt to chase violent Jewish settlers from the Palestinian community, but no arrest is made in the murder itself. Moreover, little to no effort is made to remove illegal settlement outposts from which so many of these attacks emanate. Instead, the Israeli government provides infrastructure and utilities to these illegal outposts.

Torah teaches, “There shall be one law for the citizens and for the stranger who dwells among you” (Exodus 12:49). Allowing terror to be perpetrated by settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank is both immoral as well as a חילול השם (chilul HaShem), desecration of the Divine Name.

The Central Conference of American Rabbis, the Union for Reform Judaism, and the American Conference of Cantors join the demand for a full investigation of the murder of Saifullah Musallet, and call upon the Israeli government to expand that investigation to the examination of all West Bank settler violence and to impose criminal penalties on all who break the law—whatever their religion or nationality. Terrorism and violence cannot be tolerated by the government of Israel—not against Jews nor against Palestinians. Vigilante violence by West Bank settlers must end now.

Rabbi David A. Lyon, President
Rabbi Hara E. Person, Chief Executive
Central Conference of American Rabbis

Shelley Niceley Groff, Chair
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President
Union for Reform Judaism

Cantor Josh Breitzer, President
Rachel Roth, Chief Operating Officer
American Conference of Cantors