Resolution Adopted by the CCAR
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS
Digests of resolutions adopted by the
Central Conference of American Rabbis
between 1889 and 1974
1. While the mission of Israel is Peace, yet when one’s country is at war in
behalf
of righteousness and humanity, the individual Jew who claims this hope of
Judaism
as a ground of exemption from military service, does so only as an individual
inasmuch
as historic Judaism emphasizes patriotism as a duty as well as the ideal of
peace. (1917,
p. 175)
2. Freedom of conscience is a fundamental and inalienable right and we regret
that
the U.S. Supreme Court declared that applicants for citizenship who refuse to
bear
arms in defense of this country are ineligible for citizenship in U.S. (1929,
p.
119)
3. Urges support of Griffin Citizenship bill which provides that outside of
mentally
and morally unfit, no one shall be debarred from citizenship by reason of his
or
her religious views with respect to the lawfulness of war as a means of
settling
international disputes. (1930, p. 64)
4. It is in accord with the highest interpretation of Judaism for a Jew to
conscientiously
object to personal participation in warfare. We oppose any legislation
designed to
penalize adherents of any religion who conscientiously object to personally
engaging in military operation. (1931, p. 72)
5. We urge that the military training law be amended by extending to all
citizens
the same right to refuse military training and service as is accorded to the
members
of a few religious bodies. (1932, p. 143)
6. We affirm our conviction that conscientious objection to military service
is in
accordance with the highest interpretation of Judaism and therefore we
petition the
Government of the United States to grant to Jewish religious conscientious
objectors
the same exemption from military service as has long been granted to members
of the Society
of Friends and similar religious organizations. (1936, p. 74)
7. We affirm the right of the conscientious objector to refuse to bear arms.
(1940,
p. 119)
8. We applaud the government’s understanding in handling the cases of men who
refuse
to bear arms on account of religious scruples. We should strive to protect the
rights
of members of Jehovah’s Witnesses, in the name of religious liberty,
recalling, as
we do, the attitude of our ancestors towards the worship of Caesar when under
Roman
rule. (1942, p. 103)
9. This Conference urges the President of the United States to free all
conscientious objectors still confined in federal prisons and to restore full
civil
rights to them and to the objectors who have already completed their
sentences. (1946.
p. 102)
10. Reaffirmed in 1947 (p. 69).
11. Reaffirmed in 1956.
12. See Amnesty.
13. Eleven years have elapsed since the termination of World War II, yet a
group of
American citizens continue to be deprived of their civil rights for having
lived
by their religious and moral scruples during that conflict.
We urge the President of the United States to grant full pardons to all
persons imprisoned
during the Second World War who can properly be called conscientious
objectors. To
restore full civil rights to these Americans would be consistent with our high
traditions of freedom of conscience and expression. (1956, p. 136)