The "The Time Is Now" Letter

THE TIME IS NOW

It is time to speak out for all who believe that Jews have the same political freedom, national, civil and religious liberties as every other people to live anywhere in the world, including the right to live anywhere in Jerusalem, Judaism’s eternal capital. To suggest, demand, or even submit to anything less is to support overt religious persecution.



The outrage hurled against the Jewish State by the current US administration for (1) daring to approve the building of homes for Jews in a Jewish neighborhood, two miles from the holiest site in Judaism, the Temple Mount, and for (2) daring to do so when US Vice President Joe Biden was in Israel, is grossly misplaced and is itself an affront. The public expression of this outrage is yet another means to pressure Israel’s government unfairly.



Outrage should, more appropriately, be directed at those expressing the outrage. We are especially appalled at those who claim to be supporters of Israel and yet demand that this policy of religious bigotry be enforced with threats of official shunning both diplomatically and in terms of military support.

Let’s be clear: The only apologies should come from those attempting to bar Jews from building homes and living in any neighborhoods in Jerusalem, and from those who think that if Jews do build in Jerusalem they should do it quietly, and hope that no one notices. We reject any such discrimination and duplicity. We say to all those who claim to support the Jewish State, including Israeli officials, not to be afraid, to say out loud: Yes! Jews can, do, and will build and live in Jerusalem, now and forever. We call on all those who reject this position to explain why an official policy of religious discrimination is acceptable when it is enforced against Jews.

It is most shocking that a US administration claiming to support a strong Israel would allow its policies to fan the flames of Arab hatred, incitement and violence against its only free and democratic Middle Eastern ally.

Lori Lowenthal Marcus, Z STREET

Eli Hertz, Myths and Facts
Helen Freedman, Americans for a Safe Israel
Charles Jacobs, Americans for Peace and Tolerance
Doris Wise Montrose, Children of Jewish Holocaust Survivors
Mort Klein, Zionist Organization of America
Cherna Moskowitz, The Moskowitz Foundation
Rabbi Jon Hausman
Rabbi David Jay Kaufman
Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins
Professor Louis Rene Beres
Professor Edward Alexander
Professor Judith S. Jacobson
Rick Richman, Jewish Current Issues
Daniel Greenfield, Sultan Knish
Pamela Geller, Atlas Shrugs
David Goder, One Jerusalem
Yael Lieberman, Boker Tov, Boulder
Jim Hoft, Gateway Pundit
Dr. Phyllis Chesler
Gary E. Erlbaum
Kenneth G. Langone
Richard Fox
Adrienne A. Price
Joshua Katzen
Hillary Markowitz
Ruth S. King
Rael Jean Isaac
Joshua Landes
Steven E. Stern
Morris Willner
Richard A. Baehr
Leonard Wisse
Alex Grobman
Edward M. Snider
Craig Snider
Richard Cooper
Howard A. Cohen
Alan B. Miller
Bart Blatstein
Benyamin Korn
Jeffrey S. Wiesenfeld
Richard Allen
Stephen B. Klein
Barri Glick
Barbara Fix
Eric S. Goldschmidt
Joseph Wolfson
Gloria Z. Greenfield
Maxine Elkins
Jerome M. Marcus
Clive Ginsburg
Lee Miller

(This list continues to grow, if you want your named added, please go to WWW.ZSTREET.ORG and state your interest in the comment section.)