An Open Letter To President Bush

I am writing to you because of your deep and abiding interest in the suffering of the peoples of the Middle East and your desire to finally bring an end to all the bloodshed and violence there. We pray for peace and brotherhood.

However, I would like to respectfully bring to your attention that although you are aware that there are many Jews who support the State of Israel, what you may not have heard about is that there is a silent majority of Jews opposed to Zionism who remain ignored by the media, and who remain steadfast in loyalty to the teachings of our rabbis that the ideology of Zionism is in utter opposition to our religion. For more information there are a number of websites on the Internet that discuss this subject, e.g. www.jewsagainstzionism.com, which we know you will find most interesting as it includes historical documents and photographs relating to the long-time opposition of revered rabbis to Zionism.

Ever since the destruction of the holy Temple in Jerusalem and the exile of the Jewish People some two thousand years ago, we have been enjoined to be scrupulously loyal to the countries we reside in, and never seek to undertake to establish independent sovereignty in the Holy Land or anywhere throughout the world. One of the great biblical prophets, Jeremiah, in chapter 29 of his book proclaimed G-d's message to all the exiled; verse seven reads, "Seek out the welfare of the city to which I have exiled you and pray for it to the Almighty, for through its welfare will you have welfare." This has been a cornerstone of Jewish morality throughout our history to this very day.

The Zionist movement rejects all of the fundamental principles of our Torah and rabbis. Jews do not need a state of their own. The very establishment of a “Jewish� state is a grave violation of Jewish tradition and law.

Therefore they don’t represent the Jewish people in any way whatsoever. They have no right to speak in the name of the Jewish people. Therefore, their words, declarations and actions are not in any way representative of the Jewish people. We deplore acts and policies of violence carried out by those who – misusing the name of Israel – have substituted the ideal of nationalism for the teachings of the holy Torah

Therefore, Mr. President, it is of the utmost urgency that the State of Israel should not be referred as a Jewish State, but as the Zionist State. The foundation of its existence is not Judaism, but the Zionist ideology. We are extremely concerned that referring to it as a “Jewish� state endangers the welfare of Jews worldwide by linking Jews and Judaism to the terrible actions of the Zionist State. The Zionist state with its supporters worldwide seeks to take all measures possible, including provoking hatred of Jews through Israeli policies, in order to convince Jews to move from their native countries to the State of Israel!! Indeed, hatred of Jews is the very lifeblood and oxygen of the Zionist movement and their state, which are stand in total opposition to Judaism.

Throughout history when persecution resulted in expulsions, there were always other nations who opened their doors to the Jews, and were blessed by G-d for doing so. We believe that our country would even welcome those Jews who would wish to leave the State of Israel, and bring great blessings onto the United States.

Your good intentions and kind consideration in relation to Jews is greatly appreciated, but we strongly believe that G-d’s blessings upon the United States will grow if there is greater understanding and different policies in relation to this issue of the difference between Judaism and Zionism.

We await the days when all the world will recognize the sovereignty of the Creator, and the words of the prophet Isaiah will yet be fulfilled: "And they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. No nation will lift its sword against any other, nor will they learn warfare anymore."