RCA condemns calls for revenge

The Rabbinical Council of America issued a statement expressing its “outrage over the dancing, singing and celebration of the murder of Ali Dawabshe in the Duma arson and condemns the actions of these radical youth in the harshest terms.”

The statement applauded “the quick and decisive statements of Israeli religious and political leaders regarding the event.”

“The vigilante and lawless calls for revenge and dancing with machine guns and knives are anathema to Jewish morality and religious standards,” said RCA President Rabbi Shalom Baum.

The RCA statement echoed that of Chief Rabbi David Lau, that “acts like these are not the way of Judaism. This is a rejection and repudiation of the values of the Jewish people, the Torah and the uniqueness of the Jewish people.”

RCA First Vice President Rabbi Elazar Muskin said, “While extremely concerned about the issues of safety and security of innocent Israeli citizens, the RCA reaffirms that glorifying violence in any way  is against the Torah’s ways of pleasantness.”

The RCA urged the Israeli government to take whatever measures necessary to protect the safety of all of its innocent citizens, and called on Israeli religious and educational leaders to nurture values in Israeli society that hold these despicable acts to be unacceptable and intolerable.