By Jessica Davis, JTNews Correspondent
Recently, Rabbi David Forman’s 15-year-old daughter’s school in Israel was designated a bombing target for Palestinian terrorists. A 19-year-old Palestinian girl went there to attack, but was caught before the school could be damaged.
Despite the fact that Forman’s teen-age daughter now talks to her parents on a cell phone because she is scared to walk down the street, he continues his work with the pro-peace group Rabbis for Human Rights. Forman spoke in Seattle in May on “Israel, Human Rights and Jewish Tradition.”
Forman is a former Israeli soldier, a Reform Jew, and a founder of RHR, an organization that started in 1988 as a peace response to the Israel-Palestine conflicts. Members include 20 Orthodox rabbis.
“We’re not in the mainstream,” said Forman. “I think that is an unfortunate reality.”
Forman also writes regularly for the Israeli newspapers The Jerusalem Post and Ha’aretz. He is the author of Jewish Schizophrenia in the Land of Israel and 50 Ways to Be Jewish.
Around the same time two years ago, he reminded the audience at Temple Beth Am in Seattle’s Northend, meetings were held at Camp David regarding the Israel and Palestine peace process. Said Forman, when former U.S. President Bill Clinton realized the talks would fail, Clinton said, “I can’t understand — you Jews and Muslims — why can’t you learn to live together like good Christians?”
Since Sept. 11, although we cannot control the actions of others, “We must be absolutely steadfast in maintaining our own integrity,” said Forman.
“Islamic religious extremists have brought much devastation,” said Forman. “The unrestrained use of power can reap devastating results.”
Forman and his wife avoided going out for dinner for almost three months because they were afraid to risk their lives, he said. “We need to live free from fear and Palestinians need to live free from occupation,” said Forman. “Continued occupation contradicts our values as a Jewish people.”
President George W. Bush seems to waver daily in his regards to Israel, said Forman. The final decision must be a negotiation between Israelis and Palestinians, he said.
After his speech, Forman went to the lobby to sign his books, while many attendees stayed to discuss their concerns with the pro-Israel rally that took place on April 30 in downtown Seattle.