February 21, 2003

At the National Day of Prayer:
OU Leader Declares that Killing of Innocents by Islamic Fundamentalists has Given Religion a Bad Name

In the solemn circumstances of a “National Day of Prayer,” the top professional of the Orthodox Union declared that Islamic fundamentalism and its belief in killing in God’s name is chillul Hashem – desecration of God’s name; expressed strong support for the Bush Administration’s policies regarding Iraq; and described the numbing pain felt by Orthodox Jews over the terrorism unleashed on Israel.

Speaking at a religious service held in conjunction with the “National Day of Prayer” decreed for February 20 (18 Adar I) “in this time of heightened levels of security and threats of imminent war” by the Orthodox Union and the Rabbinical Council of America in consultation with other national Orthodox organizations and the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, OU Executive Vice President Rabbi Tzvi Hersh Weinreb said, “In the past few years religion as a whole has gotten a bad name,” through the actions of those who “have killed countless innocents in the name of Allah. This has reflected poorly on all religious people. We believe in God as fervently as the most fervent Muslim, but we do not believe that God wants us to kill other people, but on the contrary to do everything we can to preserve life and all its wonderful values. We protest against those who in the name of religion murder others.”

The highlight of the prayer service was the recitation of six psalms – Tehillim in Hebrew. Similar services were held across the country through the network of OU synagogues. Given the solemnity of the occasion, Rabbi Weinreb and others fasted until the conclusion of the 1:00 p.m. service. Commenting that the OU’s offices are just “a few short blocks from Ground Zero,” Rabbi Weinreb noted the threat to “all of humanity,” and said, “We feel an imminent threat of horrible, grotesque, terror from biological and chemical warfare and so called ‘conventional’ means of terror,” at the same time that “we shrivel in pain because of the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Israel.”

Rabbi Weinreb blessed President Bush and his advisors and expressed gratitude to them for their moral leadership. “President Bush speaks with great clarity, not only in moral terms, but in religious terms as well in distinguishing between good and evil and seeing Saddam Hussein as ‘evil personified,’ ” Rabbi Weinreb said. He emphasized how fortunate Jews are to live in the United States, which he called “this great kingdom of kindness, this wonderful democracy.”

Regarding Iraq, Rabbi Weinreb declared, “We pray for a peaceful solution, but if the President and his advisors, who are the experts, determine that military action is required to eradicate this evil,” the OU would stand by the President “one hundred percent,” and “with “allegiance and patriotism.” An American attack on Iraq would be “a just war,” Rabbi Weinreb said. He noted that a close friend, a military chaplain, just this week bid his family farewell for at least a year to join the troops in an unnamed location in the world.

“We are religious Jews,” Rabbi Weinreb said. “We must respond with prayer.” He noted the approach on March 18 of the holiday of Purim, which commemorates the rescue of the Jews in the Persian Empire from annihilation at the hands of Haman. “The Saddams Husseins of today are no different and perhaps more dangerous than Haman,” Rabbi Weinreb said.

Quoting from the Megillah, the biblical Book of Esther, Rabbi Weinreb recalled Queen Esther’s words, “Go and gather all the Jews and fast for me for three days and three nights, and I and my entourage will fast likewise.” He asked for the meaning of “You fast for me and I will fast for you.” The sages explain that “if a person prays not for himself but for others, the prayer will be answered. If we pray for others, if we have compassion for others, our prayers will be heard.” He called for the “spirit of unity of Jews and men and women of good faith throughout the world” to call on God to provide “a true, lasting, harmonious peace,” and prayed for the safety of both American and Israeli military forces.

Rabbi Weinreb expressed his belief that God will listen to these prayers and will respond, even by miraculous action if necessary. Just as rejoicing begins in the month of Adar even before the arrival of Purim, he said, we can anticipate the time when, as it says in the book of Proverbs, “In the destruction of the wicked, there will be song.”

Rabbi Weinreb’s remarks, which were broadcast live on the OU website, can be heard on the website.

The Orthodox Union, now in its second century of service to the Jewish community of North America and beyond, is a world leader in community and synagogue services, adult education, youth work through NCSY, political action through the IPA, and advocacy for persons with disabilities through Yachad and Our Way. Its kosher supervision label, the (OU), is the world’s most recognized kosher symbol and can be found on over 250,000 products manufactured in 68 countries around the globe.

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