[amc] Fw: Jews Trying to Avert Protestant Divestment
- From: "Ray Gingerich" <RGingerich@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Jason Gingerich" <jason@xxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 30 Sep 2004 00:25:47 -0500
Jason,
What about Mennonite Mutual Aid investments?
Ray
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"There is no way to peace; peace is the way." A. J. Muste
----- Original Message -----
From: "Werner J. Severin" <wseverin1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Ray Gingerich" <RGingerich@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 8:15 PM
Subject: Jews Trying to Avert Protestant Divestment
>
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/29/national/29religion.html?oref=login&pagewa
> nted=print&position=
>
>
> September 29, 2004
>
> Jews Trying to Avert Protestant Divestment
> By NEELA BANERJEE
>
> Leaders of Jewish organizations said yesterday that they were reaching out
> to Protestant groups to pre-empt the spread of a recent initiative by the
> Presbyterian Church to divest selectively from companies doing business in
> Israel.
>
> The Presbyterian Church U.S.A.'s general assembly decided at its biennial
> meeting in Richmond, Va., earlier this summer to explore divestment, an
> idea that dismayed many Jews with its echoes of international censure of
> South Africa and more recently, Sudan. Concern has risen among Jews and
> Christians alike that disagreements over Israel could fracture interfaith
> relations.
>
> Last week, after a trip to Israel, representatives of the worldwide
> Anglican communion said they would recommend to their governing bodies
that
> their churches also divest, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported.
>
> After Presbyterian and Jewish leaders met yesterday in New York, Rabbi
Eric
> Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, told reporters that
> representatives of Jewish groups had already contacted leaders of the
> Episcopal Church in the United States and others, "whether they are
> currently discussing'' divestment or not. Rabbi Yoffie said he had yet to
> receive a "substantive reply" from the Episcopalians regarding a meeting.
>
> Yesterday's meeting with the Presbyterians did not resolve the issue,
> leaders from both sides said.
>
> Rabbi Gary Bretton-Granatoor, director of interfaith affairs at the
> Anti-Defamation League, said the Rev. Brian Grieves, director of peace and
> justice ministries of the Episcopal Church and a member of the Anglican
> delegation to Israel, had accepted an offer to meet. Mr. Grieves could not
> be reached for comment.
>
> Presbyterian leaders at the New York meeting also said that consultation
> was critical for any group considering a similar move.
>
> "We would encourage that this dialogue begin early," said Elder Rick
> Ufford-Chase, the moderator of the church's 216th general assembly.
>
> Mr. Ufford-Chase stopped short of saying that the church had been mistaken
> in not consulting broadly with Jews before it adopted the measure on
> divestment. But some Presbyterians who disagreed with the divestment
> decision said that it appeared to have been made without talking to Jewish
> groups and understanding their position on Israel.
>
> Mark Pelavin, director of the Commission on Inter-religious affairs of
> Reform Judaism, said that at a regularly scheduled meeting Sunday and
> Monday, leaders of the Reform Jewish movement and the Evangelical Lutheran
> Church in America discussed the divestment issue.
>
> The National Council of Churches USA, an ecumenical alliance of 38
> Protestant denominations, also decided last week to discuss divestment at
> an October meeting with Jewish groups.
>
> The Rev. Shanta Premawardhana, associate general secretary for interfaith
> relations at the council, said "We can't have any conversation without
> discussing this elephant in the room."
>
>
> Werner J. Severin
> 3108 Silverleaf Drive
> Austin, Tx. 78757-1611
>
> (512) 452-5080
>
>
>
-------
Austin Mennonite Church, (512) 926-3121 www.mennochurch.org
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