Jews to Presbyterians: Don’t Divest From Israel
Close to 9,000 American Jews have so far signed a petition calling on the Presbyterian Church reject proposals that would divest from three companies doing business with Israel.
The petition, launched Monday and spearheaded by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and the Israel Action Network, will be sent ahead the Presbyterian Church (USA)’s biennial General Assembly at the end of June. During the assembly, the church is expected to vote on a number resolutions that would divest the church from Caterpillar, Hewlett-Packard, and Motorola Solutions, three companies that conduct business with Israel.
At least one resolution also under consideration would reject such divestment and more broadly repudiate the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement.
The JCPA letter says a divestment policy would be harmful to Israel and the relationship between Jews and Christians.
“We understand and respect your calling to invest in a morally responsible manner. A policy of divestment to pressure Israel, however, runs counter to these goals. Such a one-sided approach damages the relationship between Jews and Christians that has been nurtured for decades,” the letter stated.
In May, the general conference of the United Methodist Church rejected a similar divestment measure that would cut off investments with Caterpillar, Motorola Solutions and Hewlett-Packard.
In that case, JCPA organized a letter from 1,300 rabbis. A similar rabbinical letter is being prepared ahead of the Presbyterian assembly.
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
