Dear President Trump,
The undersigned leaders of the American Jewish community are writing to you in solidarity with our friends and neighbors in the Armenian-American community and to urge you to intervene to save the innocent people of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) amidst a current and growing crisis.
Since their adoption of Christianity in 301 CE, Armenians have nurtured their faith through many trials, including and significantly the Turkish Genocide of 1915. This first genocide of the modern era established a precedent of international silence that in no small part helped set the stage for further horrors over the past century.
Though the Armenian people have been peacefully living in Armenia and Artsakh for thousands of years, they have also been the victims of persecution and suffering by the hands of many nations and regimes. The current crisis, and the aggression toward Armenia, is already creating undue levels of suffering for the civilian population in Artsakh. If the international community fails to intervene to restore calm and return matters to a peaceful place, we fear a far greater tragedy – including grave harm and loss of lives, as well as the destruction of significant religious sites of importance to the Armenian Christian community.
The Armenian people have suffered through the genocide once at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. We cannot sit idly by as they face the risk of another extraordinary humanitarian disaster.
Mr. President, we urge you to use your leadership at this critical moment. The United States of America must intervene to restore calm rather than face living with the remorse of ignoring the plea of Armenians who are calling for peace. We urge you to use the powers of your office to deescalate this conflict and to use your influence with America’s ally Turkey, which is an active participant in the conflict, to bring an immediate end to the killing of civilians before thousands of lives are lost.
We will continue to pray for you and your family. The United States of America has been a beacon of hope around the world. You have the opportunity to demonstrate our leadership in hopes of preventing a global crisis. The Armenian people are at grave risk in a fight against terror and persecution. We need you to stand with the people of the Land of Noah.
Signed,
Massachusetts Public Officials
State Treasurer Deb Goldberg
State Senator Michael Moore
State Senator Becca Rausch
State Senator Eric Lesser
State Representative Ruth Balser
State Representative Lori Ehrlich
Massachusetts Jewish Institutional Leaders
Jeremy Burton, Executive Director, JCRC of Greater Boston*
Lino Covarrubias, CEO, Jewish Family Service of Metrowest*
Rabbi Neal Gold, President, Massachusetts Board of Rabbis*
Samuel Mendales, Executive Director, Hillel Council of New England*
Jerry Rubin, President & CEO, Jewish Vocational Service*
Jeffrey Savit, President & CEO, Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters*
Steven Schimmel, Executive Director, Jewish Federation of Central MA*
Craig Schneider, Co-President, Synagogue Council of MA*
Mark Sokoll, President & CEO, JCC of Greater Boston*
Andrew Tarsy, Principal, Emblem Strategic & Conscious Customers*
Massachusetts Rabbis
Rabbi Thomas Alpert, Temple Etz Chaim, Franklin*
Rabbi Jordana Battis, Temple Shir Tikva, Wayland*
Rabbi Allison Berry, Temple Shalom, Newton*
Rabbi Danny Burkeman, Temple Shir Tikva, Wayland*
Rabbi Shahar Colt, Congregation Dorshei Tzedek, Newton*
Rabbi Carol Glass, Hebrew College*
Rabbi Eric Gurvis, Sha’arei Shalom, Ashland*
Rabbi Jeff Foust, Spiritual Life Center, Bentley University*
Rabbi Neil Hirsch, Hevreh of Southern Berkshire, Great Barrington*
Rabbi David Jaffe, Inside Out Wisdom and Action*
Rabbi Howard Jaffe, Temple Isaiah, Lexington*
Rabbi Jonathan Kraus, Beth El Temple Center, Belmont*
Rabbi David Lerner, Temple Emunah, Lexington*
Rabbi David Meyer, Temple Emanu-El, Marblehead*
Rabbi Barbara Penzner, Temple Hillel B’nai Torah, West Roxbury*
Rabbi Carl Perkins, Temple Aliyah, Needham*
Rabbi Victor Reinstein, Nehar Shalom, Jamaica Plain*
Rabbi Becky Silverstein, Beyn Kodesh l’Chol, Jamaica Plain*
Rabbi Toba Spitzer, Congregation Dorshei Tzedek, Newton*
Rabbi Henry Zoob, Temple Beth David, Westwood*
*Organization listed to aid in identification only
[iframe src=”https://tfaforms.com/4858604″ height=”1400″ width=”100%” scrolling=”auto”]
