Judaism

CENTRAL CONFERENCE OF AMERICAN RABBIS (Reform)

The Central Conference of American Rabbis reaffirms its conviction that conscientious objection to military service is in accordance with the highest interpretation of Judaism and therefore petitions the Government of the United States to grant to Jewish religious conscientious objectors to war the same exemption from military service as has long been granted to members of the Society of Friends and similar religious organizations.

(Statement of the Central Conference, 1936)

Our conference, some years since, affirmed the right of the conscientious objectors to refuse, on religious and humanitarian grounds, to bear arms. The Conference does not recede from this attitude. This affirmation may still be invoked by those whose conscience will not allow them, under any circumstances, to bear arms. Nor must those who invoke it become the object of recrimination on the part of the many of us who will not agree with them.

(Statement of the Central Conference, 1940)

Acting out of commitment to the prophetic ideals of justice and peace, and acknowledging the duty of the individual to act in accordance with the highest ideals of morality, we hereby express our support of those who conscientiously dissent from the policy of our government in Vietnam and who refuse to cooperate with that policy.

(Statement of the Central Conference , 1968)

Amnesty (1976)

WHEREAS the wounds caused by the Vietnam War cannot be bound up until those who refused to serve are welcomed home,

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that we again call upon Congress and the President to grant unconditional amnesty to all who refused to serve in the Vietnam War and either went to prison, resisted, deserted, received less than an honorable discharge or went into exile.

Registration and the Draft

Whereas, We have previously recognized the right of both conscientious objection and selective conscientious objection to war; and

Whereas, Registration at this time is unnecessary; and
Whereas, Believing that the costs of such an action draw funds from needed social,

educational and economic programs that will make for social betterment;

Resolved, That the Central Conference of American Rabbis opposes the inauguration or implementation by our government of any national draft at this time. Similarly, we oppose the idea of registering our youth at this time for some future draft. We believe that should there arise some national emergency necessitating the mobilization of our population, sufficient techniques exist by which to effect that mobilization.

Further Resolved, That we urge our colleagues to provide counseling services to interested and affected individuals, and to advertise widely this service in and through the community, so that Jewish youth particularly might know where they might go for counseling that is based on the Jewish religious tradition.

(Resolution adopted at the 93rd Annual Convention, June-July, 1982)

Central Conference of American Rabbis, 355 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017; <info@ccarnet.org>; www.ccarnet.org

JEWISH PEACE FELLOWSHIP

The Jewish Peace Fellowship unites those who believe that Jewish ideals and experience provide inspiration for a nonviolent philosophy of life. Stimulated by elements in traditional and contemporary Judaism which stress the sanctity of human life, the JPF promotes the attitude of respect for humanity and confidence in its essential decency. These attitudes it endeavors to incorporate in the personal relations of its members and friends. In striving to eliminate the causes of war, the JPF is also concerned with the advancement of freedom and justice for all people.

Deuteronomy also establishes a draft law by designating those who cannot be required to serve in the army. If a man has built a house and not lived in it, planted a vineyard and not eaten its fruit, or betrothed a wife and not lived with her, he cannot be called to serve. It also declares that if he is afraid he is exempted from military service (20; 5-8). The ancient rabbis interpreted this to mean a person is exempt if he is afraid that he might sin by killing someone. This may be considered the first provision for conscientious objectors in any draft legislation.

Throughout our history there has been a continuous stream of commentators who find warfare to be a violation of the Jewish principles of compassion and of doing no harm, and, most important of violating the sacredness of human life, since each human has been created in the image of the Divine.

–Rabbi Michael Robinson, “Judaism and War.”

As moral Jews, many young people have questions about whether they could kill another human being, whether they accept the U.S. government’s authority to send people anywhere in the world and order them to kill, or whether they choose to fight the battles chosen by our government.

–Andy Mager, “Registration at Age 18.”

When we consider what Rabbi Johanan ben Zakkai accomplished nonviolently in the face of Roman military might, or when we read in Josephus the stirring report of the successful nonviolent resistance to the Emperor Caligula by our people, we realize that modern experiments with nonviolence have an important place in Jewish tradition.

For further information, contact: Jewish Peace Fellowship, Box 271, Nyack, NY 10960; <jpf@forusa.org>; www.jewishpeacefellowship.org

THE RABBINICAL ASSEMBLY Selective Conscientious Objection

The United States government has been a pioneer in absolving religious pacifists from war duty.

The war in Vietnam has created a new dilemma. Some men, who are not total pacifists, object to serving in Vietnam because they regard that war and such service as repugnant to their conscience.

The Rabbinical Assembly, in convention assembled, urges the United States government to continue its pioneering in matters of conscience with respect to war by recognizing selective conscientious objection in the same way that total conscientious objection has been recognized. This will make it possible for the selective conscientious objector to serve his country in a manner other than engaging in direct military duty.

Obviously, everyone is obliged to refrain from invoking such objection except on the clearest grounds of conscience and after the most serious thought and study. Further, whoever out conscience refuses to serve his country at this time must be prepared to accept the consequences of his action as established by law.

(RA 1968)

For further information, contact: The Rabbinical Assembly, 3080 Broadway, New York, NY 10027; rabassembly@jtsa.edu; www.rabassembly.org.