Thursday, March 01, 2007

Historical Jewish-Hindu Leadership Summit

[Given below is a report on the Hindu-Jewish leadership summit held in Delhi recently and comments on the same in the Milli Gazzette, reflecting the Muslim viewpoint on the subject. I have cut and paste the whole thing for those who are interested in these sort of goings-on.]

Historical Jewish-Hindu Leadership Summit held2/28/2007 3:33:56 PM www.ajc.org
The first Hindu-Jewish leadership summit took place in Delhi, February 5-6, 2007; at which the delegation of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel convened with major religious leaders of Hindu dharma. It is planned that this historic gathering will lead to ongoing bilateral meetings on shared values and common concerns, many of which were highlighted at this summit.

Declaration of Mutual Understanding and Cooperation from the First Jewish-Hindu Leadership Summit Delhi ; February 5-6, 2007
The participants affirmed that: 1. Their respective Traditions teach that there is One Supreme Being who is the Ultimate Reality, who has created this world in its blessed diversity and who has communicated Divine ways of action for humanity, for different peoples in different times and places. 2. The religious identities of both Jewish and Hindu communities are related to components of Faith, Scripture, Peoplehood, Culture, Land and Language. 3. Hindus and Jews seek to maintain their respective heritage and pass it on to the succeeding generations, while living in respectful relations with other communities. 4. Neither seeks to proselytize, nor undermine or replace in any way the religious identities of other faith communities. They expect other communities to respect their religious identities and commitments, and condemn all activities that go against the sanctity of this mutual respect.
5. Both the Hindu and Jewish Traditions affirm the sanctity of life and aspire for a society in which all live in peace and harmony with one another. Accordingly they condemn all acts of violence in the name of any religion or against any religion. 6. The Jewish and Hindu communities are committed to the ancient traditions of Judaism and Hindu dharma respectively, and have both, in their own ways, gone through the painful experiences of persecution, oppression and destruction. Therefore, they realize the need to educate the present and succeeding generations about their past, in order that they will make right efforts to promote religious harmony. 7. The representatives of the two faith communities recognize the need for understanding one another in terms of lifestyles, philosophy, religious symbols, culture, etc. They also recognize that they have to make themselves understood by other faith communities. They hope that through their bilateral initiatives, these needs would be met. 8. Because both traditions affirm the central importance of social responsibility for their societies and for the collective good of humanity, the participants pledged themselves to work together to help address the challenges of poverty, sickness and inequitable distribution of resources.
9. The representatives of the two faith communities also agree to constitute a Standing Committee on Hindu-Jewish Relations.
Rabbi Yona Metzger
Chief Rabbi of Israel
Swami Dayanand Saraswati,
Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha


Re: Historical Jewish-Hindu Leadership Summit held swamijyoti 3/1/2007 4:43:36 AM THE MILLI GAZETTE ON THE HINDU-JEWISH SUMMIT!By Zafarul-Islam Khan24 February 2007http://www.milligazette.com/dailyupdate/2007/200702261_Hindu_Jewish_summit_rss.htmOne of Israel's two chief rabbis, that is Yona Metzger, religious head of the Ashkenazis, that is the European, that is Khazar, that is non-Semite Jews, paid a high profile visit to India during 5-7 February while friends of the Jewsih state here celebrated the 15th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel which was the only wish of the RSS delegation which met Narasimha Rao soon he became prime minister in 1991. Ashkenazis are the people who established Israel and still control it while the oriental Jews, Sephardim, are second class citizens and the Israeli Arabs are third class citizens of the state which boasts to be the only democracy in the Middle East. In Delhi, the Ashkenazi chief rabbi met top Hindu leaders including leaders of the RSS and BJP in what was termed as "Jewish-Hindu summit." It led to a 9-point "Declaration of Mutual Understanding and Cooperation from the First Jewish-Hindu Leadership Summit" (text: http://www.wfn.org/2007/02/msg00073.html )The declaration primarily acknowledges the “shared values” of the two traditions, as well as “the common challenges.” The summit, the delegation hoped, will lead to "ongoing bilateral meetings on shared values and common concerns.” The declaration noted that both the religions do not seek to proselytize and “condemn all activities that go against the sanctity of this mutual respect.” The declaration further said that both religions have "gone through the painful experiences of persecution, oppression and destruction. Therefore, they realize the need to educate the present and succeeding generations about their past, in order that they will make right efforts to promote religious harmony." The summit declaration, which failed to say anything about the occupation of Palestine, expulsion of the majority of the Palestinians from their homeland and continued denial of their national, political, social and religious rights, also resolved to constitute a "Standing Committee on Hindu-Jewish Relations." The declaration was signed from the Hindu side by Swami Dayanand Saraswati, head of Dharma Acharya Sabha, who is close to the RSS. The so-called "summit" was organised by an obscure organisation called "World Council of Religious Leaders" which is headed by Bawa Jain who found it necessary to allay "apprehensions that the meeting aimed to forge an alliance against Islam and Christianity." Jain revealed the reason behind this bonhomie: "Since Jews were a powerful community in the US, their association with Hindus would help to strengthen Indo-US relations." The Israeli side, on the other hand, betrayed its aim from this strange alliance. “Several Hindu leaders expressed their dismay at Muslim violence," said Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger. "They told me that both Judaism and Hinduism were the mothers from which all other religions suckled. But sometimes the offsprings bite the breast that feeds them," he told Jerusalem Post (6 Feb.). While Rabbi David Rosen, international director of inter-religious affairs at the American Jewish Committee said that, “Although, Muslim extremism was not singled out, it was at the forefront of many participants' minds." Speaking on the occasion, Swami Dayanand Saraswati said, "Hindu-Jewish dialogue will act as a benchmark for others to follow and emulate." The Israeli Foreign Ministry Spokesman called it an "historic event.”Chief Rabbi Metzger made a touching reference to the lasting contribution made by the BJP leader LK Advani in furthering the friendship and co-operation between India and Israel. Israeli Ambassador David Danieli was also present during the dinner at Advani’s official residence while the (Jewish) Indian officer, Lt. Gen. (retd) JFR Jacob, was part of the Jewish delegation. The tainted Kanchi Shankaracharya Swami Jayendra Saraswati too was involved with the Hindu side represented by some thirty prominent Hindu leaders.The Chief Rabbi said, "It is seldom that I go to somebody's residence to participate in a reception. Our custom does not allow this. But, here, I came to Shri L.K. Advani's residence, as if I were going to my own home. It is a debt that we owe to the leader. As India's Internal Minister, he was the first Indian top official to visit Israel. He played a major and sustained role in furthering and cementing the relations between the two countries. We immensely value this gesture. Our people are greatly indebted to India." It was unfortunate that some Indian Muslim leaders and scholars chose to meet the visiting chief rabbi and that too in the house of BJP leader LK Advani during whose time, as home minister, Indo-Israeli relations were transformed into "strategic relationship" to the point of exchanging intelligence and allowing the Israeli espionage and sabotage agency, Mossad, to openly operate in India. Until the Palestinian issue is solved to the satisfaction of the victims of the Israeli aggression no normal and cordial relations are possible with Jews who for fourteen centuries found patronage and refuge in Muslim countries from European persecution, and had their "golden period" under Islam according to their own (pre-Israel) confession. They held highest positions under Muslims in Egypt, Syria and Spain. All that goodwill was squandered by their gross injustice to the people of Palestine and insistence to stay in the Middle East as the catspaw of the western imperialism.

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