A Thank you note to The Centre for Inter Faith Dialogue in the Diocese of Stockholm
Dear Helene Egnell,
We the members of Torat Chayim, an Orthodox Rabbinical Association, would like to express our profound gratitude to you and your colleagues at The Centre for Inter Faith Dialogue in the Diocese of Stockholm for your unwavering support in the face of multiple attacks lodged at one of our core practices-- the ritual of circumcision. Your defense of our freedom of religion, in Sweden and other regions in the past months, has been essential to protecting our tradition and faith, as well as preserving our faith in our fellow human beings.
We deeply appreciate that you were vocal in your support from the very beginning. Your statements have made an impact that will be felt for generations. Without your voices of support, there is no doubt that we would not be where we are today, which is on the verge of safeguarding our ancient mark of the covenant. On behalf of the greater Jewish people, thank you for being the definition of a true friend and a protector of its faith.
We believe that protecting religious freedom is a source of joy and pride for all the members of our communities. We believe that our Father in Heaven is overjoyed that the three religions, all serving one God, the God of Abraham, are now acting as partners in defending religious tradition and the sacred in a secular society.
It is the duty of religious individuals and communities everywhere to protect the fundamental right of all humans to religious freedom, which is unfortunately threatened in each generation. Maimonides states in regards to assisting others, that one of the greatest forms of charity is giving to someone you do not personally know because the giver does not hope for recompense. It is evident that your motivation stems from nothing but compassion and the love of truth; nevertheless, we wish to pledge that if, Heaven forfend, the need ever arises, we would similarly do all in our power to stand up for our Christian brothers.
B’Shalom,
Rabbi Jehoschua Ahrens
Rabbi Yitzchak Ajzner
Rabba Wendy Amsellem
Rabbi Dr. Elisha Ancselovits
Rabbi Dr. Shraga Bar-On
Rabbi David Bauman
Rabbi Dr. Alan Brill
Rabbi Chuck Davidson
Rabbi Eiran Davies
Rabbi Barry Dolinger
Rabbi Yehoshua Engelman
Rabbi Dr. Zev Farber
Rabbi Dr. Reb Mimi Feigelson
Rabbi Aaron Frank
Rabbi Avidan Freedman
Rabbi Daniel Geretz
Rabbi David Glicksman
Rabbanit Nechama Goldman-Barash
Rabbi Dr. Mel Gottleib
Rabbi Steve Greenberg
Rabbi Dr. Yitz Greenberg
Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy
Rabbanit Dr. Hannah Hashkes
Rabbi Dr. Joel Hecker
Rabbi Tyson Herberger
Rabbi Aviad Yehiel Hacohen Hollander
Rabbi Dr. Elie Holzer
Rabbanit Bracha Jaffe
Rabbi David Kalb
Rabbanit Rachel Keren
Rabbi Tzvi Koren
Rabbi Dr. Eugene Korn
Rabbi Gabriel Kretzmer-Seed
Rabbi Steven Langnas
Rabbi Eliezer Lawrence
Rabbi Hayim Leiter
Rabbi Yehoshua Looks
Rabbi Asher Lopatin
Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes-Cardozo
Rabbi Yitzchak Marmorstein
Rabbi Jair Melchior
Rabbi Dina Najman
Rabbi Micha Odenheimer
Rabbi Avi Poupko
Rabbah Deborah Renert
Rabbi Rachel Rosenbluth
Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger
Rabbi Dani Segal
Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller
Rabbi Yair Silverman
Rabbi Daniel Silverstein
Rabbi Ross Singer
Rabbi Michael Stein
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz
Rabbi Dr. Alan Yuter
Rabbi Dr. Doug Zelden
Reb Noam Zion
We the members of Torat Chayim, an Orthodox Rabbinical Association, would like to express our profound gratitude to you and your colleagues at The Centre for Inter Faith Dialogue in the Diocese of Stockholm for your unwavering support in the face of multiple attacks lodged at one of our core practices-- the ritual of circumcision. Your defense of our freedom of religion, in Sweden and other regions in the past months, has been essential to protecting our tradition and faith, as well as preserving our faith in our fellow human beings.
We deeply appreciate that you were vocal in your support from the very beginning. Your statements have made an impact that will be felt for generations. Without your voices of support, there is no doubt that we would not be where we are today, which is on the verge of safeguarding our ancient mark of the covenant. On behalf of the greater Jewish people, thank you for being the definition of a true friend and a protector of its faith.
We believe that protecting religious freedom is a source of joy and pride for all the members of our communities. We believe that our Father in Heaven is overjoyed that the three religions, all serving one God, the God of Abraham, are now acting as partners in defending religious tradition and the sacred in a secular society.
It is the duty of religious individuals and communities everywhere to protect the fundamental right of all humans to religious freedom, which is unfortunately threatened in each generation. Maimonides states in regards to assisting others, that one of the greatest forms of charity is giving to someone you do not personally know because the giver does not hope for recompense. It is evident that your motivation stems from nothing but compassion and the love of truth; nevertheless, we wish to pledge that if, Heaven forfend, the need ever arises, we would similarly do all in our power to stand up for our Christian brothers.
B’Shalom,
Rabbi Jehoschua Ahrens
Rabbi Yitzchak Ajzner
Rabba Wendy Amsellem
Rabbi Dr. Elisha Ancselovits
Rabbi Dr. Shraga Bar-On
Rabbi David Bauman
Rabbi Dr. Alan Brill
Rabbi Chuck Davidson
Rabbi Eiran Davies
Rabbi Barry Dolinger
Rabbi Yehoshua Engelman
Rabbi Dr. Zev Farber
Rabbi Dr. Reb Mimi Feigelson
Rabbi Aaron Frank
Rabbi Avidan Freedman
Rabbi Daniel Geretz
Rabbi David Glicksman
Rabbanit Nechama Goldman-Barash
Rabbi Dr. Mel Gottleib
Rabbi Steve Greenberg
Rabbi Dr. Yitz Greenberg
Rabbi Dr. Meesh Hammer-Kossoy
Rabbanit Dr. Hannah Hashkes
Rabbi Dr. Joel Hecker
Rabbi Tyson Herberger
Rabbi Aviad Yehiel Hacohen Hollander
Rabbi Dr. Elie Holzer
Rabbanit Bracha Jaffe
Rabbi David Kalb
Rabbanit Rachel Keren
Rabbi Tzvi Koren
Rabbi Dr. Eugene Korn
Rabbi Gabriel Kretzmer-Seed
Rabbi Steven Langnas
Rabbi Eliezer Lawrence
Rabbi Hayim Leiter
Rabbi Yehoshua Looks
Rabbi Asher Lopatin
Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes-Cardozo
Rabbi Yitzchak Marmorstein
Rabbi Jair Melchior
Rabbi Dina Najman
Rabbi Micha Odenheimer
Rabbi Avi Poupko
Rabbah Deborah Renert
Rabbi Rachel Rosenbluth
Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger
Rabbi Dani Segal
Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller
Rabbi Yair Silverman
Rabbi Daniel Silverstein
Rabbi Ross Singer
Rabbi Michael Stein
Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz
Rabbi Dr. Alan Yuter
Rabbi Dr. Doug Zelden
Reb Noam Zion