In a statement on Wednesday, Chief Rabbi of Russia, Rabbi Berel Lazar, calls on religious leaders worldwide to do all in their power to help resolve the conflict in Ukraine peacefully to prevent any further casualties:
We are all children of One G-d – this concept is the foundation of any religion. That means we are all brothers and sisters. True, being different people, we may have completely different, even opposing, views on various issues. However, one belief we should all share: that our duty to G-d is to strive with all our might for mutual understanding and respect, and in no case to raise a sword against our brother!
One of the mainstays of monotheism is the belief that any conflict can and should be resolved peacefully.
In our Holy Scriptures, one of the names of G-d is Shalom, which means “peace”. Peace is the objective that G-d sets for us daily, as we repeat several times a day in our prayers. Today’s reality, regretfully, is far from it: every day we receive news from our co-religionists, from the rabbis of Ukraine on what is going on there.
We feel the pain of our brothers, regardless of their faith. I urge everyone to pray for peace, but prayer alone is not enough. Now G-d expects every believer to do everything in their power to save human lives. Personally, I am ready for any mediation, ready to do anything I can and beyond to silence the guns and to stop the bombs. However, now is the time for joint action.
Therefore, I appeal to all religious leaders in Ukraine, Russia, Europe, and other continents to join forces for peace. We, loyal to One G-d alone, should use all our influence, all our power to stop the chaos and prevent further casualties. This is our sacred duty to the One Who created us all and gave us life in this world. Let’s do it, and G-d will surely help us!
Truly impressed
This, kind of fits in to a radio-show in Miami, back\
in the late-70’s. The guest was a Rabbi – okay, reform.
However, when a caller asked about where was G-d
during the Holocaust, he gave an answer we had to
admit was a good answer.
In a nutshell, he said: “You see, G-d gave mankind
free-will to do good or evil. He does not want us to be
marionettes. So, if mankind decides to do evil, the
question should not be, ‘where was G-d during the Holocaust,’
but, ‘where was Man during the Holocaust?”
I would just like to point out that all these religious Jews voted for Trump. Trump has publicly stated various times throughout the past weeks his respect and admiration for Putin. Now Putin has started a war, and these same republican Jews still see no problems with their political affiliations here in America.
If you weren’t a democrat before WWIII broke out, I hope you are now.
Conservatives are team Russia, and you can’t claim to support the Jews of Ukraine if you continue to vote for a party that is actively calling for Ukrainian suppression.
if you think Trump is not good, democrats is much, much worse
they openly are against all Torah values
Love your neighbor like yourself – this is the foundation of the Torah. Democrats value all human beings and treat everyone with equality and kindness. I can’t think of anything more grounded in Torah values than a liberal political mindset.
Unless those human beings are working-class whites (“deplorables”), Asians, blacks who don’t vote in lockstep with the Democrats, etc. Then, suddenly, that “valuing all human beings” goes right out the window.
He said he finds Putin smart. Smart doesnt equal good. You know how he talks! Come on.
If you’re still letting off trump this easily, then you have truly learned nothing and you will be faced with regret and guilt as history continues to repeat itself.
Was opposed to giving javelin anti tank to Ukraine, put sanctions on our own gas and oil instead of on russia and wants to lift sanctions on iran thus allowing them to trade with russia. That’s what your side wants
Go look at the statements again.
Trump openly disliked Putin but he admires him for being smarter than all western leaders. Putin played them all very well and in a genius way. You have to admit that he played them well, as you can see, he knows he has the ability to just waltz into a country and knew no one is going to send in troops to help them… Now that in my playbook is a genius. He is nonetheless a murderer…
The rest of the garbage you are spewing is just that. Garbage…
Actually Trump just called the Russian invasion a Holocaust
I don’t like Trump, but there’s a reason Putin didn’t invade Ukraine under him, and wouldn’t have done so under any Republican administration.
There’s a reason he invaded Ukraine under Biden and Obama because they are weak and don’t stand by America’s friends.
Putin didn’t attack under Trump because Trump was his puppet. Putin was busy destabilizing American democracy so that the events of Jan 6th could play out, and now he’s moved on to a new phase in his suppression of freedom.
Biden has gathered a strong force of countless nations to come together and place sanctions on Russia, he’s doing a great job and I’m proud to have voted for him.
Do you even hear what you’re saying? You’re claiming that he specifically waited with the invasion until there would be a president in office who would stand up against him, rather than doing it while there’s a compliant one in office. If that makes the slightest bit of sense to you, then we need to ask what color is the sky in your world.
Bruh you got wrecked
He is truly and amazing Rabbi with tremendous courage
R. Lazar’s priority must be to protect the Jews living in Russia. He’s in a tough situation but he’s doing the right thing by toeing the line.
We have have Put in so much – tzedakah, Tehillim, etc.
No republican is going to become a democrat [or the opposite] from a comment they read on COL.
Instead, focus on what the Rebbe would want you to do. Ahavas Yisroel, Tehillim, Tzedaka, Torah etc. LET’S STAY FOCUSED!
But you have to realize that the difference is that people like you and me believe in G-d who runs the world. Whereas certain commenters above seem to believe that Trump does, hence that he should be blamed for anything that happens.
But if you don’t understand the historical significance that trump has had and will continue to have on both America and the world, then you are most likely vastly undereducated.
But nonetheless, this blaming him for things that have little or nothing to do with him – or, which, in the contrary, he tried to forestall (as in trying to get the NATO Allie’s to step up their contributions, getting the USA to be energy-independent (something which, let it be noted, the Rebbe called for as far back as 1981) rather than having to import Russian oil and thereby fill their coffers, etc.) – – while ignoring what the current president has done, saying that a “minor incursion” into Ukraine would be fine, shutting down domestic production and thereby making… Read more »