The scheduled visit to New York of the Iranian President – a man who
has described the Holocaust as "a myth" and called for Israel to be
wiped off the map," a man who pursues destructive nuclear capacity in
defiance of the entire world community, a man who sponsors terror and
mayhem in the Middle East and beyond – should fill every civilized
heart with revulsion.
And it should fill every Jewish heart with something more.
The arrival of this would-be heir to Hitler should remind all Jews how
little has truly changed since millions of Jews were last targeted for
destruction, r"l. And it should remind us, no less, of the uniquely
vulnerable position of Yisroel bein ho'amim, Jewry among the nations,
and of the fact that ein lonu al mi lehishoein ela al Avinu
She'baShomayim – We can depend on no one but Our Father in Heaven.
Therefore, at this critical time, and during this season of
introspection and repentance, we call upon all Jews to return to our
sacred heritage, with tefillah and renewed allegiance to Torah, our
eternal wellspring of life, the source of our strength to withstand all
our enemies.
Along with our supplications, we feel it is our duty as well to express
to the world our deep anguish over the presence in our midst of a
vicious ruler who threatens genocide against Jews.
A number of Jewish groups are planning to gather outside the United
Nations headquarters, at Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza (2nd Avenue and 47th Street in Manhattan)
to present a collective Jewish expression of outrage at the General
Assembly's hosting of the Iranian leader, of support for Israel's
security and soldiers, and of solidarity in the fight against the
global scourge of terrorism.
Whatever differences may separate us from some of those groups, we
stand united here with all Jews.
Therefore, after consultation with the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah and following the precedent of the previous generation's Gedolim in similar circumstances, we urge all who are able to do so to participate in the planned gathering. We have been assured that a special section will be made available for men and women to gather in separate areas, and we will lift our voices in tefillah to Hashem, secure in the knowledge that
Bechol dor vodor omdim aleinu lechaloseinu veHakodosh Boruch Hu
matzileinu miyodom.
In every generation, there are those who stand against us to annihilate
us, but Hashem saves us from their hand.
