http://rac.org/Articles/index.cfm?id=2812&pge_prg_id=10214
Hagee Quoted as Blaming Jews for Holocaust: Yoffie’s Letter Calls for
Explanation
Wa****ngton, DC, May 21, 2008 –
In response to re****ts that Pastor John Hagee has made statements
suggesting that Jews are responsible for the Holocaust, Rabbi Eric
Yoffie, President of the Union for Reform Judaism, sent the following
open letter calling for an explanation:
Dear Pastor Hagee,
I have received questions from many of my members who have read
recent articles (The Huffington Post, IsraelENews, Talk2Action) about
themes in your speeches and writings.
You have been quoted as suggesting that the Holocaust was part of
God’s plan to force the Jews to go to Israel and that the Jews brought
the Holocaust upon themselves by defying Herzl’s Zionist dream to have
all Jews go to and settle in the land of Israel.
I am deeply troubled by these quotations.
The Holocaust was the work of a deranged, bigoted, and anti-Semitic
figure sup****ted by a racist government.
To suggest otherwise is surely an affront to the 11 million
individuals, 6 million of whom were Jews, who lost their lives in the
ashes of what is unquestionably the greatest tragedy of the 20th
century.
To blame the victims for the Holocaust and to suggest that they
brought it on themselves is a desecration of their name and their
memory, and an insult to the survivors and their descendents who
thankfully remain in our midst today.
I am aware of the work that you have done on behalf of the State
of Israel, and for that reason I find your remarks especially
troubling.
Please help me explain to the members of my movement the statements
attributed to you.
Are these sentiments representative of your current feelings and
perceptions of the Jewish people and the people of Israel?
Were they at one time representative?
Have you in some way been grossly misquoted?
Are these views which you have now repudiated?
As a Pastor to one of our nation’s largest churches, your
influence is widely felt and your model of leader****p is surely one
that will influence many Americans.
I hope that you agree with me that justifying the Holocaust or blaming
it on the Jews is anathema to all who repudiate group defamation and
cherish tolerance and respect.
I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
/s/
Rabbi Eric Yoffie
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Harry
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