Human Rights, the Land of Israel, and Justice: A Religious Perspective
Featuring:
The Middle East Institute and the Foundation for Middle East Peace are pleased to host a presentation by Rabbi Arik W. Ascherman, Executive Director of Rabbis for Human Rights. Ascherman will provide insights into the religious motivation of Israeli settlers and where it fits in the spectrum of Jewish religious belief and the universal Jewish values of justice and devotion to human rights.
Rabbi Arik Ascherman graduated from Harvard University in 1981. From 1981-1983 he worked for Interns For Peace, a community work program aimed at bringing Israeli Jews and Arabs together in positive interaction. For most of this time Rabbi Ascherman lived in the Israeli Arab village of Tamra.
Rabbi Ascherman was ordained by HUC-JIR in New York in 1989. After returning to Israel in 1994, Rabbi Ascherman served for three years as the director of Congregation Mevakshei Derech, and three years as the part time rabbi of Kibbutz Yahel, a Reform kibbutz near Eilat. Beginning in 1995 Rabbi Ascherman served as co-director of Rabbis For Human Rights, becoming executive director in 1998.
