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Last update - 09:24 12/07/2007 Jerusalem congress on future of Jews excludes 'peace' from agenda By Amiram Barkat A number of delegates attending the Jerusalem Conference on the Future of the Jewish People were surprised to find that Jewish-Muslim peace was not even on the agenda for debate. Rene Shmuel Sirat, the former chief rabbi of France, protested that the word "peace" seemed to have become a four-letter word in Jewish public discourse. "Without peace the Jewish people have no future," Sirat said in an interview with Haaretz. Advertisement "It is unacceptable that peace should not be included in the plans for the future of the Jewish people." Public figures, political functionaries, academics and journalists attending the conference organized by the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute (JPPPI)  took part in debates on how to deal with threats to the future of the Jewish people. Sirat is the only Orthodox rabbi at the conference. A former Bible and Hebrew lecturer at the University of Paris, he is known to be liberal and moderate. Sirat was critical of how a conference about the Jewish nation's future was not being held in Hebrew but in "Shakespeare's tongue," for the convenience of the venerable guests from the United States. A member of the discussion group on Identity and Demography, Sirat had to make use of simultaneous translation services. Yesterday's discussions dealt with formulating ways of combating anti-Semitism, assimilation, and dealing with the possible loss of the Jewish majority in Israel. Mot only was advancing peace not on the agenda, it was also not mentioned in Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's speech to the conference on Tuesday night. Olmert chose to tell participants that he felt more Jewish than Israeli, and admitted that he had nothing new to tell them. Sirat burst out and challenged the participants during one of the discussion groups, asking how such a fundamental Jewish issue as pursuing peace was not even raised for discussion. "I thought I was going to explode," he told Haaretz. "Has peace become a rude word among us Jews? How can you plan a future for the Jewish nation without addressing the peace issue?" Sirat says the replies reflected mostly despair and indifference. Sirat said he was not naive, and was aware that the chance for peace in 2007 were slim. "I understand the threats and am aware of the effects of terror," he said. "My brother was killed in a terror attack in Algiers in 1962 as he was coming out of the synagogue after prayer on Sabbath eve. I saw the grief my parents suffered. But it seems to me that we have forgotten that pursuing peace is a basic Jewish value. It's a commandment that is not conditional on Abu Mazen's capabilities, or how good are the chances to reach an agreement." Sirat believes that despite the unlikelihood, there is still room for optimism regarding the peace process. A year and a half ago he visited Jordan and took part in an inter-religious forum headed by Prince Hassan bin Talal. During his visit he visited a Jordanian refugee camp. "I told the young Palestinians that on the other side of the Jordan (river) there are hundreds of thousands of young people who are interested in making peace with them, and I was applauded," he said. The conference will close today as the various discussion groups present their recommendations. President-elect Shimon Peres will deliver the closing speech. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Independence day Kosovars rejoice as Kosovo declares itself an independent and sovereign state. Settling the score 1/3 of W. Bank settlements are on Palestinian land seized for 'security purposes.'   1.   Realism 02:57  |  rich 12/07/07   2.   The venerable rabbi is right 04:08  |  Sensible 12/07/07   3.   Peace? 04:39  |  Johnson 12/07/07   4.   Peace 04:52  |  sol 12/07/07   5.   Not surprising that peace is excluded 05:05  |  Sam 12/07/07   6.   Jewish Wisdom Needed 05:33  |  Brian Freund 12/07/07   7.   Peace 05:47  |  Solomon the Wise 12/07/07   8.   "Peace" and "Land Grab" cannot share the same agenda 07:05  |  Natallie Durson 12/07/07   9.   the LEFT HIJAKED the Jewish concept of peace into ... 07:38  |  Moshe 12/07/07   10.   When the former chief rabbi of France, 07:38  |  Joseph E . 12/07/07   11.   ISRAEL FACES 3 SOLUTIONS, "PEACE" DELUSIONISM IS NOT ONE OF THEM! 07:46  |  MG 12/07/07   12.   Sirat, Welcome to the Club Explode 08:33  |  Dutch 12/07/07   13.   Peace is certainly not a four-letter-word, yet the meaning of it 09:04  |  Avihu 12/07/07   14.   MG #10 and Dutch #11,two contrary faces 09:34  |  Hastaroth 12/07/07   15.   #10 Hastaroth , My response 10:08  |  Dutch 12/07/07   16.   The Left is great, Jews in peril in Europe and wants "Peace" 10:08  |  Ignacio 12/07/07   17.   Rabbi - You Have a Helluva Nerve 10:10  |  Tod Zuckerman 12/07/07   18.   Tod Zuckerman`s helluva nerve 10:47  |  sh 12/07/07   19.   TAKE BACK GAZA,W.BANK,ENJOY PEACE WITHOUT ENEMIES,NOT WITH TERROR 11:51  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 12/07/07   20.   This cabal was not about Peace and Justice,it was about how to 12:31  |  lakshmi 12/07/07   21.   #3 Johnson "Peace?" 12:40  |  Mabbutt 12/07/07   22.   god belss sirat 12:41  |  VIPER 12/07/07   23.   #15 Dutch,your response is sooo naive 12:49  |  Hastaroth 12/07/07   24.   # 7 Solomon 13:07  |  Bob 12/07/07   25.   #11 MG "3 solutions" 13:07  |  Mabbutt 12/07/07   26.   Closer to peace 13:21  |  Dov Ber 12/07/07   27.   War is the wrong choice 13:30  |  Bob 12/07/07   28.   #23 Hastaroth 13:50  |  Mabbutt 12/07/07   29.   Rabbi does not understand that it takes both sides to make peace 13:53  |  Daniel 12/07/07   30.   #9 Moshe "HIJAKED peace" 13:56  |  Mabbutt 12/07/07   31.   I`m still surprised that the Haredim weren`t invited 14:17  |  Nannette 12/07/07   32.   jewish conference 14:23  |  bobby goodman 12/07/07   33.   Lakshmi- What you are reading into Arab Initiative Jews are not 14:25  |  Sam 12/07/07   34.   # 25 Mabutt and others 14:25  |  Bob 12/07/07   35.   With so much attention to the Holocaust Museums... 14:28  |  Maureen Ann 12/07/07   36.   # 25 part II 14:28  |  Bob 12/07/07   37.   Peace can be achieved if.... 15:20  |  Ezekiel 12/07/07   38.   33Sam,the Arab Initiative could not be more explicit:1.withdrawal 16:51  |  lakshmi 12/07/07   39.   Lakshmi- Israeli Jews want a settlement too 19:54  |  Sam 12/07/07   40.   Peace will never exist!! 20:27  |  Jake 12/07/07   41.   DICUSSIONS OF PEACVE, BUT NO DISCUSSIONS ABOUT PEACE. 14:09  |  BARUCH HASHEM 18/02/08

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