Lunch Meeting With Secretary of State Kerry

Dear Members,

This afternoon, I had the privilege of attending a luncheon with Secretary of State John Kerry for fifty national Jewish, Christian, and Muslim clergy, hosted by Georgetown University.  I was honored to be among this select group of individuals for a launching of a national interfaith support campaign for the current peace initiative to establish a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.  It is the most hopeful I have felt in decades about efforts to achieve a lasting peace for Israel and her neighbors.

The luncheon began with prayers by the three faith’s representatives that were some of the most inspiring I have heard.  The Secretary followed with heartfelt remarks on his passionate desire to secure lasting peace, recognition, and security for a democratic Jewish State of Israel, and an economically viable state for the Palestinians.

Secretary Kerry believes that his approach to peace differs in many respects to previous efforts in the region.  First, he is in the process of outlining the steps required to secure a lasting, phased in, fair, and equitable peace, down to the last detail, rather than leaving the details for later, which he believes contributed to the failure of previous attempts.  He is quite vocal and articulate in his belief that the situation for both sides will worsen should this peace effort not come to fruition.

In addition, the State Department has opened an office specifically designed to find and utilize religious partners to engage interfaith voices in this peace effort, which is why we were all invited today.  In the past, peace was spoken of in political terms, and the religious faith of the stakeholders was not an operative factor.  The language and policy shift to discuss the commonalities of the Abrahamic faiths, and the theological imperative for peace among brethren is a concerted effort to silence the stranglehold of religious extremists and naysayers here in America and in the Middle East.  Our State department will be seeking out religious leaders to engage in interfaith peace dialogue here and in the region, and to bring the religious voices for peace to the forefront of political discussion.

I met many individuals who care deeply about a peaceful and lasting resolution to this long standing conflict, which effects all aspects of international diplomacy, as well as regional stability.   We were all asked to share this historic meeting with our constituencies and to enlist like-minded individuals to support this peace initiative.

I am more hopeful than I have been in a long time about our American efforts to secure peace in the Middle East.  I found the Secretary, his staff, and the other government participants knowledgeable and skilled in bringing people together.  I pray that Secretary Kerry, a man guided by his deep faith and a man who has great respect for Judaism and Islam, will be able to find the key to unlocking the obstacles for the agents of peace in this turbulent region.  The Secretary has clearly done his homework and is working diligently to find new ways to understand the religio-political dynamics at play in the most complex conflict of modern times.

As a congregation, we began the kind of interfaith peace dialogue that was recommended by the participants when we hosted The Rabbi and the Kadi this fall.  I look forward to forging new opportunities for education and awareness here at TBS.

It was an honor to have been invited to this illustrious gathering, representing you and Reform Judaism in the interests of Peace/Shalom/Salaam.

Respectfully yours,

Rabbi Amy R. Perlin, D.D.