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Opening Presentation - Chief Rabbi Bakshi Doron

Published on 2007-12-27 17:35:15

For the first time in history, more than 100 Imams and Rabbis, surrounded by 70 personalities from all over the world, met, from January 3 to 6, 2005, under the high patronage of His Majesty Albert II and His Majesty Mohammed VI in order to de-legitimise all forms of violence committed in the name of God or of any religious principle. Furthermore the representatives of Jewish and Muslim communities from 34 countries, in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and America affirmed their determination to develop dialogues and co-operation between Islam and Judaism.

Here in its entirety the opening speech of Eliyahu Bakshi Doron. Sepharadic Chief Rabbi of Israel (from 1993 to 2003), he is still one of the most influential and respected Rabbis in Israel and in the whole Jewish world.

 

In the name of God, we shall act and we shall succeed; the grace of god be with us and allow us to succeed in our actions.
According to the program, the King of Belgium and the King of Morocco should have been present, and I salute them in the name of our organization. And I congratulate them for their initiative in organizing this important conference.
Gentlemen Imams present amongst us from all over the world.
Gentlemen Rabbis also present amongst us from all over the world
Greetings to you all,
And hope that God will bless us and through his counsel help us to right the world.

I thank the organizers of this important conference. I see this extraordinary picture before us: rows of rabbis and imams from all over the world, sitting together. This picture before me is the first blessing of this congress. I hope that the whole world sees it, with rabbis and imams from almost every corner of the world, joined together in an endeavor to speak together of peace.
This conference has already a first message, the message of God for all believers of both religions. This message says that we have come together to prove that we wish to establish peace between us for the benefit of the whole world. And when God demands that we make peace, we try to obey his orders. This meeting represents a prayer from all of us to God, so that he will have pity on us, and make peace amongst us.
This same picture is a prayer together for peace in the heavens, bring peace on earth. This picture before us, of imams and rabbis sitting together is a great message to all believers.

We have different faiths, but we have so many things in common. And the most important is the wish for peace in the world. We should unite and prove that there are no wars between religions.
We will not allow political divergences to intervene in the relations between our religions. God, who is full of charity, has pity on all of his creatures. And he wants us to live together in mutual peace and understanding. It is true that there are complex divergences of opinions, that there are conflicts in different regions of the world and in particular our region, but it is necessary to separate those of religion and belief.

To our great regret, there are those who wish to draw us into conflict between religions, between Judaism and Islam, and to make a conflict an even greater conflict. History has taught us that there is nothing worse or more dangerous than war between religions. Wars and hate have brought much suffering to humanity, and have not settled any conflict. The only way ahead is by dialogue, by talking as our and your prophets have wished, we must seek peace and we shall end by finding it.

We have not come here to convince ourselves of our mutual beliefs, but we are here to remember and to tell the world that we have so much in common as believers. We have a great responsibility in particular during these trying times.

This conference takes place a week after the world had been shaken by the tragedy in South East Asia. In addition to all those struck by this tragedy there are today millions suffering from famine and disease. We all join them in a prayer, and to launch an appeal to the leaders and people of the world, so that they do all in their power to relieve this suffering.
The unsupportable images the world has seen, inconceivable figures, unimaginable numbers of victims could make us doubt the sanctity of life, and it is in this precise moment that it is necessary to think of the sanctity of life, of its importance and how it should be protected.
In such a moment our beliefs could be troubled and be in danger, but it is necessary to think of the greatness of our unique God and his misericord, he who loves all living creatures.

Unfortunately, in recent times the world has suffered from a grave deterioration in the value of human life. The most important value in the world is life. People unfortunately put their own life in danger and that of others. There are too many accidents, there are too many crimes, and there are too many deaths in the world. People often refuse to accept the responsibility for the protection of their own lives and those of others.
Unfortunately there is a phenomenon that is becoming more and more widespread, which is making people ready to kill by being killed. Those who kill themselves to kill others are a new type of arm in the world which is difficult to combat.
The problems is not only suicide attacks in our country, the Holy Land, but it is a general problem in the world, and we see deaths of innocent men, women and children, often due to these who commit suicide in the name of God or another supposed religion. Too often, the most atrocious acts are committed in the name of God and in the name of religion. To protect the name of God, the honor of religion and world peace, we should denounce these practices and loudly declare that these acts are a contradiction to the wish of God and have nothing to do with religion.
We see with great regret the extremists of both traditions acting with violence in the name of religion and who create a dire impression harmful to faith and religion.
To correct this dire impression, we should launch an appeal to our nations so that they act with patience and tolerance, with love and with pity, so as to oppose terrorism and violence the causes of suffering and grief.

As I have said, at the beginning of my intercession, this meeting is in itself a benediction. But that is not sufficient. It needs, in this difficult period, to create a permanent link and a continuous cooperation. All those who believe in the Creator of Earth should ensure our beliefs are heard on the common subjects that are important to us. We should fight not only for peace, but fight against permissivity, against drugs, against the lack of responsibility, against the problems that become graver with each passing moment.

The lack of responsibility of the younger generation is also an ill that should be fought. We should consult each other and find a way to act together to be able to bring peace to the world.

God full of mercy, who has made peace in the heavens, may you also make peace on earth for all men of good will.
Thank you.

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