Seattle, WA – A camp affiliated with the Conservative movement apologized after flying a Palestinian flag “as a sign of friendship and acceptance” to visiting Palestinian Muslim and Christian students.
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Camp Solomon Schechter in Washington State last week hosted members of Kids 4 Peace, including Christian and Muslim Palestinian children.
In a letter sent to parents and supporters following the visit the camp wrote: “For the sake of a teachable moment, we did raise the Palestinian flag as a sign of friendship and acceptance. It was met with uncertainty by some campers and staff, especially the Israeli’s [sic], but all understood that the message of hope for peace by flying the Israeli flag alongside helped develop empathy. Still we plan to take down all the flags for Shabbat since there is no peace and also to relieve the sadness and anger that some feel by the site [sic] of the flag.” The letter also said that the camp “remain(s) unabashedly pro-Israel and we are celebrating Israel alongside our new friends.”
In the letter of apology sent Sunday and posted on the camp’s Facebook page, the camp indicated that the Kids 4 Peace group requested the raising of a Palestinian flag, alongside the U.S., Canadian and Israeli flags that are raised daily.
“We sincerely apologize that we upset some in our CSS and larger Jewish community by introducing the Palestinian flag into our educational program. Camp Solomon Schechter reiterates our unwavering support for the State of Israel as the Jewish homeland,” the apology said,
“Camp Solomon Schechter is a proud Zionist and pro-Israel camp. We honor the Israeli Army and Israeli people on a daily basis at CSS. Our goal was to create a safe space for all, and begin dialogue among the next generation,” the apology also said.
Parents who responded to the apology on Facebook were divided between those that applauded the camp for trying to be a positive force toward peace and those angry that the camp would raise the flag waved in support of terrorists carrying out attacks against Jews.
A statement also was issued by Sam Perlin, executive director, and Andy Kaplowitz, co-board president of Camp Solomon Schechter. “Camp Solomon Schechter regrets raising the Palestinian flag alongside US, Canadian and Israeli flags on Thursday and Friday mornings and it is a long standing CSS custom to lower flags for Shabbat and raise them again Sunday morning. We neglected to foresee in such actions the serious political implications and for that lapse in judgment, we are deeply sorry,” the statement said.
Does this camp, or even the school, know anything about Tisha B’av? Do they even care? I would guess not. For this modern day churban, we cry as well.
It is just a sign of everyone in Yiddishkeit ‘moving to the right’. Nobody wants to be “less frum” than Satmar, ‘Reb’ Elya Ber’, and all those who appear regularly at anti Israeli demonstrations in Manhattan and elsewhere.
Veyesh loimer, Perhaps this camp is seeking an Eida Hachereida hechsher, and assumed being against ‘the medina’ would surely help them.
They figure if Satmar camps can do it while they hold their mock Demonstration, as the one kid who can speak English properly copies the adults with the silly slogans…..why can’t they do it, Unfortunately, they do not realize Satmar and the Reform are in the same boat, both groups are self hating to their own people. In the “midbar” both groups would make up the “Arev Rav”
They are showing their TRUE COLOURS….
Stupid liberals.
:
Headline: “Reform Jewish Camp Apologizes For Flying Palestinian Flag”
First sentence of story: “A camp affiliated with the Conservative movement…”
Not that it makes a difference.
It would help to present the facts correctly.
Camp Solomon Schechter is a Conservative camp (as noted in the article), not a Reform camp (as the headline currently states).
with a name of a camp like Solomon Schechter, I would expect something not too Jewish…..
Maybe NK runs it??