Policy Regarding Kolot Chayeinu Staff, Clergy and Board Members’ Public Positions on Israel/Palestine
Adopted by the Board on August 8, 2018
Background
Kolot’s Values Statement states:
"We are an American Jewish congregation and we value America's freedoms that have benefited Jews and Judaism, while upholding Jewish values that spur us to protest American policies and actions we see as wrong. Kolot Chayeinu is a congregation in Brooklyn, New York, and it is committed to act for the welfare of this great borough.
We believe that Jews have an obligation to grapple with the many issues and emotions connected to our historic attachment to Israel and the current political situation in Israel and Palestine. While we join Jews everywhere in
facing Jerusalem while we pray, we have no consensus on political solutions nor their philosophical underpinnings.”
Within our congregation we have historically had many politically active members, lay leaders, staff, and clergy, and we see this as one of our community’s great strengths. On some issues, our congregation has widespread agreement and we are able to speak and act as a united community. On others, and in particular the subject of Israel and Palestine, we hold a greater range of views. While some members are passionate and committed to their views on Israel and Palestine and to organizations that represent them, there are also some who are highly conflicted and others for whom this is not an important issue. The act of encouraging and welcoming this diversity of private and public positions among our members, leaders, staff and clergy is what we call the "Open Tent."
Over the years, in recognition of these facts and in accordance with our values, we have developed the following practices regarding the public positions of our staff and board members. Each of these has been developed with much thought and consideration from Rabbi Lippmann in conjunction with board and staff, and has its own history of evolution from real life examples. These practices have functioned as Kolot’s default policies, and in this moment of Kolot’s founding rabbi retiring, we understand the importance of adopting them as formal policies.
Policies
Staff and board members are expected to be mindful of and embrace the diversity of opinions among Kolot members and carry out their work at Kolot in a way that honors and includes the full spectrum of voices at Kolot.
Kolot does not have a “litmus test” on Israel and Palestine in regards to decisions about hiring staff or electing board members. This means that:
A person’s personal or public position cannot disqualify them from holding a paid or elected role at Kolot.
Staff and board members will not be asked to refrain from advocacy on an issue or from holding roles in advocacy organizations.
When speaking and writing publicly, staff and board members are expected to distinguish clearly between their personal opinions and Kolot’s official positions on Israel and Palestine.
Our clergy and other leaders have freedom of the pulpit and can thereby speak freely on Israel and Palestine without first consulting with the board, though advance conversation is encouraged.
Please direct any questions about this policy to the executive committee of the board at president@kolotchayeinu.org