Overview

• Organized by Rabbi Yosef Blau, the letter asserts that Hamas’s crimes do not relieve Israel of its obligation to make every effort to prevent mass starvation in Gaza.
• The text condemns extremist settler violence in the West Bank, citing murdered civilians and Palestinian villagers forced from their homes.
• Signatories come largely from the liberal edge of Modern Orthodoxy and include prominent figures such as the chief rabbis of Poland, Denmark and Norway, the former chief rabbi of Ireland, and senior U.S. congregational leaders.
• The document does not call for Israel to end the war, distinguishing it from other recent Jewish open letters that focus on ceasefire demands.
• Right-leaning outlets criticized the letter as echoing Hamas narratives, while signatory Rabbi David Bigman said it does not blame Israel for the crisis and instead urges responsible action to ease suffering.