MEXICO INFORMA ISLAM: Vista de mensajes Faith in a Time of Genocide talk by Sandralaya Ruch

jueves, 5 de noviembre de 2026

Vista de mensajes Faith in a Time of Genocide talk by Sandralaya Ruch

Para: Yo · jue 5 de nov a las 7:10 a.m.

Texto del mensaje

FAITH AT A TIME OF GENOCIDE:

A talk by Kohenet Sandralaya Ruch of the Canadian Boat to Gaza. Part of an international Freedom Flotilla Coalition event, October 16, 2026, in Catania, Sicily.

Thank you for this opportunity to share my story and to speak on our obligations in a time of genocide.

First let me explain what a Kohenet is. We are ordained Hebrew Priestesses. The movement blends Jewish tradition with ecotheology, Kabbalah, and feminist spirituality.

I have always considered myself a woman of faith - specifically, the Jewish faith. I grew up in a small town where there was only one Orthodox synagogue but most of my adult life, I identified with the Reform Community. About 10 years ago, I discovered the Kohenet Movement. It spoke to me in every way and after a few years of study, I became an ordained Kohenet in 2019.

LINK TO FULL VIDEO HERE

Growing up in the 60s I was a part of the Zionist Youth movements and later with Hadassah, WIZO. I had a love for Israel and I had a lot of brainwashing through our summer camps and conferences. I believed that the Jewish people deserved and needed a safe homeland. I idolized the Chalutzniks - the Jewish pioneers. I believed the rhetoric that the army was the most moral army in the world. I just believed my teachers and my mentors. I closed my eyes and my ears to any other narrative.

In 2004 at 48 years of age, I finally realized my dream of going to the “homeland”. I got a volunteer placement with Isha L’isha (Woman to Woman) at the Haifa Feminist Centre. This was the birthplace of feminism inside the 48 borders. It was here that I learned about the occupation and the horrific treatment of the Palestinian people. Before a month was over, I had picked olives in the West Bank with other Internationals and I was a weekly participant at the Women in Black vigils. Every day was an eye opening experience. I was asking questions, reading and learning as much as I could about this corrupt and immoral government. I immigrated to avoid being deported and I voted in an election. I hope to publish a book someday called, Unpeeling the Onion - the closer to the centre the stinkier it gets. I joined many organizations and took part in many non-violent actions.

Organizations in Israel that I worked with included The Coalition of Women for Peace, Women in Black, B'Tselem, Rabbis for Human Rights, ICAHD - Israeli Committee Against Housing Demolition and Machsom Watch - checkpoint watch or lovingly as Grannies on Guard. It’s important to mention these because they were all organizations against the Occupation and that involved Israeli and International Jews. In Canada, I am a member of the Independent Jewish Voices, Canada Boat to Gaza and the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. In 2009, as part of Code Pink, I travelled twice into Gaza following the massacre where the IOF (Israeli Occupation Forces) killed over 1500 people including over 500 children.

Why I tell my story - because I went from Zionist to anti-Zionist and because I never lost my faith. Because these atrocities are being committed in my name as a Jewish woman. And for this reason, I am morally obligated to work against this regime. I also have an insight into the Zionist brainwashing of Jews in North America and around the world. I believe that we are held hostage to the memory of the Holocaust.

In Judaism, we are taught the 10 commandments from our earliest years. Including:

Thou shalt not kill. This does not need any explanation - Don’t kill
Thou shalt not steal. Don’t steal anything from anyone
Thou shall not bear false witness - you must not lie, give fake testimony, or spread untrue rumours about any person
You shall not covet means to strongly desire or envy something that belongs to another person

For me it was a simple guideline for my Jewish life. At my Kohenet ordination, I took the priestess title Neviat Shalom Tzadok, prophetess of righteous peace because of my commitment to peace and justice for Palestine. It’s been my personal obligation to speak out and act out on behalf of Palestine.

In the bible, Micah (Chapter 6 verse 7 and 8) asks God a Question,

To make right with you God, should I bring offerings? Sacrifices? My first born? God responds: “No, not your gifts, your words or even your most prized possession. “He has told you, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

In Isaiah Verse 1, chapter 7 we read “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, and please the widow's cause,”

And then we wonder what does "An eye for an eye" mean? It is a commandment found in the Book of Exodus Chapter 21, Verses 23–27 expressing the principle of reciprocal justice measure for measure. It should be seen as an expression of restraint and proportionality as moral principles of punishment. In fact, Rabbinic Judaism openly and emphatically rejects the plain meaning and insists that it stands for compensatory damages, that is, the value of an eye for an eye, or the value of a tooth for a tooth. And God created the human being in the Divine Image; male and female God created them.” The rabbis reason that if we are created in the image of God, then disfiguring a person somehow is a “disfigurement” of God as well. Further, if we are made in the image of God, and God is infinite, then the value of a human life must also be infinite.

The Israeli government’s condoning and implementing collective punishment is absolutely wrong. It’s immoral and it is not my Judaism. I encourage everyone to follow our work in the Freedom Flotilla. Since 2008 our boats sail to break the illegal siege on Gaza. Now we have an outright genocide. We can’t be silent and we must work in solidarity with our Palestinian comrades. I pray that when our great grandchildren ask where were you when there was a genocide, we can each say, I showed up, I spoke, I gave what I could and I resisted complacency.

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