Dear friend,

I am writing to you today about an urgent matter in our city of Denver.

A proclamation titled “A Proclamation Affirming Denver’s Commitment to Human Rights and Support for an Immediate Ceasefire in Israel and Gaza” has been put forth on the agenda in the Finance and Governance Committee meeting, one of the sub-committees of the Denver City Council, for tomorrow, Tuesday, January 9th. If it passes, as it likely will, the proclamation will be reviewed and voted on by the entire City Council. If the City Council passes this proclamation, it will be sent as a strong letter to our state Senators and House Representatives, Governor Polis, our Senators and Congressmen in Washington, and President Biden and Vice President Harris, and can possibly affect how our state and federal legislators address the Israeli-Palestinian War.

The proclamation, calling for a ceasefire with Hamas, is misinformed and dangerous, justifying Hamas’ civilian shield strategy, hinting at a moral equivalency in Hamas’ murderous October 7th attack, and likely leading to a further increase in antisemitism. While the proclamation acknowledges the atrocities committed by Hamas on Israel during the October 7th massacre and rightfully condemns it, it also rationalizes the massacre. It denies Israel’s moral obligation both to its citizens and the citizens of Gaza to wipe out Hamas.

Hamas violated the previous humanitarian pause and will likely use another pause in warfare to strengthen themselves, without much concern for the welfare and safety of Gazan civilians. For there to be any hope of reconciliation and prosperity for Israelis and Gazans, Hamas’ capabilities must be destroyed. Hamas must lay down its arms, and that’s what the world should be demanding. To promote a ceasefire is to condone more terrorism and more deaths.

As citizens of Denver, as moral human beings, and as Jews, we must urge the Finance and Governance Committee and City Council members to unequivocally reject this proclamation and ensure it does not pass.

Please take a few minutes, click on this link, and send a message to the Denver City Council.

Please feel free to edit the message and make it personal. Each member of a household should send out this message from a different email address, and each message makes a difference!

With prayers and hope for our hostages to be returned and for a peaceful future,

Rabbi Yossi Kaplan

Director, Agudath Israel of Colorado