about us
"Happy are those who act justly, who do right at all times.” (Psalm 106.3)
Rabbis for Human Rights (RHR) is the only rabbinic voice in Israel explicitly dedicated to human rights in Israel & the occupied territories. We are active in three main areas – work within and about the Occupied Territories; work to promote social and economic justice within Israel; and activities in the fields of education and interreligious dialogue. Since our establishment in 1988, we have expanded our activities to include:
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To articulate a vision of justice rooted in Jewish tradition, in the spirit of the Rabbinical teaching that all persons are created in God’s image
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To act in order to prevent violations of human rights taking place within Israel and in the Occupied Territories
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To further a vision of Judaism sanctifying life, justice and equality and to increase awareness of this vision within Israeli society
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To further these values on the basis of constant engagement with Jewish tradition
Our key activities include the annual olive harvest, a solidarity initiative where we join Palestinians living under occupation and amidst settler violence during the olive harvest season. In the face of settler violence, our activities developed to include a vast humanitarian aid programme in which thousands of boxes of food aid were delivered to Palestinian communities both in the West Bank and in unrecognised villages in the Negev.
Our social justice department are constantly active in the Knesset lobbying for social and economic justice for Israel's most margianlized communities. Our rights center in Hedera serves anyone struggling to access basic rights and needs.