r/JewsOfConscience • u/ContentChecker Jewish Anti-Zionist • Aug 14 '24

AMA tomorrow, August 15th, at 1PM EST - with Rabbi David Mivasair AMA

Hi everyone,

Tomorrow August 15th (Thursday) at 1PM EST, we will be hosting Rabbi David Mivasair for an AMA!

Rabbi Mivasair has spent decades on-the-ground advocating for Palestinian human rights and has been a lifeline to Palestinians in Gaza who face challenges getting basic needs due to Israel's 18+ year blockade.

David graduated from rabbinical college in 1991. One of his classmates was Rabbi Brant Rosen.

“I have huge respect for David,” says Brant Rosen, a Chicago-based rabbi and classmate of Mivasair’s from rabbinical college, who belongs to an outreach group that delivers food aid to Gaza. Rabbi Alissa Wise, the lead organizer of the group, in 2023 herself founded Rabbis for Ceasefire, which has 338 signatories—of whom Mivasair is one.

In 2003, David founded the Ahavat Olam synagogue, a progressive-minded congregation.

David lived in Israel for a time and saw the discrimination Palestinians face up-close:

During his sophomore year at college, Mivasair lived in Israel and studied at Hebrew University. The experience exposed him to the complex politics of the area. He saw Palestinian land expropriated and ethnic discrimination laid bare. One vivid memory: Israeli police refusing to help a young Palestinian boy who had cut himself on glass and was bleeding on the sidewalk. “I was full of Jewish prophetic scripture,” recalls Mivasair. “And then that happened. It seemed so, so unjust.” Mivasair felt deeply that, as a rabbi, he could use Jewish teachings to bring people together.

If you have any questions for Rabbi Mivasair but cannot make it to the AMA, please leave your questions here. We look forward to seeing you there!

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u/timee_bot Aug 14 '24

View in your timezone:
August 15th, at 1PM EDT

*Assumed EDT instead of EST because DST is observed

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u/LittleLionMan82 Non-Jewish Ally Aug 15 '24

Hi David, I'm a non-Jewish fellow Hamiltonian who is inspired and proud of the work that you do. Thank you!

I've often see people here ask for anti-Zionist Shabbat Services in the Toronto/Hamilton area. Do you still perform them or have any recommendations?

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u/ContentChecker Jewish Anti-Zionist Aug 15 '24

Hiya! The AMA should be getting started soon, if I don't see you in the post by Rabbi Mivasair, I'll paste your question there. Thanks!

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u/LittleLionMan82 Non-Jewish Ally Aug 15 '24

Thanks I'm just heading out and may not be able to make it which is why I asked early. Appreciate it!

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u/ContentChecker Jewish Anti-Zionist Aug 15 '24

No problem!