Guilty of not

Guilty of not

The following letter is self explanatory.

To: Rabbi Aaron Sherman and the Congregation of Temple Judah
From: the Dept. of Philosophy and Religion of Coe College
[As issued by Prof. John Lemos, Chair]
Date: Oct., 21, 2005

Re: The Sabeel Conference

The Dept. of Philosophy and Religion at Coe is aware that some anti-Semitic remarks were made at the recent Sabeel Conference held on our campus and which our department sponsored. We are also aware that here were other breaches of civility during the conference.

Let it be known that the members of our department find anti-Semitism of any kind to be deplorable and inexcusable, and that we also object to uncivil behavior.

The Department's sponsorhip of the Sabeel Conference reflects our recognition of the importance of the issues that were raised in it. however, we want to make it clear that our sponsorship of this event should not be taken as an endorsement of the views or attitudes expressed by the speakers. Our department offers sponsorship to a wide variety of events and speakers without any intent to endorse the views expressed by the speakers. This is commonplace at colleges and
universities.

We regret any harm that may have been caused by such anti-Semitic statements and/or uncivil behavior and we very much hope that our department will be able to continue to interact in a cordial and fruitful manner with the members of Temple Judah and the broader Jewish community.

Coe College is a Presbyterian affilitiated institution. Can it really absolve itself from being tarred with the same rush considering,

In October 2002, the Presbyterian affiliated Whitworth College in Washington hosted a Pro-Palestinian symposium with Palestinian Episcopal Priest Naim Ateek as a featured speaker.

In October 2003, a Presbyterian sponsored event at Presbyterian affiliated Wooster College in Ohio featured anti-Semitic speaker Samir Makhlouf.

In February 2005, the Presbyterian Austin Theological Seminary hosted a Pro-Palestinian symposium with Palestinian Episcopal Priest Naim Ateek as a featured speaker.

In October 2005, the Presbyterian McCormick Theological Seminary co- hosted a Pro-Palestinian symposium with Palestinian Episcopal Priest Naim Ateek as a featured speaker.

In February 2005, the Presbyterian Columbia Theological Seminary hosted a Pro-Palestinian symposium with Palestinian Episcopal Priest Naim Ateek as a featured speaker.

In October 2005 the Presbyterian affiliated Coe College in Iowa hosted a Pro-Palestinian symposium with Palestinian Episcopal Priest Naim Ateek as a featured speaker.


Posted by Ted Belman at October 29, 2005 04:27 PM

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Comments

1. Mark Finkelstein said:

I have a slightly different take on this. Despite their having sponsored the Sabeel Conference in Iowa, what other school or department (other than the Dept of Philospophy and Religion at Coe) has had the integrity to label some of what Sabeel says as anti-Semitic? Coming from this objective source, this criticism of Sabeel makes Coe one of the good guys, as has been the college's president James Phifer, who ( on October 5, 2005) wrote: "We deplore anti-Semitism in all its forms, including any expressions thereof found in the writings of participants in the Sabeel Conference."

While the fact was that the Coe Deptartment had to actually hear anti-Semitism expressed on its campus, it came forth afterword and did so. As to the other venues? If, as we can assume, that Sabeel speakers said approximately there as they did at Coe College, the faculty elsewhere didn't have either the will or the integrity to come forth and comment. The others, by remaining silent, have enabled Sabeel to get away with its denigration of Jews, Judaism, and Israel. Shame on them!

By contrast, the testimony now by the Coe Department of Philosophy and Religion is appended to the record about Sabeel and its speakers. So...thank you Coe College.

Mark Finkelstein
Director of Community Relations
Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines, Iowa

Posted by: Mark Finkelstein on October 30, 2005 11:10 AM

2. Ralph Keen said:

I second Mark Finkelstein's appreciation of Coe College's denunciation of antisemitism and incivility at the Sabeel conference. As an academic I am gratified when a serious institution supports the free exchange of ideas; however, as a Jew I am concerned that certain institutions' seemingly well-intentioned tolerance of controversial positions has allowed extremist views to be voiced without responses from representatives of other perspectives. Fomenting hostility--toward Jews or any persons or groups--is antithetical to the spirit of our democracy and violates the ideals of our academic establishment.
Ralph Keen, Iowa City

Posted by: Ralph Keen on October 30, 2005 02:05 PM

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