jan 24, 1950 - SIX MILLION JEWISH VICTIMS
"...Today , 6,000,000 of my brethren , the
Jewish martyrs of our generation , speak
through me . These voices , rising from mass
graves , blend with mine in this plea in behalf
of our fellow Jews but also in behalf of all
people of every color , creed , and clime..."
THE GENOCIDE CONVENTION 1950, JANUARY
24 P.137-138
Description:
THE GENOCIDE CONVENTION 1950, JANUARY 24 P.137-138
STATEMENT OF DR . ABRAHAM SHUSTERMAN , THE SYNAGOGUE
COUNCIL OF AMERICA Dr. SHUSTERMAN . Gentlemen , as the officially designated spokesman for the Synagogue Council of America , which comprises the com bined forces of religious Jewry in this land , representing 4,700 syna gogues , I regard it as a sacred privilege toʻurge , in the name of the entire reform , conservative , and orthodox rabbinate and laity , the approval by this subcommittee , the subsequent approval by the For eign Relations Committee and the adoption by the Senate of the Con vention on the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide , as adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations .
Our advocacy of this convention is implicit in the entire religious tradition of our people . The Decalogue , the basic law of the Syna gogue and of humanity as a whole , contains the divine command , " Thou shalt not kill . " Surely this is as applicable to genocide as to the murder of a single individual . Regardless of the race , color , creed , or national background of the victim or the evildoer , my people always has regarded with reverent approval the rabbinical dictum , “ He who destroys even a single life is like one who destroys the whole world . ” How much the more should the destroyer of a whole people be regarded as the destroyer of the entire universe .
SIX MILLION JEWISH VICTIMS
Long before Israel became the victim of mass murder , he knew how completely even the advocacy of it violates the divine principle of the sacredness of human life . Today , 6,000,000 of my brethren , the Jewish martyrs of our generation , speak through me . These voices , rising from mass graves , blend with mine in this plea in behalf of our fellow Jews but also in behalf of all people of every color , creed , and clime . In one accord , we ask that the United States of America join with other nations in declaring that it is a crime , punishable under the law , to destroy in whole or in part a national , ethnical , racial , or religious group - yes , that it is a crime , calling for punishment to conspire with others or to incite others to commit genocide . Once and for all , conspiracy toward these ends should be branded as crim inal in the eyes of decent men and nations , even as it is sinful in the sight of God .
Senator MCMAHON . Thank you very much .
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