Fulfilling a campaign pledge to engage Arabs and Muslims in a new conversation with the United States, President Barack Obama gave his much-anticipated major address from a Muslim capital last week in Cairo. The President touched on several topics, including Muslim extremism, the Arab-Israeli conflict, Holocaust Denial, nuclear proliferation, democracy, religious freedom, women's rights and economic development. While few specifics were addressed, the overall message of each section was upbeat and conciliatory, and the President closed his speech by reading sections from the Koran, Talmud and Bible highlighting common approaches to amicable relations and peacemaking. Read full JCRC report.
 
Jewish reactions to the Cairo speech have been flooding the airwaves and cyberspace, some critical, some supportive. We encourage you to read the text, watch the video, review some of the reactions to this historic speech and then weigh in with your viewpoint. We thank Beth Israel Congregation Rabbi Eric Slaton and Valley Temple Rabbi Sandford Kopnick for helping us begin this conversation by submitting their respective reactions to the speech.

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President Obama's Speech in Cairo
By: Rabbi Eric Slaton, Beth Israel Congregation

The President's speech, as has been pointed out by both those who liked and disliked it, was long on rhetoric and short on promises. The President worked hard to appeal to his audience without offending anyone. In other words, it was another campaign speech. Continue Reading

Reactions to Obama's Speech at Cairo University
By: Rabbi Sandford Kopnick, The Valley Temple

A few years back, the Vatican issued a statement about the Holocaust and the Catholic Church’s role in the rescue (or lack thereof) of Jews, and the responsibility the Church should have for its behavior during that horrible time.  The statement was issued to Catholics—but we all were in ear-shot.  John Paul II issued the statement surrounded by an apology.  Many of the Jews in leadership positions felt that it was too little, too late.  But, to get the culture of the Catholic Church to accept the words of the statement, its authors explained that it had to be in terms that Catholics would hear—rather than reject. Continue Reading