Breakfast with Israeli Rabbi Arik Ascherman
By Leonore Mohill Gerstein
Ann Arbor friends of Torat Tzedek’s Rabbi Arik Ascherman invite the community to learn about his current projects on Sunday, January 25. Rabbi Ascherman will join us on Zoom.
In recent months, our anguish over the catastrophic events of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent years of war in Gaza has also included greater awareness of escalating violence in the Occupied Territories (the Israeli-controlled area from East Jerusalem to the Jordan river, also known as the West Bank). Throughout this region, Jewish outposts and settlements continue to proliferate. With increasing virulence, nationalistic settlers unleash violent attacks on the 3.4 million local Palestinians with near impunity. These mostly young religious males accost Palestinians in their fields and villages, set fire to homes, orchards, and fields, steal livestock, intimidate, injure and, at times, expel the populace. Their aim is to force as many Palestinians as possible to leave the area permanently.
Those among us who feel we must not turn away from such wrongdoing search for a way to effectively oppose the Israeli administration’s short-sighted violations of human rights in the areas under its control. In this spirit, members of the Ann Arbor Jewish community are aware of human rights and peaceful coexistence organizations in Israel and have maintained a relationship with American-born Rabbi Arik Ascherman for over two decades. While we may not be able to act “on the ground,” we can give material and moral support to Israeli human rights organizations, knowing that our commitment to them makes a difference.
After 20 years as head of Rabbis for Human Rights, Rabbi Ascherman founded Torat Tzedek (the Torah of Justice) in 2017. As its spiritual and pragmatic leader, Rabbi Arik is guided by a vision of justice grounded in Jewish religious texts. He concentrates on tipping the scales toward what is just, often working to resolve less-known human rights crises. All of his interventions are pragmatic; some take great courage. At present, he devotes much of his energy protecting Palestinian villagers and shepherds. Convinced that there are times when “we must defend our fellow human beings with our bodies,” he regularly joins the Palestinian villagers when they are attacked. In October and November 2025, settlers unleashed a pogrom, torching the homes in the Palestinian village of Mukhmas. Refusing to abandon their ancestral home, the residents asked Rabbi Ascherman and his volunteers to help them rebuild. Currently, this is Torat Tzedek’s primary project. Directly related is Rabbi Ascherman’s effort to recruit a corps of international volunteers to be present day and night in beleaguered Palestinian villages.
In support of the work of Torat Tzedek, members of the Ann Arbor Jewish community are hosting a breakfast gathering at the Jewish Community Center on Sunday, January 25, 9:30 a.m.–noon. A panel of local supporters of Ascherman and Torat Tzedek will discuss his current projects, providing historical and philosophical context. Rabbi Ascherman will join us from Israel via Zoom to discuss his work and respond to questions from the audience.
While the breakfast is free and no reservations are required, our intent is to raise needed funds for Rabbi Ascherman’s work. We are grateful for all donations given in the spirit of tikkun olam, repairing the world. Co-sponsoring organizations include Temple Beth Emeth and the social action committee of Beth Israel Congregation. Please direct your questions to Deb Schild [email protected], Martha Kransdorf [email protected], or Leonore Mohill Gerstein [email protected].
