A nationwide group of rabbis has sent a letter to both the Senate and the House of Representatives in support of the proposed deal with Iran.
In advance of the critical congressional vote taking place next month, a nationwide group of rabbis has sent a letter to both the Senate and the House of Representatives in support of the proposed deal with Iran. Among the 340 U.S. rabbis affixing their signatures to the document are 27 religious leaders from the greater Philadelphia area.
Some of the rabbis from the region who hope to sway the Republican majority — and some Democratic congressman — include: Rebecca Alpert, senior associate dean of academic affairs at Temple
University College of Liberal Arts; Meryl Crean of Wesley Enhanced Living in Media; and Sue Levi Elwell, a member of Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Center City and the scholar in residence at Washington Hebrew Congregation in Washington, D.C.
In July, the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia signed the deal, which will have Iran reduce by two-thirds — from 19,000 to 6,104 — the number of centrifuges it operates for at least 10 years and impose new provisions for inspections of Iranian facilities, including military sites. Iran will also receive more than $100 billion in assets frozen overseas, and see an end to both the European embargo on its oil exports and various financial restrictions on Iranian banks. It places bans on enrichment at key facilities, and limits uranium research and development to the Natanz facility.
Emeritus Rabbi Seymour Rosenbloom, who retired a year ago from Congregation Adath Jeshurun in Elkins Park, said he signed the letter because it is the best way to prevent a nuclear Iran.
“I don’t think there’s any alternative to this,” he said. “I think it’s the best deal that we could have got.”
— Jason Cohen
