Jewish Chronicle , UK
Aug 24 2007

Armenian `genocide’ mission sparks dispute

24/08/2007
By Bernard Josephs

A British Liberal rabbi is to travel to Armenia to pay tribute to the
victims of the Armenian genocide carried out by the Ottoman Turks,
despite fears expressed by Jewish leaders that his plan could
complicate relations between Israel and Turkey.

Rabbi Danny Rich, chief executive of Liberal Judaism, told the JC he
had called on Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks, the Reform Movement and
the Board of Deputies to send representatives on the trip next week,
during which he plans to plant a tree at the genocide memorial in the
Armenian capital of Yerevan.

However, he said he had received no response.

A source, whom he declined to name, `warned me off, saying I should
not be asking people to come with me because of the situation between
Israel and Turkey’. Turkey – one of Israel’s closest allies in the
Middle East – is known to be acutely sensitive about the Armenian
massacre, in which over one million people were slaughtered around
the time of the First World War.

`It would have been better if the Jewish community as a whole had
been represented: instead I will be taking a small group from the
Liberal Synagogue. The Armenian genocide was horrific. By 1923,
virtually the entire Armenian population of Anatolian Turkey had been
`cleansed’. Jewish history reminds us of the importance of
remembrance, and the ethical imperative of Judaism says that the pain
of one people ought to be the tragedy of all peoples.’

A spokesperson for the Chief Rabbi denied any knowledge of Rabbi
Rich’s initiative. Reform’s Rabbi Tony Bayfield said he was `very
sympathetic’ to the move, but added: `There are complex political
issues relating to Israel and its relations with Turkey. I would be
loath to do anything without the support of the Board of Deputies.’
Board president Henry Grunwald said he too was aware of political
considerations but hoped the visit would `go very well’. A row over
whether or not the Armenian deaths should be categorised as genocide
erupted this week when the New York-based Anti-Defamation League
fired one of its directors, Andrew Tarsy, for backing a Congressional
resolution on the subject. Later, Abe Foxman, national director of
the ADL, reversed the position and said he did believe that a
genocide had taken place – but Mr Tarsy still lost his job.

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