Calls for ceasefire in Israel-Hamas war draws support from group of Pittsburgh Jews

A group of over 130 members of Pittsburgh Jewish community is calling for a ceasefire in the Israel/Hamas war.

A letter from the group urges President Joe Biden to call for deescalation in the conflict and a ceasefire to preserve lives.

Those who signed the letter include community organizers, constituents, professors and at least one elected official, Pittsburgh Public Schools board member Pam Harbin.

“We are in ongoing grief and fear for Palestinians living and dying under suffocating Israeli siege and bombardment,” the letter reads. “We are still in mourning for Israelis killed on Oct. 7 and civilians taken hostage. We condemn the indiscriminate killing of civilians, and we long for a world in which there will be no more grieving families.”

Harry Hochheiser, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh and resident of Squirrel Hill, said he is horrified by Hamas’ action against Israel on Oct. 7 and the subsequent response by the Israeli government.

He said he is appalled by the violence on both sides, but said Israeli bombing and other military actions is not succeeding in returning the hostages captured by Hamas and is leading to the deaths of innocent Palestinian civilians.

“The actions that the Israeli government has taken won’t get the hostages back,” he said. “Thousands of people have been killed, and only a handful of hostages have been freed. It is not an offense with a clear message.”

The Israeli government has said that 1,400 people in Israel have been killed and authorities in Hamas-run Gaza said the death toll eclipsed 12,300 this weekend. Hamas is holding some 240 Israeli hostages, and negotiations for their release are ongoing between Israel and Hamas.

While U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Swissvale, has been advocating for a ceasefire for the past month and signees of the letter support her efforts. Other Jewish leaders in Pittsburgh have criticized Lee for her recent votes pertaining to the war and her support for a resolution calling for a ceasefire.

Over 40 rabbis and cantors from congregations across Pittsburgh condemned Lee’s calls for a ceasefire and her votes against pro-Israel resolutions.

A spokesperson for Lee said the congresswoman is meeting with several of the rabbis this afternoon. Lee has condemned Hamas’ actions and has also signed onto a resolution calling for hostages to be released.

The Ceasefire Now Resolution that Lee supports has increased its support and was up to 18 co-sponsors as of Monday morning. Another 22 members of Congress, including four Jewish members, have joined the calls for a ceasefire, but did so in letters or public statements and have not yet co-sponsored the resolution. U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Delaware County, became the second member of Congress to call for a ceasefire.

The letter from Pittsburgh Jews is asking all members of the Pennsylvania congressional delegation to call for a ceasefire. Many remain steadfast in their support for Israel, including U.S. Sens. John Fetterman, D-Braddock, and Bob Casey, D-Scranton.

Hochheiser, 56, said support for the letter shows there are a diverse set of opinions within Pittsburgh’s Jewish community, even when pertaining to Israel.

“It’s not just a bunch of 20-somethings calling for a ceasefire,” he said. “I think there is a lot of concern, like any community. The Jewish community in Pittsburgh is not monolithic.”

He said it was important to support Lee because he believes she is “doing the right thing” in calling for a ceasefire.

“When Lee takes a stand in the right direction, it is important to support her,” said Hochheiser.

Lee has garnered challengers to her seat, who have criticized her statements on Israel. In the past, the pro-Israel political group American Israel Public Affairs Committee, has spent millions of dollars in opposition to Lee and is rumored to be gearing up again for next year’s election.

Hochheiser criticized the group’s efforts in supporting Republican U.S. politicians who voted against certifying the 2020 election and the group’s support for what Hochheiser said were anti-democratic actions by Israeli leadership.