Statute

February 1988

1. The Martin Buber Group - Jews for Peace was formed with the purpose of promoting a political and cultural debate within the Jewish Community in Roma and more generally in Italy. The Group will provide a forum of expression to those Jews who as individuals or as a group wish to pursue a free and fruitful exchange of ideas between various components of the Community as they reject the prevailing tendencies to present to the outside a monolithic Jewish position and to ignore the existence of a diversity of ideas. These attitudes are in stark contrast with the inner essence of Judaism which is based on continuous self‑scrutiny and discussion, and are likely to endanger the survival of a vital, albeit small, part of Diaspora Jewry.
2. The Group will pursue the following activities:
   1. Diaspora and Israel: the Group, reaffirming the indissoluble bonds between Diaspora Jews and the State of Israel and recalling the ideals that inspired its creation, asserts the right and duty of Diaspora Jews to express opinions on the Israeli political situation and on the Arab‑Israeli conflict. In this context the guiding principle of the Group will be the active support to all forces which in Israel strive for a negotiated political settlement based on the mutual recognition of the rights of the Jewish‑Israeli people and of the Arab‑Palestinian people to their national self‑expression and on the principle of "territories in return for peace". Only in this way the survival of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state in the Middle East can be secured.
   2. Jewish culture and identity: the Group will encourage research and discussion on Jewish culture in its diverse expressions in Israel and the Diaspora, also outside the official Community institutions, with a view to developing all dimensions of Jewish identity in the contemporary world.
   3. Racism and antisemitism : the Group is committed to combating all expressions of racism, in any form and from any source; this commitment takes on particular urgency in view of the increasing signs of a resurgence of racism in Italy as well as in the Western world in general. The Group is especially concerned about the recrudescence of antisemitism in this country, originating from a combination of prejudice and deliberate distortion of facts which transcends traditional right‑wing and Christian ideologies spreading to some groups of the left. The Group will direct its greatest effort at combating these developments.
   4. Non‑Jewish world: the Group will promote a fuller dialogue with Italian non‑Jewish political and cultural forces and institutions with a view to fostering a mutually beneficial exchange on themes and values both specific to Judaism and originating from outside the Jewish world.

3. The Group will actively cooperate with those who are committed to the full realization of the new Statute of Italian Jewry and to the development of Community institutions grounded on democracy and pluralism.