Rabbis for Human Rights

Rabbis for Human Rights (RHR) is an Israeli human-rights organization founded in 1988 by Rabbi David Forman. It describes itself as a rabbinic voice of conscience in Israel, drawing on Jewish teachings concerning human dignity, justice, equality, and the protection of vulnerable people. Its membership has included Reform, Orthodox, Conservative, and Reconstructionist rabbis, rabbinical students, and other rabbinic leaders. The organization’s website states that its network includes more than 170 ordained rabbis, students, and leaders. RHR works across several connected areas. Its Territories Department provides a protective presence for Palestinian farmers, helps farmers reach agricultural land, and documents alleged human-rights violations. This work is particularly associated with the annual olive harvest, when volunteers accompany Palestinian farmers who may face intimidation, violence, or damage to crops and property from nearby settlers. The initiative began in 2002 after a Palestinian peace activist from Yanun sought assistance for olive pickers. By 2008, the volunteer effort reportedly covered approximately 40 villages. The organization’s Social Justice Department addresses poverty, discrimination, economic rights, and equal opportunity within Israel. Its Education Department develops programs about human rights, religious pluralism, tolerance, and Jewish ethics. Through its Interfaith Department, RHR supports dialogue and cooperative work among different religious and communal groups. Together, these programs position the organization at the intersection of religious interpretation, civil-society advocacy, community organizing, and nonviolent accompaniment. RHR has also opposed sections of the Israeli West Bank barrier where it argues that construction expropriates Arab-owned land, divides villages, or prevents farmers from reaching their fields. In 2006, the organization was associated with a legal victory concerning the barrier’s proposed division of the East Jerusalem community of Sheikh Sa'ad. Its activism has sometimes involved civil disobedience. Former executive director Rabbi Arik Ascherman was prosecuted after standing in front of bulldozers during attempts to prevent Palestinian home demolitions in East Jerusalem. A magistrates’ court found him guilty in 2005 but ruled that he would not receive a criminal record. The group has participated in public debate over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, minority rights, Bedouin displacement, racism, and the role of Jewish communities in confronting state power. A 2013 RHR video, Fiddler with No Roof, featured actor Theodore Bikel comparing the proposed displacement of Bedouins under the Prawer Plan with the forced expulsion depicted in Fiddler on the Roof. RHR’s participation in discussions surrounding the 2001 Durban anti-racism conference and criticism of Israel’s policies have also generated controversy. Rabbi Ascherman rejected the claim that RHR endorsed inflammatory anti-Israel rhetoric, stating that the organization’s representative criticized such rhetoric while supporting the legitimacy of discussing human-rights violations. The organization has received recognition including the Speaker of the Knesset Quality of Life Prize in 1993, the Niwano Peace Prize in 2006, the Yeshayahu Leibowitz Award in 2009, and the Gandhi Peace Award in 2011, the latter recognizing the leadership of Rabbis Arik Ascherman and Ehud Bandel. RHR has historically received support from foreign governments and international bodies, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Spain. Its current governance is led by a board chaired by Rabbi Ruti Bidatz, while Rabbi Avi Dabush serves as executive director.

Rabbis for Human Rights was established in Israel in 1988 by Rabbi David Forman. From its beginning, the organization sought to articulate a Jewish religious response to human-rights questions, arguing that Jewish texts and ethical traditions require concern for strangers, minorities, the poor, and people subject to state or communal power. Its membership developed across denominational lines and came to include Reform, Orthodox, Conservative, and Reconstructionist rabbis and rabbinical students. The organization received early public recognition in 1993, when it won the Speaker of the Knesset Quality of Life Prize for work associated with the rule of law, democratic values, human rights, tolerance, mutual respect, and good-neighborly relations. During the late 1990s, Rabbi Arik Ascherman became executive director, helping make RHR a visible participant in Israeli debates over the treatment of Palestinians, land access, home demolitions, and the responsibilities of Jewish religious leadership. RHR’s field work expanded substantially during the Second Intifada. In 2002, following a request from a Palestinian peace activist in Yanun, the organization began sending volunteers to accompany Palestinian olive pickers and provide a protective presence during the harvest. The initiative responded to reports of attacks, intimidation, vandalism, and obstruction by nearby settlers. It later became one of RHR’s best-known activities and reportedly reached about 40 villages by 2008. The work combined direct accompaniment with documentation, public advocacy, and efforts to help farmers gain access to land. The organization also challenged portions of the Israeli West Bank barrier where it believed the route confiscated Arab-owned land, split communities, or separated farmers from their fields. A significant legal result came in 2006, when RHR was associated with a successful challenge preventing the proposed barrier route from dividing Sheikh Sa'ad, a village in the East Jerusalem area. RHR’s activism has included nonviolent direct action. In the early 2000s, Ascherman stood in front of bulldozers during efforts to demolish Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem. He was tried in Jerusalem in 2004 and found guilty by a magistrates’ court in March 2005 of interfering with police duties. The court nevertheless ruled that he would not receive a criminal record. The organization has also participated in international and domestic debates about racism, occupation, minority rights, and displacement. Its position surrounding the 2001 UN World Conference against Racism in Durban became controversial. Critics claimed that RHR had joined efforts portraying Israel as an apartheid or racist state. Ascherman rejected that account, saying that RHR representative Rabbi Jeremy Milgrom had criticized inflammatory rhetoric and Israel-bashing. RHR likewise expressed concern that later Durban-related discussions could become one-sided, while maintaining that alleged Israeli human-rights violations should remain legitimate subjects of international scrutiny. In 2013, RHR released Fiddler with No Roof, a public-awareness video featuring actor Theodore Bikel. The video compared the proposed displacement of roughly 40,000 Bedouins under the Prawer Plan with the forced expulsion of Jews represented in Fiddler on the Roof. It framed the campaign as a warning against arbitrary evictions and the use of official orders to remove people from their homes. Alongside its Territories work, RHR developed departments focused on social justice, education, and interfaith relations. Social-justice programs address poverty, discrimination, economic rights, and equal opportunity in Israel. Educational initiatives explore human rights, religious pluralism, tolerance, and Jewish ethics. Interfaith activity seeks dialogue and joint initiatives across religious communities. These activities broadened RHR beyond protest and legal intervention into education and civil-society development. RHR’s later leadership included Ayala Levi as executive director after 2010. Rabbi Ruti Bidatz became chair of the board in 2022, and Rabbi Avi Dabush is identified as the current executive director in the cited reference material. The organization has reported a membership or network of more than 170 ordained rabbis, students, and rabbinic leaders. It has received international recognition through the Niwano Peace Prize in 2006, the Yeshayahu Leibowitz Award in 2009, and the Gandhi Peace Award in 2011, awarded in connection with the leadership of Ascherman and Ehud Bandel. RHR has also historically received funding from foreign governments and international bodies, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Spain.

• 2022

  Ruti Bidatz becomes board chair

  [1]Rabbis for Human Rightsen.wikipedia.org

  Rabbi Ruti Bidatz became chair of the organization’s board.

• 2011

  Gandhi Peace Award

  [1]Rabbis for Human Rightsen.wikipedia.org

  RHR, through the leadership of Rabbis Arik Ascherman and Ehud Bandel, received the Gandhi Peace Award from Promoting Enduring Peace.

• 2009

  Yeshayahu Leibowitz Award

  [1]Rabbis for Human Rightsen.wikipedia.org

  RHR received the Yeshayahu Leibowitz Award.

• 2008

  Olive harvest program expands

  [1]Rabbis for Human Rightsen.wikipedia.org

  The protective volunteer effort reportedly covered approximately 40 Palestinian villages.

• 2006

  Sheikh Sa'ad barrier lawsuit

  [1]Rabbis for Human Rightsen.wikipedia.org

  RHR was associated with a legal victory preventing the barrier from dividing Sheikh Sa'ad.

• 2006

  Niwano Peace Prize

  [1]Rabbis for Human Rightsen.wikipedia.org

  RHR received the Niwano Peace Prize.

• 2005

  Ascherman found guilty without a criminal record

  [1]Rabbis for Human Rightsen.wikipedia.org

  A Jerusalem magistrates’ court found Rabbi Arik Ascherman guilty of interfering with police duties but ruled that he would not receive a criminal record.

• 2002

  Olive harvest accompaniment begins

  [1]Rabbis for Human Rightsen.wikipedia.org

  RHR began sending volunteers to accompany and protect Palestinian olive pickers after a request from Yanun.

• 1998

  Arik Ascherman becomes executive director

  [1]Rabbis for Human Rightsen.wikipedia.org

  Rabbi Arik Ascherman became executive director after previously serving as co-director.

• 1993

  Speaker of the Knesset Quality of Life Prize

  [1]Rabbis for Human Rightsen.wikipedia.org

  RHR received the prize for contributions to human rights, democratic values, tolerance, and the rule of law.

• 1988

  Organization founded

  [1]Rabbis for Human Rightsen.wikipedia.org

  Rabbi David Forman founded Rabbis for Human Rights in Israel.

A Jewish, rabbinic, and nonviolent human-rights organization combining religious ethics with field accompaniment, legal advocacy, education, and social-justice work in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.

• Human-rights field program · 2002

  Olive Harvest Protective Presence

  A seasonal volunteer program in which Israeli and international supporters accompany Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest. The program is intended to deter attacks and intimidation, support access to agricultural land, document incidents, and draw public attention to threats facing farming communities.

• Advocacy and field accompaniment

  Territories Department

  RHR’s Territories work focuses on Palestinian farmers and communities affected by settlement activity, land restrictions, barrier construction, and alleged human-rights violations. Activities include protective presence, access assistance, documentation, and public or legal advocacy.

• Social-justice advocacy

  Social Justice Department

  This program addresses social and economic rights inside Israel, including poverty, discrimination, and unequal access to opportunity. It extends RHR’s religiously grounded human-rights approach beyond the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

• Human-rights education

  Education Department

  RHR develops educational programs connecting human rights with Jewish ethics, religious pluralism, tolerance, and civic responsibility. The department helps translate the organization’s rabbinic perspective into teaching and community engagement.

• Interfaith dialogue

  Interfaith Department

  The Interfaith Department promotes dialogue, mutual understanding, and joint initiatives among religious communities. Its work reflects RHR’s emphasis on cooperation as a means of advancing human rights and reducing communal conflict.

• 2001

  Dispute over RHR’s role at the Durban anti-racism conference

  Critics accused RHR of supporting efforts that characterized Israel as an apartheid or racist state at the 2001 Durban conference. Rabbi Arik Ascherman denied the accusation and said RHR’s representative had criticized inflammatory rhetoric and Israel-bashing.

  Source

Read more

• 2013Fiddler with No Roof

  Israel

  RHR produced a video featuring Theodore Bikel that opposed the proposed displacement of Bedouins under the Prawer Plan by comparing it with the forced expulsion depicted in Fiddler on the Roof.

  Outcome. The campaign used a widely recognized Jewish cultural reference to call attention to the consequences of forced displacement.

  Source
• 2003Home-demolition civil disobedience

  East Jerusalem

  Rabbi Arik Ascherman and others used nonviolent direct action to try to stop the demolition of Palestinian homes, including by standing in front of bulldozers.

  Outcome. Ascherman was prosecuted and later found guilty of interfering with police duties, but the court imposed no criminal record.

  Source
• 2002Olive Harvest Protective Presence

  West Bank

  RHR began accompanying Palestinian olive farmers after reports of attacks and obstruction near Yanun. Volunteers provide a visible nonviolent presence and help document incidents during the harvest season.

  Outcome. The effort expanded to approximately 40 villages by 2008 and became RHR’s signature field campaign.

  Source

• 2013

  Use Jewish cultural memory to oppose the Prawer PlanStrategy

  Background

  RHR sought to raise public concern about a plan that it said would displace Bedouins from homes in the Negev.

  Action taken

  The organization released Fiddler with No Roof, featuring Theodore Bikel and drawing a comparison with the expulsion narrative in Fiddler on the Roof.

  Aftermath

  The video framed Bedouin displacement as a moral issue connected to Jewish historical memory.

  Source

• 2006

  Challenge barrier construction affecting Sheikh Sa'adOther

  Background

  RHR opposed barrier routes that it said confiscated Arab-owned land, divided communities, or restricted farmers’ access to fields.

  Action taken

  The organization pursued legal action concerning the proposed division of Sheikh Sa'ad.

  Aftermath

  RHR was associated with a successful outcome preventing the barrier from dividing the village.

  Source

• 2002

  Adopt protective accompaniment for Palestinian farmersStrategy

  Background

  A Palestinian peace activist asked RHR for help protecting olive pickers near Yanun from attacks by nearby settlers.

  Action taken

  RHR organized volunteers to accompany farmers, provide a protective presence, and document alleged violations.

  Aftermath

  The initiative expanded over subsequent years and became the organization’s most recognizable field program.

  Source

1. 1Rabbis for Human Rightsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Rabbis for Human Rights official websiterhr.org.il