FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CNN LINKS YIGAL AMIR TO PROJECT GENESIS

Concern for Halacha Connects to Learning Program

Representatives of Project Genesis expressed concern at being linked to Amir in any way. In a public statement released on the Internet last week, Project Genesis rejected Amir's claim that he acted "in the name of G-d." "It need hardly be stated," they wrote, "that this wanton act is one that was diametrically opposed to His desires. Let it be said with no equivocation, no reservations, and no hesitation: This act of killing another Jew is condemned in the strongest terms."

Rabbi Yaakov Menken, director of Project Genesis, blamed the media for creating a false "perception of Halachic support" for Yigal Amir. "Many reports have grossly distorted the reality," he said. "All leading Halachic authorities rejected inciteful rhetoric, and have denounced this murder. A small, fringe minority should not be used to create a distorted view of the community overall." In recent days, graffiti was sprayed on the walls of Heichal Shlomo, the office of the Chief Rabbinate in Jerusalem. "Rabbis are murderers" and "they killed Rabin" was painted on the building.

The Project Genesis statement, created by Rabbis and educators from around the globe, distinguished between those who are guided by Torah and those who "search for selective quotations" to justify their own opinions. "The murderer who killed Prime Minister Rabin did so with a warped sense of Jewish nationalism which was bred from those who use the Torah for political agendas. That is not why the Holy One, Blessed be He, gave us the Torah. To use the Torah to justify the murder of Yitzchak Rabin is to corrupt the Torah through ignorance and misinterpretation," they wrote.

When informed of the objections, "CNN was very accomodating," said Rabbi Menken. "The link was removed within hours of our request." Project Genesis looks forward to continuing its learning program without disruption.

Project Genesis, the Jewish Learning Network, directs an Internet-based educational program with close to 5,000 members, promoting further education about Judaism as represented in Jewish sources. Project Genesis believes that this is the best way to restore Jewish self-respect, self-confidence and an interest in Jewish identity and continuity. The organization may be reached via e-mail to learn@torah.org, on the World Wide Web at http://www.torah.org/, or at (914) 356-3040.

Copyright © 1995 Project Genesis, Inc.