Roos Chaï: “Protecting the Palestinians is a Jewish duty”
In a context where Jewish voices critical of Israel are often marginalized, the artist Roos Chaï is one of those who refuse the amalgamation between Judaism and political Zionism. Signatory of the appeal “Not our name”it denounces the ideological drift of the Israeli government and reaffirms, forcefully, that the defense of life and justice constitutes the heart of Judaism. In this interview, she discusses the reasons for her commitment, the threats she received, and the creation of her collective Sun Heat, intended to fight against hatred and Islamophobic speech in the media. A strong testimony, full of courage and humanity.
Report of the interview with Chaï
“Saving a life means saving humanity”
Signatory of the appeal “Not our name”, written by a collective of Jews from France, Chaï chose to express himself publicly in the name of his faith and his conscience. For her, denouncing the crimes committed by Israel is a spiritual and moral imperative: “It is profoundly Jewish to save a life. Judaism has nothing to do with political Zionism. » The artist deplores that the voices of Jews opposed to Israeli policies are stifled and invisible. In a context of censorship and polarization, she believes that it has become vital to recall the fundamental values of Judaism: respect for life, memory of past suffering, and collective responsibility towards the oppressed.
The values of Judaism at the heart of its commitment
For Roos Chaï, Judaism is based on universal values: “He who saves a life, saves humanity. » She also evokes the memory of the persecutions suffered by the Jewish people, which she places in parallel with the current suffering of the Palestinian people. “We must, as Jews, protect the oppressed people, the widow, the orphan and the stranger. Today, it is our duty to protect the Palestinians and the Holy Land, which is Palestine. » This deeply humanist vision links faith, memory and solidarity. For her, silence in the face of injustice would be a spiritual betrayal.
“Netanyahu contributes to the rise of fascism”
Roos Chaï accuses the Israeli government, and in particular Benjamin Netanyahu, of betraying Jewish values and fueling anti-Semitism through its policies: “Netanyahu is participating in the rise of fascism, state racism and supremacism. He speaks for all Jews, but he does not represent our identity. » She denounces a usurpation of Jewish identity: “Judaism has been diverted from its spiritual foundations to justify crimes. Our voice was stolen from us. »
Threats and intimidation: the price of courage
Since the publication of his signature, RoosChaï says he has received threats and insults. She says she was called an “anti-Semite” or an “October 7 denier,” simply for having mentioned the responsibility of the Israeli government in the events. Despite her fear, she refuses to remain silent: “It is despicable to remain silent. We, the Jews of France, must speak out to say that what is happening is not done in our name. »
Sun Heat: a collective against hatred and Islamophobia
At the same time, Roos Chaï founded the Sun Heat collective – “striking heat” –, a call from the heart intended to fight against hatred, particularly Islamophobic, in the media and on social networks “We must shed light on hate speech. Only enlightened words will pursue the guilty. » Sun Heat brings together artists, citizens and lawyers to take legal action against racist and discriminatory remarks. Roos Chaï sees this as a continuation of his spiritual commitment: “Justice and charity are at the heart of Judaism. Defending our Muslim brothers and cousins means giving them the justice that we were once denied. »
A free and united Jewish voice
Through her commitment, Roos Chaï embodies a rare and necessary voice: that of a Jewish artist who demands solidarity with the Palestinians in the name of the very values of Judaism. His voice rises against the confusion maintained between faith and political ideology, and recalls a universal truth: “Defending life, justice and human dignity is the heart of Judaism. »
