We are standing arm in arm shoulder to shoulder with Abraham, Martin and John with Moses, Mohammed and Jesus. These prophets are our eternal guides in pursuing justice and peace. These prophets never had a majority and never took a vote.

Ashes in Judaism are sacred. On this Ash Wednesday we remember 6 million Jews and 5 million others who were gassed and cremated. Their ashes are sacred. They died because few stood up for them. Today we are witness that we will speak up for the voiceless, those who could be incinerated in a war against Iraq.

I blame George Bush. If there is war against Iraq, the Iraqis are not safe and we Americans will not be safe. Presents Bush?s foreign policy endangers us more and more. We can?t dismiss the fact that there is a growing hatred for America around the world, as we arrogantly pursue war. As a Jew, as a Rabbi, Mr. Bush?s foreign policy is increasingly dangerous to the entire Mideast. By democratizing Iraq he feels the Arab and Muslim world will fall in line, this is not so.

This morning in Haifa in Israel a suicide bomber blew up a bus and at least 15 people were killed. That is wrong. In the last two weeks over 45 Palestinians have been killed. Demolition of their homes is unjust. It is wrong. The Mideast is exploding. Bringing down Iraq, I believe will further poison the politics of the Mideast. The city of Haifa is so unique. Religious extremists be they, Muslim, Christian, Jewish and Hindu despise the pluralism of Haifa where Arabs, Muslims, Christians and Israeli co-exist peacefully and significantly.

The journalist M.J. Rosenberg wrote:
"I am reminded of the old definition of insanity: Insanity is to repeat an action over and over again, but to expect a different result."

The father of 13 year old Yuval Mendelevich, killed on Wednesday, told a reporter on the way to his boy?s funeral, "I?m not looking for revenge. I?m not fulfilled when eleven innocent people are killed in Gaza. If it was eleven terrorists, I would be happy. But this worthless killing will not solve anything."

President Bush is endangering the lives of Americans and the lives of untold Israelis and Palestinians, if we go to war. We stand here today and want no more ashes -- No bodies going up in flame and leaving greater disorder in the world.

Let us be brave, courageous and prophetic and change the order of the world from war to peace.

Shalom, Salaam, Peace.>