War-weary Jews take refuge at Emanu-El peace service in S.F.

One doesn't usually mention getting arrested in public, especially not during a synagogue service.

But that's just what Janet Weil did -- to nods of approval.

"I was arrested today on Bush and Powell," she told fellow worshippers at Reform Congregation Emanu-El March 20. "At Pier 27, hundreds of us stood out against attacking Iraq, and I said a Shehechiyanu," the prayer uttered when experiencing something for the first time.

Weil was one of about 35 Jews seated in the San Francisco synagogue during a rapidly assembled peace service that lasted about 30 minutes.

Led by Rabbis Stephen Pearce and Sydney Mintz, attendees sang songs, prayed, heard psalms and, perhaps most of all, took comfort in the company of others in a spiritual environment.

"One of the reasons I'm here is not necessarily to pray. I've been feeling for days that I need to be with people who care and feel as I do," said Betty Dreifuss, who also took the microphone.

"I do pray all this will be over soon and as safely as possible."

Pearce, an outspoken critic of the war, said he was not surprised by the relatively low attendance. The small gathering appeared even tinier in Emanu-El's mammoth main sanctuary, where even whispers echoed off the walls and ceiling.

"This was spontaneous; people wanted an opportunity to express their concerns and needed a spiritual home at a time like this. After 9/11, 800 people came by. I suspected this would be smaller because we've been waiting for this to happen for so many days that people are tired, they don't want to hear about it anymore. And people are conflicted," said the rabbi.

"They want to hunker down, they don't want to go out."

Pearce and Mintz led the attendees in the singing of both "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "Hatikvah." The rabbis led prayers for Allied soldiers, the citizens of Iraq and the security of Israel and the Palestinians.

Pearce expressed confusion over why the United States chose to attack Iraq when Saudis played such a large role in manning, planning and financing the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, and bemoaned the bombing of the cradle of civilization.

"There's no question this is a war we can win, but I was distressed when the federal government ordered 75,000 body bags," he said.

"They expect our men to be carried home. I worry for all the families that will be torn asunder by this. All of the breadwinners that will be lost. All of the families that will lose a mother or a father or a sister or a brother or a husband or a wife.

"In Vietnam," he continued, "we lost 50,000 boys for nothing, absolutely nothing. Some in the Jewish community say it'll be different this time, but I don't know if it will."