Some more thoughts on the split personality of America’s liberal Jews
Posted: January 14th, 2010 | Author: noam | Filed under: racism, the US and us | Tags: Gaza, James Besser, liberals, Rabbi Jason Miller, racism | 18 Comments »I had some interesting responses to my post on the “split personality” of American liberal Jews. One of them was from Rabbi Jason Miller from Detroit, Michigan, who posted on his blog some of his thoughts regarding this issue. Among other things, he refers to “the seemingly ironic position that so many liberal American Jews find themselves in concerning their views on Israel.”
Admittedly, I am in this category. I never criticize Israel or its government’s policies publicly, because, well, it’s Israel — my Israel, my homeland. The Jewish state has enough critics, I reason; it could use more people playing defense for the team. But when it comes to religious pluralism, I have no problem expressing my frustration for the control that the ultra-Orthodox wields in Israel. A monopoly by one denomination of a religion for all official religious acts is not democratic.
I think that Rabbi Miller is being very honest here about his views on Israel. In a different post, he refers to the acceptance of Gays and Lesbians by the Jewish community as one of the most important developments of the decade. This is another example of something that the religious establishment in Israel wouldn’t even consider doing – in fact, Rabbis and religious MKs here led the fight against Gay rights – and Rabbi Miller has no problems speaking against Israel’s orthodoxy.
I wonder, however, what is the difference, in the eyes of a liberal person, between Gay and Arab rights. I understand Jews’ hesitations to come out publicly against Israel on issues that involve national security, but when it comes to minorities’ rights, the current government in Jerusalem is far worse than any administration America had in the past fifty years, yet Jews – who took part in some of the great civil rights fights in the US – remain very careful not to criticize Israel on these matters.
Just recently, the Knesset passed a law which would allow Jewish settlements inside Israel (not to be confused with West Bank settlements), built on public state land, to forbid Arab citizens from purchasing a home within them. At the same time, the Knesset turned down a bill that was meant to make the state allocate land to Jews and Arab on an equal basis.
Doesn’t the fact that Rabbi Miller views Israel as his homeland only makes it more urgent to protest when this country is marching down the “separate but equal” road?
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Going back to the national security issue, my question to Israel’s liberal supporters is if they can imagine a time in which it would be justified to come out publicly against Israel.
Naturally, this is something liberal Israelis ask themselves all the time – when does it become justified to speak against our country, even our community. Often I wonder how would a certain post or news item I might quote here be viewed, used, misused or taken out of context when people around the world read it.
Among leftist bloggers who write in English, we joke that after one raises a critical or controversial issue, you start by being praised by those fighting for peace and civil liberties, than by anti-Israelis, later on by anti-Semites, and finally by Holocaust deniers. Naturally, many of these responses are not exactly what we aim for, but still, we think that some of Israel’s actions – more and more lately – deserve to be criticized publicly. The truth – about the West Bank, or about Gaza, or about civil liberties in Israel – must be told, even if it occasionally leads to some unfortunate consequences.
Sometimes I get the feeling that many American Jews exempt themselves from this dilemma by simply accepting Jerusalem’s view all the time. So again, my question to them is this: Can they think of an event that will make them come out against Israel, both privately and publicly?
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Maybe there are signs of change. Here is something I read at James Besser’s blog on The Jewish Week, And Besser is far from being anti-Israeli or a radical lefty:
…there’s something disturbing about the growing determination to stifle debate in an American Jewish community with a multiplicity of pro-Israel views. Israelis engage in vigorous debate about these issues all the time, but apparently our own leaders believe that support for Israel is so shaky here that we can’t raise issues like whether or not the Gaza blockade is in Israel’s long-term security interests.
Interestingly, Besser makes the same point I had: that some of the stuff written on the Israeli mainstream media would be unacceptable for American Jews had it appeared at their town’s paper. After quoting the Haaretz editorial calling to reconsider the siege on Gaza, he wonders:
Wouldn’t any American Jewish group making such an argument be tarred as a violator of the pro-Israel orthodoxy, shunned, called “dangerous” to the Jewish state?
What do you think?
First of all, many, if not most, American Jews don’t think about Israel very much. It is simply irrelevant to their lives. Now for a few comments on your question.
1. American Jews probably behave in similar ways to many diaspora communities in general which are hesitant about criticizing the homeland. Diaspora identity is very complicated. There is a huge difference between living in a country and being critical of its policies and being either a cheerleader or critic from the sidelines.
2. While I will admit that there is often less than frank discussion about Israel, I think that much of this alleged suppression is exaggerated. Also, I do not think that many American Jews who care about Israel have more than a superficial knowledge about Israel and what is going on there. Even though they may have visited a number of times, they don’t know much about Israel or the people who live there. For the few who do know what is going on, they often feel, similar to Rabbi Miller, that there are enough people who criticize Israel so why should I join the chorus. Also, not all American Jews are so liberal.
3. Personally, I think that many, although not all, of the very vocal American Jewish critics of Israel are just that, critics, they really don’t support Israel and will probably never voice support for Israel no matter what the situation. They have their issues to work out about their Jewish identity and Israel is a convenient punching bag. People who don’t seem to loss any sleep or voice much concern over thousands of civilians killed by the American military and paid for with their taxes all of a sudden think that the world is coming to an end if Palestinians are killed by Israel. This is not an attempt to minimize the value of human life, just to point out what I think is a dishonest concern for humanity expressed by some critics of Israel.
Noam you have stumbled – or walked directly into – a fascinating and difficult issue. I’ve lived in the US for five years now, and I still can’t get over how different the whole idea of being Jewish here is compared to what it means to us Israelis.
Unlike us, to the Americans, the religious aspects of what being Jewish is completely enmeshed in in their Jewish identity. In other words, for most Jews who are not religious, their Judaism manifests itself when they congregate.
This mixture of culture and religion means, among others, that things that are considered “Jewish” are often elevated above political discourse. Israel as a state is among these. Put in this light, criticizing Israel is a little like talking smack about Yehuda Hamakabi (who was most probably the Avri Ran of his period) in Israel. It is done in very small circles, but on a greater scale, is a constituting myth of what being Jewish means.
So to answer your question, what is probably required is a myth shattering experience or event – one that will destroy the romanticized view of Israel as a liberal Jewish paradise.
I think that a little historical perspective is needed. Since the beginning of the 20th century American Jews have had a complex relationship with the idea of a Jewish state and then with Israel itself. The responses have been all over the spectrum- opposition, ambivalence, monetary support, logistical support, alienation, etc. It is wrong to try and paint it as some solitary experience which hasn’t gone through many changes.
Michael
First, as I wrote on my first post on this issue, I know I’m generalizing here. You have all sort of views among million of Jews, and if you go back in history, you will find even more. I wrote something I felt to be true, based on what I read and see in the media and more specifically on the Jewish media, and also on my discussions with American Jews and American-Israelis I know.
There is, however, some date to back my feeling that American Jews tend to be more liberal than other groups, and that many of them keep a strong support of Israel – to the point of questioning the legitimacy of criticism on Israel and on Zionism. So I do think there is something that needs to be addressed here.
I’m not saying that Jews must criticize Israel. Far from it. All I did was trying to point out to a contradiction between some of these Jews’ values, and what’s happening in Israel right now, and I wondered why it doesn’t bother them (not all the Jews – just the liberals).
The fact that other people are criticizing Israel, as well as that other Jews voice what you see as unfair criticism against Israel, is obviously important, but it doesn’t explain why people are willing to defend – not once or twice, but for years and decades – policy and actions which stand with direct contradiction to what they believe in. after all, many people in the world criticized the US over the years, and it never made Jews think twice before fighting their government on many issues. With Israel it’s different, and I wonder why.
As I wrote in my previous post – this goes even further than the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Jews don’t seem to mind that Israel is hostile to their own religious practices.
As for the point that most Jews just don’t know much about Israel, or don’t care much: the problem – if it’s a problem – is that these people do have an effect on the politics of Israel, and of the entire the region. If people would have just kept an abstract fondness to Israel it would have been different, but the US Jews, through their political support of Israel, play a key role in what’s going on here.
The thing which I think should be emphasized is that for many Jews some things which are going on in Israel do bother them. Knee-jerk supporters or critics will never be changed, it is the group of Jews who are, were, or want to be engaged with Israel on a mature level and are trying to find a way to do that should be addressed. Having lived both in Israel and America, been active in zionist camps and many Jewish institutions in America, I can tell you that it is not an easy situation to address. Take the issue of religious pluralism in Israel as an example. How is an American Jew going to be able to criticize Israel when it comes to religious pluralism when they themselves probably don’t support groups in Israel that are working towards that goal? American Jews pour millions of dollars into many very worthy charities and NGO’s in Israel, but very little of it goes towards religious pluralism. I have first-hand knowledge of how enmeshed the whole question is with Israeli politics and the political system, but most American Jews pay only lip service. I don’t think that there is an easy answer to promoting religious pluralism in Israel and American Jews should not expect Israel to be a mirror-image of America, but there seems to be very little effort to engage the problem.
When it comes to politics, most American Jews support whatever government is in power in Israel. I would say that this is generally true even for a group like AIPAC.
Another issue is that probably the majority of the most passionate defenders of Israel in America who are willing to give of their time and money are those who just want to support the Israeli government and don’t want to get involved in politics too much.
What is changing all the rules is that the organized Jewish community is undergoing a massive shift in membership and structure and I don’t think that anybody is sure what or who is going to be around in the future.
First, I’d like to thank Noam for starting such an interesting conversation. Second, I want to thank my colleague Michael for his comments since it saves me a lot of typing. I agree with Michael’s explanations of the situation.
Opinions about Israel by Diaspora Jews do not (and have never) followed any of the general rules about political persuasion. Here’s an example that I think will help answer your question regarding the difference, “in the eyes of a liberal person, between Gay and Arab rights.”
The majority of my colleagues in the Conservative rabbinate have liberal views on social issues. That is to say, they voted for Obama, are pro-choice, and advocate for gay rights. You would then assume that the same majority would be members of the liberal “Rabbis for Human Rights” organization. However, that is not the case. This has to do with the nuanced position about the human rights of the Palestinian people in the eyes of pro-Israel Jews in North America.
The thinking goes something like this: I am for human rights. I support oppressed peoples. I believe it is wrong for an army to cut down a person’s olive trees. And yet, if the army cutting down the person’s olive trees is the Israeli army and they are doing it for the security of the Israeli people (my “cousins”) because of Palestinian terrorists in the area, then I cannot in good faith side with the owner of the olive tree grove in that case.
I think that is the gray area here. Many of us are social liberals (doves), but we become conservatives (hawks) when it comes to the security of Israel and her people. This is probably why there aren’t so many Jewish Americans in the Republican National Committee or card-carrying members of the NRA, but AIPAC has been doing very well in recent years.
In terms of criticizing Israel publicly, it is precisely what Michael has articulated: There are enough folks painting Israel in a bad light, I’m not joining that party.
It’s also important to understand that among the chorus of Israel’s critics outside of Israel are a good number of self-hating Jews who criticize Israel as an outgrowth of their problems with the Jewish faith and the Jewish community. Further, there are groups of mostly non-Jews who refer to themselves as Jewish groups protesting Israel’s actions. Look no further than the Jewish Witnesses for Peace group in Ann Arbor that protests in front of a synagogue each Sabbath morning. The group is made up predominantly of non-Jews, but they call themselves a Jewish group because they feel it’s a louder critique if people think they are Jews demonstrating against Israel.
Noam writes: “Doesn’t the fact that Rabbi Miller views Israel as his homeland only makes [sic] it more urgent to protest when this country is marching down the ’separate but equal’ road?”
The answer to this question is SECURITY, SECURITY, SECURITY. If the Israeli army closes off the territories or sets up roadblocks because of suspected terror threats, this is not “separate but equal” or racist policies anymore than the TSA in the U.S. selecting Arabs for additional security checks in airports is racist. It’s a reality in the 21st century. It’s for the sake of the security of the citizens. Israel doesn’t violate the human rights of Palestinians simply because they’re Palestinian. That would be racist and my ethics dictate that I would stand up against that injustice. But security is different (within reason).
Rabbi Miller thank you for continuing this thread.
But how do you feel about the Yoo memos and torture?
They were made in the name of security.
Did you feel the need to defend the military police in Abu Gharib? They were your soldiers violating the human rights of others not because they were Arabs, but because they were being interrogated.
How about unwarranted wire-tapping? The Valerie Plame debacle?
If you are like the majority of liberal minded Americans I know, these make your stomach turn – but they were all in the name of security. What Noam S is wondering is why liberal Jews can be offended by these when they are committed by THEIR American soldiers, but lose all sense of critique when Israel is concerned.
Also, nobody has cut down olive trees for the security of anybody for years. Olive trees are cut down by settlers in he west bank while the army stands by and looks (I’ve been in the situation myself).
And finally, I think using the term “self-hating Jews” is very unhelpful – it is an ad-hominem attack that avoids dealing with the issues. I live in Ann Arbor, and have seen the demonstrators on occasion – they carry signs on Sabbath morning where they can carry their message to a Jewish audience, and maybe their message is that Israel has no right to exist – I don’t know I’ve never stopped to converse with them. But their signs don’t read very different from any you would see in a Peace Now or Meretz rally in Israel – at least the ones I’ve seen.
Noam W.,
I think that many American Jews are offended by torture, violations of civil liberties, etc. The question IMHO is what is your reaction to these violations. In America the reaction of some has been to vote for a president who opposed these actions, although whether he has changed course is open to debate. I don’t know of many American Jews who disagreed with many of the actions that you described above who called for the indictment of American military officers involved in bombings by the American military in Iraq or Afghanistan which killed hundreds of civilians or the indictment of former Bush administration officials who were involved in the so-called torture memos. The overwhelming majority of liberal Americans, Jews and non-Jews have chosen either the path of political change or let bygones be bygones. Again, the question is not whether one is offended or disagrees with something, but what is there reaction.
I think that somebody who supports Israel but disagrees with certain policies should in no way join forces with people who don’t want Israel to exist, want Israeli to lay down her arms and hope for the best, support the indictment of Israeli military and political officials, etc., and that is much of the crowd who is vocally critical of Israel in my opinion. I could be wrong, but their voices seem to be the loudest.
One concrete example of what I think is a moral disconnect for many critics of Israel in America. A number of months ago in Afghanistan American war planes incinerated dozens of innocent civilians because the German military felt that the gasoline tanks that these civilians were near might pose a danger in the future. I didn’t hear anybody calling for a UN investigation of the incident, the indictment of the American commander or the pilots. It was a tragic incident. Most people saw it as a tragic outcome which will hopefully be avoided in the future. This is probably what many American Jews think about many things in Israel. It was a tragic incident which will hopefully not happen again.
Michael,
Asking for indictments of generals, officers, etc. is something that developed, at least in Israel, only in the last decade, perhaps even less. I do not expect American Jews to ask Israeli generals to be accountable for their actions (whether I think they ought to be held accountable is a different question – but let’s leave that alone for now). While the attack in Afghanistan may have been a tragic error (I don’t know) too many actions of the Israeli army are not – but again, that is not what I would expect American Jews to address (and I don’t think Noam S is expecting either).
What I expect is that American Jews condemn these actions as they continue to happen. Bygones are not bygones in Israel because they occurring. As far as occupied territories are concerned – and relating to religious freedoms as well – with the exception of a short period between 1992-1995, we have been living under a “Bush administration” for more than forty years (Whether under labor, under likud or under kadima).
And yet the liberal Jewish community in the States keeps silent. I don’t expect you to send letters to congress asking to apply the foreign tort claims act against former heads of the Shabak, but I would expect an outcry regarding the never ending settlement in the west bank.
How much more adamant do you think would have Secretary Clinton been about making the current “settlement freeze” being a real freeze, and not the mockery it is today, if she not only did not have to fear losing Jewish support if she did so, but actually had Jewish support for pressing the point?
“While the attack in Afghanistan may have been a tragic error (I don’t know) too many actions of the Israeli army are not”
I do think that the majority of Palestinian civilian deaths are the tragic outcome of warfare and not the result of intential killing. There is no getting around the fact that in war civilians are killed. Should Israel have done things differently in specific situations? Probably, just like any other army has done things that in hindsight were wrong to do. We may disagree on this point and probably won’t change our minds.
“And yet the liberal Jewish community in the States keeps silent.”
Jews in America have been criticizing Israeli policies for over forty years. Sometimes it is in a louder tone, other times softer, sometimes by more people, sometimes by less, but the main reason why there probably isn’t an “outcry” is that most American Jews don’t think that settlements are the main reason why there isn’t peace with the Palestinians. You may disagree with this opinion, but I would bet you that just as the majority of Israelis probably think that most of the settlements are a waste of money, provocative, etc., in the end they will almost all be evacuated and they are not the reason why there isn’t peace. It often comes down to your political opinions, not your moral compass.
Regarding the current settlement freeze, I for one think that anyone who believes that a few hundred more apartments in Beitar Illit or Pisgat Zeev is going to make or break peace with the Palestinians is incorrect. More Jews aren’t pressuring Hillary or Obama because I think they believe that settlements are being used as an excuse not to negotiate with Israel.
This type of back and forth about the dilemma within the Jewish community is all well and good, but I see no mention at all, of the American Jewish phenomena of using money and position to obstruct and restrain criticism of Israel in the public as a whole. I saw this in action in a public affairs discussion group where the Jewish participants pressured the group administrator to prohibit any discussion about Israel – period. Believe me, this makes one as angry as can be.
Evening,
You know, collateral damage and proportionality are a strange thing – but don’t take my word for it – listen and read what Olmert, Barak and Ashkenzy were saying about exacting a price from the Gaza populace before the operation.
Also, Israel is a rather open society, because the army is so much part of society, a lot of what goes on in the army leaks over to civilian society and back – if you want an idea of the atmosphere among young soldiers about Palestinian lives, take a look at this story:
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1072466.html
As to a few hundred apartments. Here is my allegory for you:
Suppose I moved into your house by force, and then started negotiating with you about leaving. Supposing that I said I was going to start moving out next Tuesday, but on Sunday you saw contractors bringing in equipment for a new kitchen, and construction workers starting to enlarge my (use to be your) back porch – would you continue negotiating?
In the grand scheme of things, we can exasperate the situation by building more settlements, freeze things by not building, and improve the situation by dismantling.
The settlement freeze is suppose to be a confidence building measure. The idea is that before we make things better (i.e. dismantle the settlements and start moving out of the OT), we hold things the way they are and see that the other side is cooperating.
Think of it like a cease fire before a truce. When armies are fighting, before they negotiate a truce, and finally a peace, they halt the hostilities, as a sign that they are not making any further claims.
Now look at the current settlement “freeze”. First, there are hundreds of units being built, not just in pisgat zeev and beitar. Second, the freeze does not include infra-structure, which also includes public buildings. Third. Netanyahu is on record saying that the “freeze” is on for ten months only and that following it there will not be a freeze at all, and that the construction will continue in full force.
How is this a confidence building measure and in what way does it show Abbas that Israel is intending to leave the OT? The whole thing is a PR stunt.
I apologize Noam for basically taking over this post – I’ll quit if you think I’m going too far…
As a son to American parents, I find this discussion very interesting. Thanks, Noam.
My family in the States are all liberals. I basically agree with Michael’s first comments. Israel is fairly irrelevant to most of my family. I think the only reason they might care about it a bit is simply because me and parents live here, and are genuinely worried for our well being.
My family is also not very politically active. They don’t go to demos, or sign petitions and so forth. I think that when it comes to political activity, like many people, it comes down to Election Day, and that’s it. They were against apartheid in the 80’s, but didn’t do much about it.
As for Israeli issues, they might have sent a buck or two to AIPAC over the years, but that’s because there’s never been an alternative. Until J-Street showed up. I think this is where we might be able to say liberal Jews, who are very politcally active, finally exert some influence.
My family in the States reminds me a bit of Larry David. Not, of course, the way he handles himself on Curb Your Enthusiasm, but more concerning his connection to Israel and Judaism. And that connection is extremely weak.
Basically, and I don’t blame them, I think Jews in America (liberal and conservative) could care less.
Watch David here on curb do an impression of an orthodox Jew…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iENMor5V5o
Thank you all for an interesting and thoughtful debate. Reading what Michael and Rabbi Miller wrote was especially interesting for me. I must admit I agree with much what Noam W wrote, so I was very happy to get “your side” of the debate.
I would like to address two more points that were mentioned in the comments above:
1. Regarding our tendency to fall back to the security argument. As I said, I understand why Jews are so careful not to question any issue that involves Israel’s security, but I think we should remember how often the term “security” is manipulated and abused, and not just in Israel. Jews are alert to this fact when it involves the US army, and they don’t take whatever their generals tell them for granted. With the IDF it’s a bit different, and some time I get the feeling they chose to be naive.
Furthermore, does the end always justify the means? Can Israel starve 1.5 millions in Gaza – or kill hundreds – even if Hamas launched rockets which hurt some of our citizens? I think these are the kind of questions we need to ask ourselves these days.
What worries me even more is the tendency to view everything regarding minorities’ rights as a security issue. The anti-Arab legislation and discrimination I mentioned in both posts has nothing to do with security. This is something which is very important to understand. There are growing racist tendencies in the Israeli society, and as liberals, I think we shouldn’t accept them – especially if one cares about this place.
By the way, I personally think that problems such as religious pluralism and the rights of the Arab minority are more connected than most people would like to think – It has to do with the place the Jewish religion occupies in the state structure itself – so I don’t see a way to solve the problem of Nofrat Frenkel without solving the problem of the Arab Doctor Adel Kaadan, who was not allowed to build his house in a Jewish village. I wonder if that is the reason that so many conservative and Reform Jews who make Aliya end up in the supporting the leftwing in Israel.
2. Regarding the fact that most Jews are not that knowledgeable and tend to support whatever government is in Jerusalem – that’s exactly what I was aiming at with this post. I think that by doing this, Jews act against the same values they believe in. The settlements issue, which Noam W brought up, is the perfect example. If you oppose the settlements yourself, and you think it’s both immoral and bad for Israel, why take Jerusalem’s side when a US president asks to stop it? Even if you think it’s just a Palestinian pretext, by going out against the administration on this one, you allow Israel to go on settling the WB – something you say yourself is opposed. More than anything, it looks to me that Jews will oppose any pressure applied on Jerusalem, regardless of the issue at hand and of political circumstances.
Which brings me to the question I asked on this post: can anyone imagine a situation in which an Israeli PM wouldn’t be able to count on the immediate political support of American Jews?
Interesting debate. Rather than add directly to it I would like to offer up a personal experience.
I lived in Israel for many years, during which I would define myself politically as Israeli center-left.
I now live in the States and worked for a time for a large Jewish communal institution in a Liberal area. These are people who raise funds for Israel, advocate for it and travel there regularly. As liberals they support gay rights (in Israel) help support Israeli Arabs and equality and are also active in advocating religious pluralism within Israel. The vast majority are committed Jews who participate in their religious communities.
As an Israeli, I have no problem stating my disagreements with many policies of the State. Because I love it, I want it to be the best nation it can be, to be strong and secure, with equal rights for its citizens and to have a future in as much peace as possible with its neighbors. I don’t believe many of the policies carried out by Israel will bring about this end, both internally and in relation to the Occupied Territories. Because I love it I have a duty to say so.
What stunned me when working in that institution was how afraid people are to speak out. When I did, I would experience frightened looks and warnings to be careful. I would find people deeply concerned with Israels actions yet afraid to express it. They had no forum and no avenue for their feelings. Some people were stunned to learn of the depth of the debate in Israel because it ISN”T commonly discussed in American Jewish circles and when it is, the ad-hominem attacks are sure to follow.
The sad thing was that this fear, this lack of debate is in fact leading to further the alienation of American Jews from Israel. They don’t like what they see, but have no experience of a Jewish forum in which to express their disappointment and to affect change.
There is an enormous need for leaders in the American Jewish world to stand up and say that you can love Israel and care about it but not agree with everything in does.
J-Street is a start, I hope there will be others.
Lisoosh – I think you’ve touched one of the most important points regarding these issues. Even if some Liberal Jews don’t feel very comfortable with current Israeli policies, they have nowhere to get reliable information – because most of the world media is considered biased by community leaders – and the Jewish establishment silences even criticism which would pass as legitimate in Israel.
noam – the situation with organized Jewry is a complicated one, but here is a thought.
The institutional Jewish world is very focussed on fundraising which over the years has moved heavily from community based to professional based which relies on major donors.
Most major donors grew up in very tight immigrant Jewish communities, community unity was important, WWII fresh and Israel like a shining beacon of hope. Nobody wants to upset them. Even major left leaning philanthropists tend to be very “diplomatic” in their circles in order to maintain funds flowing towards their special pet projects.
The fear is the exaggerated fear those with less power and money have of the wealthy and influential.
There are of course exceptions and I am describing a singular dynamic in liberal Jewish institutions. There is of course a whole lot more to the issue, including religious pressure, the Orthodox dismissal of other streams and so forth.
It will take a while until the younger, more open minded generation (whose relationship to Israel is very different) becomes the premier financiers of Jewish life. There is already a revolution going on in Jewish institutions, but it won’t happen overnight.
Why stereotype? It might just be possible to understand that Israel is a moral society of people with great values and the minor problems Israel’s detractors obsess with are not worth the effort. I am not a Jew, but I wish to legalize marijuana, support women’s rights, have no problem with gay marriage, and many of the classic liberal goals, but in no way shape or form can I support Arab bigots in their war against the Jews. As was pointed out, Israel has a line of critics that encompass the world several times over. You want to scream about a policy like demanding rail workers be ex IDF or trying to keep Jewish girls from disappearing into the Arab communities and never being heard from again? As if self preservation is racism? Come on, Noam. Some of the things you allude to in your articles are just neurotic, certainly obsessive. And it is all negative. Would it kill you to be objective? Would your fan base leave if you suddenly stopped drawing the wrong conclusions or making mountains out of mole hills in demonising Israel? By allowing a perpetual easy way out for the Arabs you are guilty of lengthening the war in whatever small way you are responsible for. Liberal, conservative, whatever, there is no shock when people do not get bent out of shape over the straw filled boogie men you sometimes create. And that disturbs me to no end, because you are eloquent and intelligent. I want to shake you by the lapels sometimes and scream do you not see the harm you are causing? The Arabs are not saints, and if that statement is true they should be represented in your writing if you were being honest and objective, but we don’t hear that. Why? From a somewhat liberal non-Jew, why?