To my fellow American Jews

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

http://mondoweiss.net/2014/07/fellow-american-jews.html

I am writing this to my fellow American Jews. Well, to some of them. For a specific type of American Jew, actually. To those whose parents or grandparents were socialists and started unions before marching with Dr. King in Alabama. To those who despised George W. Bush and marched against the invasion of Iraq. To those who knocked on doors for causes they believed in while telling their children “be the change you want to see in the world”. To those who read poems at Bar and Bat Mitzvahs about “first they came for the…and I did not speak out because I was not a…” To those who instilled in me the unshakeable conviction that we must always stand on the side of the oppressed, even when no one else will.

Because of you, I am loud and I shout. But I’ve noticed you are growing quiet – almost silent – as an injustice is taking place in Palestine. I think that I know why. I think that as Operation Protective Edge marches onward, you feel your convictions clashing. You, more so than me, were raised to believe that Israel is something it is not: a democracy, with values just like yours, amidst a sea of aggressors. But with each passing day, it becomes harder and harder to close your eyes to a glaring reality.
----
Israel likes to claim that it is acting in self-defense. Putting aside the fact that, according to laws of armed conflict, Israel does not actually have the right to self-defense against a population that it militarily occupies, I still find this a hard pill to swallow. While Netanyahu claims that Hamas has disrupted the ‘calm’ of the last few years, I’ve lived in Palestine and I can tell you that there was no calm. At least not for Palestinians. There is a constant, nagging, never-ending violence. This didn’t start with three Israeli teenagers who were kidnapped while hitchhiking home from their schools in settlements through an Israeli military controlled area. Before there were those Israeli teenagers, there were two Palestinian teenagers who were shot in the chest and in the back as they milled around in front of a store in the West Bank. Their murders were caught on camera and yet there was no justice. And there was the systematic and institutionalized arrest and detention of approximately 8,000 Palestinian children since 2000. And there was Israel’s torture and mistreatment of hundreds of Palestinians who went on hunger strike to protest their detention without charge or trial. And there were Israeli soldiers firing tear gas, sewage water, rubber coated steel bullets and live ammunition at weekly non-violent Palestinian demonstrations against settlements. And before that there was the construction of a Wall that cuts through Palestinian land and isolates families from one another.

I know that you were raised to believe that Israel exists to protect Jews and Judaism. But Israel is killing my Judaism. It is killing the Judaism you raised me with. How can I reconcile “stand with the oppressed” with supporting an army that drops white phosphorous gas on children? How can I “question everything” while believing New York Times headlines that blame Gazans for their own deaths? “To remain neutral is to side with the oppressor” – you taught me that. To grow silent is to turn my back on our Judaism – a Judaism that speaks of community and love and healing the world. I refuse to do that. I hope you will too.

[roguevalley]

1. I cannot bear the innocents in that entire area from Afghanistan to Iraq to Syria to Palestine and

Israel being killed and harmed by bastards. Put all the cowards in charge in a room with ax handles and let them kill each other. All of them.

[oldandhappy]

2. 100 Palestinians killed for every one Israeli equals murder.

Current Jewish behavior has changed me from pro-Israel to anti-Israel. Extermination of your enemy only is rational against cockroaches. The state of Israel has a better chance of lasting if it recognizes it's neighbors. Conservative christians in the U.S. are not helping Israel make sane choices. The Far Right christians are pushing for armaggeden -- sorry I do not know how to spell it.

[King_David]

50. 'Current Jewish behavior '

Nuff said about your post .

[NaturalHigh]

51. Indeed.

True colors showing.

[Ken Burch]

59. That should be "current Israeli behavior".

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025292133

[locks]

3. Thank you, thank you

The Jews I have known and loved worked so hard for peace and civil rights for so many years. I hope they will not stay silent while more Palestinians die.

[zentrum]

4. It's true. This is

....killing real Judaism. Albert Einstein said that even the idea of Zionism was not real Judaism. What Israel is doing to the Palestinians is a massive crime against humanity.

[King_David]

39. Cite that Einstein quote please

[zentrum]

42. 1938 Speech

Called Our Debt to Zionism. He said: "I should much rather see reasonable agreement with the Arabs on the basis of living together in peace than the creation of a Jewish state. My awareness of the essential nature of Judaism resists the idea of a Jewish state with borders, an army, and a measure of temporal power, no matter how modest. I am afraid of the inner damage Judaism will sustain—especially from the development of a narrow nationalism within our own ranks, against which we have already had to fight strongly, even without a Jewish state."

This is but one example of a known concern he had about the damage Zionistic Israel was doing to Judaism itself.

Just as a Christian State would, by definition, destroy the real meaning of Christianity. That's my opinion, not Einstein's, but it makes the point.

[King_David]

43. Link please

[King_David]

44. Guess no link forthcoming so Here's article for you

With a link :


Debunking Fake Albert Einstein Quotes

http://skepticaesoterica.com/debunking-fake-albert-einstein-quotes/

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

45. Perhaps your linky is wrong dave.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/feb/16/israel.india

But his praise of Zionism was peppered with unease. Traumatised by central European anti-semitism, Einstein was keenly aware of the potential for excess embedded in nationalist ideologies and movements. From early on, he found much to admire in the liberal vision, propagated by some Palestinian Jewish intellectuals, of a binational Arab-Jewish state. Speaking in New York City in 1938, he declared: "I should much rather see reasonable agreement with the Arabs on the basis of living together in peace than the creation of a Jewish state... My awareness of the essential nature of Judaism resists the idea of a Jewish state with borders, an army, and a measure of temporal power... I am afraid of the inner damage Judaism will sustain."

Nice try.

[Shaktimaan]

53. Misrepresentation of Einstein's views.

AE disapproved of nationalism as a general concept, not Zionism in particular. It bears noting that he wasn't religious nor did he believe in god; his relationship with Judaism was a cultural one and his comments should take these beliefs into account before extrapolating on them.

It should be convincing evidence of Israel's legitimacy wrt arab intransigence that AE's views on Zionism changed over time as events in Palestine convinced him that his idealistic dream of co-existing peacefully proved impractical. His work on Israel's behalf eventually led to an invitation to be Israel's first president, a position he declined.

AE was famously critical of aspects of political Zionist movements but don't confuse him as being an overall opponent of Zionism or Israel. He was anything but.

[zentrum]

57. That's what

"Judaism" means to AE. It's cultural (intellectual, social, philosophical, inclusive, progressive democratic) importance. That's what I'm saying. He thought the values of cultural judaism would be destroyed by nationalism. Which is in fact the case.The reason he refused the invitation to be Israel's first president is obvious.

The removal of Palestinians from their traditional homes was the first act of intransigence. Let's not rewrite history to fit the Bible. You don't really think God gave Jews that land as "the Chosen People" --do you? If the so-called "homeland" of the Jews keeps behaving the way it does, it will eventually cause a larger war---so what's the use? NYC, LA and Chicago are perfectly fine, naturally grown "homelands" and a boon to any country where cultural judaism is allowed to flourish.

But go ahead, you can have the last word. I'm done.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

5. Remember the Bush Era term "Islamofascists" for the politically ignorant?

I haven't seen that in a while.

[mountain grammy]

6. My mother was Jewish, making me a Jew by birth..

I'm a non believer. My mother was blindly pro Israel, like most Jews her age. She died in 1988 and was already beginning to be uncomfortable with some of Israel's policies.

[burrowowl]

7. K&R!

[ellenrr]

8. Mondoweiss and Electronic Intifada are equivalent, one is Jewish and one is Arab,

both are valid sources of information
and in fact, often carry the same posts -
so ask yourself, why is one allowed, and one hidden?

What is the administrator afraid of?

Or is it simply anti-Arab bias?

[Jefferson23]

9. I don't think I have ever witnessed an OP in this group receive such a high number of recommends. n/

[Mosby]

10. What makes a Good Jew is very popular topic here, especially in the IP group.

shit without DU I wouldn't know that I'm a Bad Jew.

[Jefferson23]

11. Sad response, you might want to read the OP again..if you really believe what you just stated. n/t

[Jefferson23]

13. why would you say that?

Star Member Mosby (4,089 posts)
12. fuck you.

[King_David]

15. Of course Mosby doesn't speak for Jews

Everyone else here like you guys do.

Mosby just happens to be part of the community and of course you guys know better than all of us .

[Jefferson23]

16. Yea, because you have telepathic powers about identifying who you speak to you...so you

seem to believe.

The "you guys" is a sad tactic for you to depend on.

[King_David]

18. I have Gaydar too

[Jefferson23]

20. So you admit to having telepathic powers...amazing. n/t

[King_David]

21. I do know the 2 most vocal "spokesman" for Jews in

This group are in fact not Jewish.

Go figure.

LOL

[Jefferson23]

22. Who are they? They say they speak for all Jews? They use "we" and "us" when expressing

an opinion on the conflict?

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

46. Really? Do tell, king.

Be specific. Cite examples.

If you aren't up to it then I have no other recourse except to call you on your antics.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

48. We're waiting, king. Show us you big bag

of accusations with nothing inside.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

60. We're still waiting for your response.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

58. Well, dave, it sounds like you think that you "think" for "all of us."

Really? Do tell.

[King_David]

14. This dude should post this on a Jewish mainstream website

And see how many recs it gets there .

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

30. Well, king, it was posted here, and it seems to

resonate with many within DU.

You shouldn't get upset over that inasmuch as might give you time to think the article through.

[King_David]

17. Your interacting there with someone that "explains"hate crimes against Jews

In the Golah as being results of actions in Israel .

http://www.democraticunderground.com/113468222

[Jefferson23]

19. I appreciate you providing the link, it makes my point about your agenda. n/t

[King_David]

24. Of course Link was provided

What's my agenda ?

[Jefferson23]

26. Your misrepresenting, as well as your need to derail this thread, another OP you don't like. n/t

[King_David]

28. Derailing ?

The OP was directed to myself.
Was it directed to you?

[Jefferson23]

29. Your response and the added link, the intention was to misrepresent my views, and was directed

at the poster who you are attempting to support. That derailing.

[King_David]

33. Misrepresent ?

You realize there's a link ?

[Jefferson23]

34. Yes, derailing and misrepresenting, intentionally..I do believe. n/t

[King_David]

27. The OP was addressed to "To my fellow American Jews"

Seems that most response and recs is not coming from his "fellow American Jews"

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

23. Perhaps many identify with the

subject being addressed?

[Jefferson23]

25. Evidently, yes. I don't recall seeing anything like it here. n/t

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

31. It's not surprising that some want to bury it.

They're frightened of the truth.

[Jefferson23]

32. It is one thing to not agree with it, that is always ones preogative, but that is not what I

am seeing here. Sad stuff.

[King_David]

36. OP is self righteous bullshit

Belongs together with this other classic preaching to American Jews :


http://www.democraticunderground.com/113468386

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

40. It is too bad that you aren't able to see

the big picture.

I would imagine that one with your background would be more open to new ideas, but I guess that not all medical professionals are enlightened.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

52. Strange dave. I recall a post of yours that had nothing to do with Israel. Nothing.

The only way that you pretended it was by adding "Israel" in your own comment to the article.


Well, it's too bad for you that the author of the article is writing about Israel.

[broiles]

35. Thankyou for this post.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

41. You're welcome, but make sure to thank the

author through Mondoweiss.

It takes a lot of courage to say these things, and there are a lot of ugly posts that would try and derail such courage.

[McCamy Taylor]

47. K&R for spiritual truth

Don't let any country or company co-opt your religion.

[stonecutter357]

49. K&R

[Israeli]

54. shalom Daneel ....

Great post .....almost restores my faith in American Jews .

I hope you dont mind but I would like to add another link to here ....in a similar vein :

An open condolences letter to the family of Mohammad Abu Khdeir and the Palestinian people

http://eng.haokets.org/2014/07/16/an-open-condolences-letter-to-the-family-of-mohammad-abu-khdeir-and-the-palestinian-people/

BTW never seen a post on here get so many recs ....now I just have to find out how I add mine .

[Jefferson23]

56. Your post, I would like to highlight:

A future which draws on the common elements of our cultures, humanity and religious traditions, so that our hands will not shed more blood but will have to luck and opportunity to reach out to one another in peace, with the help of god, Insha’Allah.

[enough]

55. k&r (nt)