There Is No New Anti-Semitism-- Rabbi Lerner

[Tom Joad]

The New York Times reported on January 31 about the most recent attempt by the American Jewish community to conflate intense criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism. In a neat little example of slippery slope, the report on "Progressive Jewish Thought and the New Anti-Semitism," written by Alvin H. Rosenfeld, moves from exposing the actual anti-Semitism of those who deny Israel's right to exist—and hence deny to the Jewish people the same right to national self-determination that they grant to every other people on the planet—to those who powerfully and consistently attack Israel's policies toward Palestinians, see Israel as racist the way that it treats Israeli-Arabs (or even Sephardic Jews), or who analogize Israel's policies to those of apartheid as instituted by South Africa.

The Anti-Defamation League sponsored a conference on this same topic in San Francisco on January 28, conspicuously failing to invite Tikkun, Jewish Voices for Peace and Brit Tzedeck ve Shalom, the three major Jewish voices critiquing Israeli policy, yet also strong supporters of Israel's security.

Meanwhile, the media has been abuzz with stories of Jews denouncing former President Jimmy Carter for his book Palestine: Peace or Apartheid. The same charges of anti-Semitism that have consistently been launched against anyone who criticizes Israeli policy is now being launched against the one American leader who managed to create a lasting (albeit cold) peace between Israel and a major Arab state (Egypt). Instead of seriously engaging with the issues raised (e.g. to what extent are Israel's current policies similar to those of apartehid and to what extent are they not?), the Jewish establishment and media responds by attacking the people who raise these or any other critiques--shifting the discourse to the legitimacy of the messenger and thus avoiding the substance of the criticisms. Knowing this, many people become fearful that they too will be labeled "anti-Semitic" if they question the wisdom of Israeli policies or if they seek to organize politically to challenge those policies.
more...
http://baltimorechronicle.com/2007/020207LERNER.shtml

[TomClash]

1. Does this really belong in the IP ghetto?

Good piece. ADL and AIPAC should lose the name "American."

[Behind the Aegis]

2. The "A" in ADL doesn't stand for "American."

[TomClash]

5. You've got that right

Gotcha.:)

[muntrv]

3. Reminds me of how the bushies say criticizing the war in Iraq is criticizing USA.

[Tom Joad]

6. Exactly. Same $^&%. the policies these organizations really aren't

"pro-american" or "pro-Israel", these policies that promote war and occupation really help no one in the long run, and really only help war-profiteers, but even they will eventually be hurt by this pro-militaristic policies.

[Me.]

4. Sanity!

The sad thing is, his prediction of what could be the result of all this "correct" thinking, is a warning that will most likely be ignored.

"When this bubble of repression of dialogue explodes into open resentment at the way Jewish Political correctness has been imposed, it may really yield a "new" anti-Semitism. To prevent that, the voices of dissent on Israeli policy must be given the same national exposure in the media and American politics that the voices of the Jewish establishment have been given."

[oberliner]

7. It's not a fantasy that there's anti-Semitism on the left - Rabbi Lerner

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/01/27/MNG9DNQ8TC1.DTL

"It's not a fantasy that there's anti-Semitism on the left," said Rabbi Michael Lerner, a leader of progressive faith politics. But he said conservative groups oversimplify the debate.

"The ADL and other Jewish establishment groups have been part of the problem," Lerner said. "They draw the line in such a way as to identify as 'anti-Semitic' or 'self-hating Jews' those who are critical of Israeli policy.

"That freezes debate and then makes it easy for the real anti-Semites on the left to say, 'Anyone who makes a criticism of Israel is (called) an anti-Semite,' " said Lerner, who said he loves Israel and endorsed his son's service in the Israeli defense force.

[Tom Joad]

8. There is real anti-Semitism, i'm not sure how much that is among the left

(the real stuff usually comes from the rightist perspective, even if they hang around the anti-war crowd). In any case, it should not be condoned, period.

I do agree that the ADL (and A. Foxman in particular) is not being helpful. Making things much worse. I would like to make the point that being critical of Mr. Foxman should not be construed as being anti-Semitic. Anymore than being critical of W. Bush is equal to being anti-American people.

[calzone]

9. Well said...

I remember when many Jews in America were communists, and the liberal-left party has always been the champion of minorities.
I've said it before and it deserves repeating, the term "anti-semite" has become nothing more than a swiftboat-tactic to stifle debate and criticism of Israel. And as an earlier poster in this thread pointed out, it'll probably end up generating what it chicken-littles.

[leftynyc]

10. What I've found is that

people use the subject of anti-semitism to preempt any criticism. In other words, what I see mostly is "I know people will say I'm an anti-semite but..." as they proceed to say something awful about Jews and Israel. I have very rarely seen people accused of anti-semitism as a result of true, honest criticism of Israel.

[Behind the Aegis]

11. Well said!

I find the same thing to be true, especially in certain places. Of course, the new 'attack' is if someone is "pro-Israeli" and disagrees with your position and points out the flaws, then you are 'deleted' or accused of calling the person an "anti-Semite," even if you did no such thing.

[leftynyc]

17. I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees this

I maintain it's done pre-emptively to give the person involved the freedom to say anything. I see people pushing (and crossing) the limits of civility all the time. I learned long ago that just because someone doesn't agree with me doesn't make them wrong and me right.

[Violet_Crumble]

13. Then you must define 'true, honest criticism of Israel' incredibly narrowly...

I'd be curious to know what you see as the difference between honest criticism and saying something awful about Israel. Because I can tell you for a fact that I've been accused of being anti-semitic for what is clearly legitimate criticism of Israel.....

[leftynyc]

15. I would have to know what you posted to give

an honest analysis (which would strictly be my opinion). When I wanted to attend an anti-war rally and turned away because of a sign with an Israeli flag with a swastica in place of the Star of David - I consider that over the top and malicious. Pointing to the abyssmal conditions in the Gaza, most certainly fair criticism. There are, of course, shades of grey in all of this as there are in most aspects of life. Everyone's own experiences shade everything we say and do. Just because I may not find something offensive doesn't mean the next person wont. And just because you consider some criticism legitimate doesn't necessarily make it so. It's part of what makes living among 300 million people so interesting (assuming you're an American, as I am).

[Violet_Crumble]

19. I objected to an American constantly referring to the WB as Judea and Samaria...

..and pointed out that in the US (not in Israel where the names are in common use and aren't really used to denote ownership of the territory), the terms Judea and Samaria are usually used by right-wing supporters of the Greater Israel vision. That got me branded an insulter of Jews by some current and ex-DUers on another board that I can't link to from here. Water off a duck's back as far as I'm concerned, and that's just one example....

I agree with what you said about the flag with a swastika replacing the Star of David being antisemitic. The motives of those who try to drag memories of Nazism and the Holocaust into the I/P debate in order to support the Palestinian people imo range from ignorant and insensitive through to outright antisemitic. They don't realise (or in the case of antisemites, don't care) that they harm the cause of the Palestinian people and alienate some people who would have been open supporters if it wasn't for the antisemitism they see...

Basically I see accusations of antisemitism as being similar to people saying 'I know I'm going to get accused of antisemitism...'. In some cases the accusations are legitimate, and in some cases a person saying they'll be accused of it is because they have seen or had experience of being called an antisemite for legitimate criticism of Israel...

btw, I'm not an American - I'm Australian :)

[leftynyc]

22. I use the terms interchangeably myself

I look at it as the difference between calling the civil war (in the US) The Civil War and the War of Northern Agression (frequently used by southerners). Everyone has their own view of history.

Always wanted to go to Australia - looks very beautiful. Looooong flight from New York (22 hours). Maybe with a stop in Tahiti!!!

[Porcupine]

21. I've never seen an attack on jews on this board.

I haven't, really. There are quite a few people like myself that critique the actions of the IDF and the Israeli government but I have never seen an attack on "jews." Maybe they get deleted too fast.

Attacks on Islam or arabs I have seen but the worst of those get deleted also.

Israel is a state that occupies a specific geography that exists independent of the political whims of it's residents. The land is NOT Israel. Jews are NOT Israel.

So when somebody claims the IDF replicates some of the conditions of the holocaust they are NOT criticizing all jews or even all Israelis. They criticize a condition or apparent condition caused by an identifiable group.

Many, many people have tired of the "anti-semitism" label being continually used to cover the horrors of the Israeli government. The label just doesn't wash anymore.

[Behind the Aegis]

12. Rabbi Lerner is correct. There is no "new" anti-Semitism.

It is the same old shit recycled in a "prettier" package and different verbiage. Therefore, it isn't really 'new,' just the "same old shit."

[Tom Joad]

16. Is Carter's book part of that?

Lerner does not think so.

[leftynyc]

18. I hear you there

Ain't nothing new about it at all.

[Violet_Crumble]

20. Did you read Rabbi Lerner's article?

Because that's NOT what Rabbi Lerner said. He said this *new* alleged antisemitism isn't new at all, because Tikkun has been around for a long time and has long been accused of being self-hating Jews...

From the article:

'Yet there is nothing "new" about this or about this alleged anti-Semitism that these mainstream Jewish voices seek to reveal. From the moment I started Tikkun Magazine twenty years ago as "the liberal alternative to Commentary and the voices of Jewish conservatism and spiritual deadness in the organized Jewish community," our magazine has been attacked in much of the organized Jewish community as "self-hating Jews" (though our editorial advisory board contains some of the most creative Jewish theologians, rabbis, Israeli peace activist and committed fighters for social justice). The reason? We believe that Israeli policy toward Palestinians, manifested most dramatically in the Occupation of the West Bank for what will soon be forty years and in the refusal of Israel to take any moral responsibility for its part in the creation of the Arab refugee problem, is immoral, irrational, self-destructive, a violation of the highest values of the Jewish people, and a serious impediment to world peace.'

[leftynyc]

23. Yes, I read the article and I was speaking in a larger sense

about anti-Semitism. I mean real anti-semitism. The kind that doesn't need "new excuses". If it wasn't the territories, it would be something else.

And personally, I don't think these are self-hating Jews (a term I'm not comfortable with). I think part of it is they hold themselves to a much higher standard and when they see Israel behaving in ways that make them uncomfortable, they speak out. I have no problem with that. Then there are those that don't even believe Israel should exist as a Jewish homeland. I personally have no use for such people.

And taking moral responsiblity works both ways. Palestinians aren't going to get what they want with violence. Maybe it makes them feel empowered but it doesn't help their cause at all. For those who think Israel is going to disappear, they are fooling themselves. They are a nuclear power and will use whatever means to secure their suvivial. That may not be pretty, but it's the reality.

[Lurking Dem]

14. So what was he saying in his book

The Socialism of Fools? His words sounded very much like a description of a "new" anti-Semitism in that book.