American Jews learn to talk with other American Jews about Israel

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NEW YORK — It was a rough start to the year for Jews at Princeton University. Over the fall semester at the elite university long known to be nonpolitical, Israel was a flash point for controversy and conflict.

A battle over Israel and divestment, including professors’ divestment calls and what came to be seen as a misstep by Princeton’s Hillel chapter, alienated some students from the Jewish community there. Others publicly disassociated themselves from the Hillel chapter, whose leaders had long striven to be inclusive.

The rapidity of the escalation stunned leaders of the Hillel chapter, known as the Center for Jewish Life. Suddenly it was impossible to talk about Israel, they told Haaretz.

“I’ve never seen a community that was that as fractured about any issue,” said Marni Blitz, the CJL’s associate director. “In the past when there had been any issues, it felt like we were facing it together. We’ve had challenges before. But this came as a shock to me.”

http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-world-features/.premium-1.653206

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1. Netanyahu may have succeeded in turning back the clock 50 or 60 years

We may be seeing the loosening of the once nearly universal reflex attachment to Israel as a Jewish State once held by Americans. Netanyahu could end up being viewed as the man who made anti-Zionist respectable again. Until the 1960s, it was not unusual for American Jews to be professed non-Zionists - that may not have been such a long time ago.

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2. I believe we are approaching Neocon Hell now, but I need a few more indications.

Last edited Wed Apr 22, 2015, 07:27 PM - Edit history (1)

But as to your point, I have been expecting this, the one thing Bibi does well is dramatize what is wrong with Israel, he lacks all notion of subtlety or courtesy or restraint. So yeah, he is much too overt and fails to see his himself clearly, a walking PR disaster.

[MisterP]

9. we didn't start seeing Israel as our mini-me until Entebbe

http://www.amazon.com/Epic-Encounters-Interests-American-Crossroads/dp/0520244990
hence Bibi's noisy rhetoric, which'll either keep us from dumping Israel as BFF and treating it like just another country, or will shield Likud if that does happen

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3. After reading the whole article, it really dances around the substance of the disagreements.

lots about process and the need for dialogue, very, very little about what is actually behind the problem (answer: a mismatch between progressive/Jewish values and supporting Israel, whose population and policies are increasingly rightwing).

Without addressing that tension, not sure how much process-related hand-holding can accomplish.

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4. I concur.

The assumption is comunication brings understanding, and understanding brings consensus. This is not necessarily so.

But US ruling elites take it as axiomatic that process is all, a good MBA can manage anything, right? So it's not surprising, and it avoids the tricky parts of the problem too, a big plus.

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5. I think this is an assumption that goes beyond ruling elites--the idea a lot of people

have--including new age types--is that good communication can solve every problem, and that if we all just understood each other better and are open and honest then we'll overcome our differences blah blah blah.

very often, subjects don't get discussed with very good reason, because nothing good can come of it.

the problem in the US isn't disagreement over Israel, it's that it is accorded far more importance and debated more intensely than is ever appropriate for a small foreign power on the other side of the planet.

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6. Sometimes substantive change is required to address a problem.

That seems obvious enough. And change is never OK with everybody, somebody always has to pay, to give things up.

I'm not about to try to diagnose the problem with Israel today, but you are not wrong. Over-reaching is a problem for both the USA and Israel, and various other politicians on the planet for that matter, and Bibi's overt reliance on his control of a foreign legislature is just stupid.

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7. one thing that never works is when people feel responsible for something over which

they have no influence.

cheers

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8. Responsibility and authority go together.

Anything else does not work. Indeed.