One could — and many do — take issue with the political and military connections between the governments and people of the United States and Israel.

One could — and many do — question whether those connections are antithetical to democratic values.

One could — and many do — hold a certain segment of American citizenry responsible for Israel’s choices and actions, vilify and attack those, Jewish or not, who express support for the sovereign state of Israel defending itself against a terrorist organization dedicated to its eradication.

Israel and Hamas are, at this writing, holding to a cease-fire. Israel is expected to negotiate with Hamas. Could there be anything more challenging?

From the 2017 Hamas Charter:

19. There shall be no recognition of the legitimacy of the Zionist entity. Whatever has befallen the land of Palestine in terms of occupation, settlement building, judaisation or changes to its features or falsification of facts is illegitimate….

Since Hamas maintains that the “Zionist entity” is illegitimate, what should it expect from Israel other than rolling over and being dead? Israel is expected to negotiate with a militant organization that negates its sovereign legitimacy. Hamas

20. …believes that no part of the land of Palestine shall be compromised or conceded, irrespective of the causes, the circumstances and the pressures and no matter how long the occupation lasts.

Whither negotiation? How much material meant for rebuilding homes and businesses will instead become materiel for restoring fortifications? How many months or years until the next rockets are launched into Israel?

16. Hamas affirms that its conflict is with the Zionist project not with the Jews because of their religion.

To the supporters of Palestine, or, more accurately, to the opponents of Israel, it seems that any expression of Judaism — a kippah, a synagogue, a kosher restaurant — is a legitimate target of violence in the international Hamas-propelled street war regardless of the political leanings of the wearer, worshiper or diner.

As if things aren’t complicated enough, left-wing groups — some of which many of us have happily and hopefully supported — are conflating Israel’s treatment of the West Bank and Gaza Arabs (including even Israeli Arabs) with systemic racism in the United States. (For some enlightenment on that, please read this from Tablet; click here.)

What do we do? We maintain our safety as best we can while we express our support for the world’s only refuge for Jews. We express pride in the many accomplishments of Israel despite its challenges. We continue to pray, as did our ancestors in antiquity and since, adding our own prayers for these times, that Jerusalem be restored as a paragon of sanctity and peace. We don’t hide from or excuse Israel’s flaws, though we certainly may ask for the name of a country on this planet that is flawless.

For more on supporting Israel, visit:
https://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/focus-areas/supporting-israel
azm.org/(American Zionist Movement)
adl.org/what-we-do/israel

We speak out, we stand up. We wonder what makes us Jews different, collectively pigeonholed despite the wide variety of views, religiosity, degrees of identification, etc., among us. We wince when someone identified as a Jew transgresses, we swell with pride when someone identified as a Jew excels.

And we hurt when a Jew is attacked under the guise of support for the Palestinian cause. If graffiti on a synagogue would hasten a peaceful resolution to the conflict, I’d be among the first to pick up a can of spray paint; just imagine what our shuls would look like!

A virtual rally against antisemitism took place on May 27, with politician after clergy after celebrity after regular people decrying the rise in anti-Jewish events, particularly here in the United States. Titled “Day of Action Against Antisemitism,” the action part was a link to actagainstantisemitism.org where you can find a few suggestions of actions to take.

For me, the rally was a lot of solidarity — as in “It’s wrong; we’re with you.” — and not enough call to action. Supporting organizations that fight hate, writing to congress to address the issue, and using social media to respond to anti-Jewish slurs or threats, are all good. I’m not sure what more I was expecting, but I was expecting more.

Meanwhile, here are some links to tools that can be useful:
School Tool Kit
Resources and Tools for addressing Antisemitism
Resources to Address and challenge Antisemitism

In short, we must learn, advocate, question, and discuss, recognizing that while the Israeli-Palestinian issue is complicated and nuanced, antisemitism is not; it is wrong and it is destructive. And we must continue to be proudly Jewish!

Shavua tov! שבוע טוב make it a good week!