'Pro Israel' J Street partnering with BDS groups
J Street, the self-proclaimed 'pro-Israel, pro-peace' pro-Obama group, is
collaborating with Students for Justice and Peace in Palestine, a group that doesn't even pretend to be pro-Israel.
The Swarthmore chapter of
Students for Peace and Justice in Palestine (SPJP), an offshoot of the
well-known anti-Israel group Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), on
Sept. 4 co-hosted a discussion on the recent Gaza conflict with J
Street U.
“We are co-hosting a discussion with J Street tonight at 7:30 in Kohlberg 116. Everyone is welcome,” Swarthmore SPJP tweeted.
Additionally,
J Street U and SPJP, along with other Swarthmore campus groups
including Hillel and Christian and Muslims clubs, last week held a vigil
to honor those who died in the Gaza conflict. (Hillel International’s
Israel guidelines forbid engagement with groups or speakers that
“delegitimize, demonize or apply a double standard to Israel,” but
Swarthmore Hillel last year decided to reject those guidelines and align
with the “Open Hillel” movement.)
On a national level, J Street states that it “opposes the global BDS movement”
and believes that BDS is an “inappropriate way” to try to resolve the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But in response to an inquiry about the
Swarthmore events, a J Street spokesperson explained how the lobby’s
co-sponsorship policy does not preclude partnering with pro-BDS groups.
“Our policy in terms of
co-sponsorship is pretty consistent. We do not support BDS, but we do
not have any problem with co-sponsoring programs with organizations that
do,” Jessica Rosenblum, J Street’s director of media and
communications, told JNS.org.
J Street’s co-sponsorship policy extends to groups on both the anti-Israel or pro-Israel side of the spectrum.
This proves once again Congressman Gary Ackerman's statement that J Street's heads are so open that their brains have fallen out.
Except, of course, when it comes to actually doing something that is pro-Israel....
That policy was reflected by J Street’s decision in July, during the
Gaza conflict, to pull out of a communal Israel solidarity rally in
Boston. Shaina Wasserman, J Street’s Boston director, wrote in a letter
to the local Jewish Community Relations Council that the lobby decided
to pull out of the rally because the event did not include speakers who
represented its “pro-Israel, pro-peace perspective.”
“What was
missing for us in this rally, and what ultimately precluded our
co-sponsorship, was that despite our efforts, there was no space made to
raise the issues that follow from our commitment to Israel’s Jewish and
democratic future,” wrote Wasserman.
I hope that the Israeli government is paying attention and will stop sending representatives to J Street events...
Labels: Hillel, J Street, J Street U, pro-Israel pro-peace, Students for Justice in Palestine, Swarthmore College
Oh wow: Hillel President warns Swarthmore College chapter
Surprisingly, the national Hillel organization is not taking lying down a resolution passed by its Swarthmore College chapter
welcoming anti-Israel organizations. Hillel director Eric Fingerhut has written a letter to Swarthmore's leadership warning that they face the
threat of expulsion from the national organization.
However, unlike your email, which invites discussion and is welcome,
your resolution simply states that the students at Swarthmore Hillel
“will host and partner with any speaker at the discretion of the board,
regardless of Hillel International’s Israel guidelines.” This position
is not acceptable.
Hillel’s Israel guidelines,
which were developed carefully with a broad coalition of our
organization’s stakeholders, state: “Hillel welcomes a diversity of
student perspectives on Israel and strives to create an inclusive,
pluralistic community where students can discuss matters of interest
and/or concern about Israel and the Jewish people in a civil manner.”
Hillel is also, as the guidelines state, “steadfastly committed to the
support of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state with secure and
recognized borders as a member of the family of nations.”
In
summary, while welcoming debate on the many important and difficult
questions that Israel faces, a debate that is vigorous in Israel as
well, Hillel International does draw a line. That line is as follows:
“Hillel will not partner with, house or host organizations, groups or
speakers that as a matter of policy or practice: Deny the right of
Israel to exist as a Jewish and democratic state with secure and
recognized borders; Delegitimize, demonize or apply a double standard to
Israel; Support boycott of, divestment from, or sanctions against the
State of Israel; Exhibit a pattern of disruptive behavior towards campus
events or guest speakers or foster an atmosphere of incivility.”
I
hope you will inform your colleagues on the Student Board of Swarthmore
Hillel that Hillel International expects all campus organizations that
use the Hillel name to adhere to these guidelines. No organization that
uses the Hillel name may choose to do otherwise.
Your resolution
further includes the statement: “All are welcome to walk through our
doors and speak with our name and under our roof, be they Zionist,
anti-Zionist, post-Zionist, or non-Zionist.” This is simply not the
case. Let me be very clear – “anti-Zionists” will not be permitted to
speak using the Hillel name or under the Hillel roof, under any
circumstances.
Hillel recognizes, of course, that “organizations,
groups or speakers that as a matter of policy or practice” violate
these guidelines may well be welcomed on campus, according to the
policies of the particular college or university. The Hillel on campus,
however, may not partner with or host such groups or speakers. This is
entirely within our discretion as an organization, and we have clearly
stated our intention to make these important decisions to protect our
values and our critically important mission. Just as the university
decides who will teach classes, and what organizations it will allow on
campus, so Hillel will decide who will lead discussions in programs it
sponsors and with whom it will partner.
In one of your resolution’s clauses, you invoke “the values espoused by
our namesake, Rabbi Hillel, who was famed for encouraging debate in
contrast with Rabbi Shammai.” Rabbi Hillel was famed for his openness to
others, and his leniency in legal interpretation to advance tikkun olam
– “repairing the world.” This spirit is strong in today’s American
Jewry, and it is strong in the work of Hillel on every campus. However,
Rabbi Hillel is perhaps more famous for his saying in Pirkei Avot, “If I
am not for myself, who will be for me?”
Here's hoping that Fingerhut sticks to his guns. What a refreshing change for an American Jewish organization!
The Swarthmore chapter claims to
have its own endowment, and if the result of this brush-up is that they leave the national Hillel organization, that's a good thing. To have Hillel sponsoring events with 'Jewish Voice for Peace' and other anti-Zionist organizations really grates.
Now, if only Israel's Knesset would adopt Hillel's rules....
Labels: American Jewish leadership, anti-Zionism, BDS, Hillel, Jewish Voice for Peace, Swarthmore College
Your federation money at work? Swarthmore Hillel allows funding for groups that deny Israel's right to exist
Defying Hillel's national rules, the Swarthmore College chapter has decided to allow funding and resources for organizations that
deny Israel's right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state.
Press release: Swarthmore Hillel is an Open Hillel
Unanimously adopted by Swarthmore Hillel Student Board, December 8, 2013
Whereas Hillel International prohibits partnering with, hosting, or housing anyone who (a) denies the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish and democratic state with secure and recognized borders, (b) delegitimizes, demonizes, or applies a double standard to Israel, (c) supports boycott of, divestment from, or sanctions against the State of Israel;
And whereas this policy has resulted in the barring of speakers from organizations such as Breaking the Silence and the Israeli Knesset from speaking at Hillels without censorship, and has resulted in Jewish Voice for Peace not being welcome under the Hillel umbrella;
And whereas this policy runs counter to the values espoused by our namesake, Rabbi Hillel, who was famed for encouraging debate in contrast with Rabbi Shammai;
And whereas Hillel, while purporting to support all Jewish Campus Life, presents a monolithic face pertaining to Zionism that does not accurately reflect the diverse opinions of young American Jews;
And whereas Hillel’s statement that Israel is a core element of Jewish life and a gateway to Jewish identification for students does not allow space for others who perceive it as irrelevant to their Judaism;
And whereas Hillel International’s Israel guidelines privilege only one perspective on Zionism, and make others unwelcome;
And whereas the goals of fostering a diverse community and supporting all Jewish life on campus cannot be met when Hillel International’s guidelines are in place;
Therefore be it resolved that Swarthmore Hillel declares itself to be an Open Hillel; an organization that supports Jewish life in all its forms; an organization that is a religious and cultural group whose purpose is not to advocate for one single political view, but rather to open up space that encourages dialogue within the diverse and pluralistic Jewish student body and the larger community at Swarthmore; an organization that will host and partner with any speaker at the discretion of the board, regardless of Hillel International’s Israel guidelines; and an organization that will always strive to be in keeping with the values of open debate and discourse espoused by Rabbi Hillel.
Contact:
Joshua Wolfsun
Swarthmore Hillel Communications Coordinator
wolfj13@gmail.com
413-687-1809
The way to show the hypocrisy of this policy is for a Neturei Karta group to apply for membership and see if they are accepted. Unfortunately, that is unlikely to happen.
What, if anything, can the national Hillel organization do about this? According to my sources, very little. The Hillel officials claim that the term 'Hillel' is too generic to have ownership. Personally, I don't buy that (Hillel isn't exactly Kleenex or Xerox), but it means that they're unlikely to take any enforcement action to stop the Swarthmore branch from using the Hillel name.
But Hillel's national organization also claims that the Swarthmore Hillel does not receive any funds from Hillel, and that their funding all comes from the Swarthmore Endowment for Jewish Life.
Obviously Swarthmore's Hillel still enjoys many resources from Hillel.
But that doesn't mean that Hillel will act against the Swarthmore chapter. Hillel is simply too afraid to lose any Jewish students over the issue of Israel. And according to my local source, the executive director of the Philadelphia area Hillels is a fire-breathing Kahanist compared to the 'Mr. Inclusive' who will succeed him in a few months. If action is unlikely now, it's less likely later.
Jewish Voice for Peace, which is mentioned in the screed cited above, describes itself as the 'Jewish wing' of the 'Palestinian' solidarity movement. But that doesn't bother Swarthmore's Hillel or much of the rest of the American Jewish community. Multi-culturalism uber alles.
None of this will change until the American Jewish community finds leadership that isn't afraid of its shadow. Of course, to do that, they'd have to have a much stronger Jewish identity than is currently the case. Don't expect that to happen anytime soon....
Labels: American Jewish leadership, BDS, Breaking the Silence, Hillel, Jewish Federations of North America, Jewish Voice for Peace, Swarthmore College
