Last winter at the 92d Street Y, Jeremy Ben-Ami of J Street complained that he had never been invited to a Federation meeting, the Jewish Establishment, and when he did get invited to a meeting of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, there was big pressure to disinvite him.
And no wonder, Ben-Ami is fracturing the monolith of the Jewish lobby (Uh-oh, I said it–Jewish lobby, not Israel lobby).
Well today JTA reports that Obama is meeting with Jewish leaders, including Ben-Ami and Debra DeLee of Americans for Peace Now, and who else is there, the usual company of Gaza war cheerleaders: Malcolm Hoenlein of the Conference of Presidents, David Victor of AIPAC, Eric Yoffie of the Reforms, and Abe Foxman of Foxman, Incorporated. (A lot of other no-daylight-wiht-Netanyahus, too)
And who do you think will be moving ideologically/politically? Ben-Ami? No f'ing way. Foxman and Hoenlein are going to be edging left left left, trying desperately to find the tapemarks for their feet on the White House stage.
Good luck, peace camp.
And look who's not coming to the White House: Mort Klein of the ZOA, Bnai Brith, and the American Jewish Congress, all of whom have gone way right…
