I love this story. Rachel Jackson had a report in the Daily Princetonian on the ballot initiative by the Princeton Committee on Palestine (PCP) to get Princeton’s dining services to provide an alternative to Sabra humus at the school (as part of an effort to boycott Sabra products because Strauss Group, a Sabra co-owner, supports the Israeli Defense Forces).
Here’s the part I love. Jackson tells us that the Princeton Center on Jewish Life sent out a classic pro-Israel warning about the initiative–and promptly got in trouble from Jewish students. Because young Jews are sick of signing off on the killing of Palestinian children by the IDF; and maybe Rabbi Julie Roth should be absorbing that lesson from young Jews? Data below. Note that a signatory of the official stand-with-Israel letter was Mendy Fisch, who is “the executive opinion editor” of the Princetonian newspaper. Once again, an Israel lobbyist is ensconced in a high media position.
Well we’re changing the water in the aquarium, Mendy, and if you want to have a big future in journalism, you better start looking into non-Zionism.
Jackson’s report:
An e-mail sent Monday morning from the CJL’s [Center on Jewish Life’s] official account, titled “Warning: Israel impacted by USG referendum,” expressed concern that students may not fully understand the political motivations behind the referendum. It encouraged students to “make an informed choice, understanding that the passage of the referendum would allow the referendum’s sponsors to make a strong political statement about Israel.”
The message, which included a link to the election ballot, was sent to students who receive the CJL weekly newsletter. The e-mail was signed by Rabbi Julie Roth, who is executive director of the CJL and one of the University’s Jewish chaplains, and five members of the CJL student board, including co-presidents Kerry Brodie ’12 and Mendy Fisch ’11…
Several students expressed concern at the CJL’s public stance on a political issue.
In an e-mail to Roth, Ben Weisman ’11 wrote: “As a member of the Jewish community on campus, a supporter of Israel, and someone who believes in the CJL’s commitment to ‘creating a community that is welcoming of all people’ and the Office of Religious Life’s dedication to supporting ‘religious traditions in the practice and expression of their faith,’ I was dismayed and deeply disappointed by the e-mail’s direct political message and its implications for the nature of Jewish life on campus.”
Weisman continued, “This morning’s e-mail excluded all Jews with different opinions on Israel from the campus’s Jewish community. As all are aware, one can be an observant Jew while still criticizing Israel’s regime or policies.”
…Yoel Bitran ’11, president of PCP, said that while PCP has no official position on the CJL’s statement, “I’m disappointed as a Jewish Princeton student because I’ve always felt that — and that it’s well understood — that the CJL is supposed to be a nonpolitical, nonpartisan, neutral safe space that represents all Jewish students regardless of political convictions. This e-mail clearly doesn’t line up with that image.”
In fairness to Rabbi Roth, she amends somewhat in the Jackson piece. But you’ll have to go to the link to see her eatin a little Jim Crow.
