Exile and the Prophetic: Notes from a ‘marginal Jew’

This post is part of Marc H. Ellis’s “Exile and the Prophetic” feature for Mondoweiss. To read the entire series visit the archive page.

It’s amazing really to be called a marginal Jew. By Ben Cohen, no less.

At first I thought Ben Cohen might be of Ben and Jerry’s fame. No more free ice cream for me!

But then I remembered that Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine are on Ben and Jerry’s case for selling in Jewish-only settlements in the West Bank. Ben and Jerry are hiding from those hearty Vermonters so I figured Ben wouldn’t want to deal with a marginal Jew like me.

So, since it takes one marginal Jew to know another, I looked Ben Cohen up. Here’s what I found: “Ben Cohen, a former BBC producer, is a writer based in New York. He is currently co-writing a book with the Joint Distribution Committee’s Asher Ostrin about the JDC’s work in the former Soviet Union following the collapse of Communism.”

No way can I compete with those credentials, true, but I look forward to his documentary. I feel called to support fellow marginal Jews across the political spectrum.

My reflections on being a marginal Jew come from my pre-emptive victory shout-out for the Church of Scotland who kept the main thrust of “The Inheritance of Abraham” and then, lo and behold, yesterday it passed the General Assembly. A pre-emptive declaration of victory and a real one, too!

Here’s the Ben Cohen quote which outed me and Mark Braverman – and Mondoweiss – as marginal Jews. Braverman was originally quoted in the document, then he was eliminated and they quoted me instead, which makes me, I guess, a substitute Jew as well:

Just as the original version relied heavily on the work of marginal Jewish anti-Zionist figures in staking its moral and theological orientation, so does the new one. Within the Jewish community, the anti-Zionist website Mondoweiss is regarded with a mixture of derision and contempt; nonetheless, the Church of Scotland want to persuade us that it’s an authoritative source on both the political and religious aspects of Judaism. Readers will search in vain for a quote from a mainstream Jewish thinker, whether that’s the Rambam, Rashi, or U.K. Chief Rabbi, Sir Jonathan Sacks.

Now I’m not sure about the timeframe Ben Cohen is working but Rambam (aka Maimonides – (1135 – 1204) and Rashi (aka Rabbi Shlomo Itzhaki – 1040 – 1104) are long gone. I have no idea what either would say about the modern state of Israel. Both had their critics when they were alive. Neither lived in the beautiful environs of the United Kingdom, the United States or the land of Israel – and Palestine.

There’s no record that Rashi, the great commentator of the Talmud, ever visited the Holy Land. The Rambam did, though interestingly, like many Jews, he didn’t stay there for long.

Maimonides’ thirteen articles of faith are often thought to be definitive in Judaism. They include belief in one God, the Torah is from heaven and that the dead are resurrected. There are ten other articles of faith that a majority of Jews also don’t believe in. Not found among Maimonides’ articles of faith is belief in the state of Israel.

On the only living Jewish figure named, Sir Jonathan Sacks, well, Ben Cohen might be surprised that a marginal Jew like me would receive an unsolicited letter from him when he was Principal of Jews College in London. The letter congratulated me on my book Toward a Jewish Theology of Liberation. Sacks thought my speaking for justice for Jews and Palestinians was the right thing to do.

For a marginal Jew, one out of three on Ben Cohen’s list isn’t bad. Especially since Sir Jonathan Sacks is now a Lord and Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. So, Ben Cohen, I am – marginally – approved by a true Empire Jew.

As for the Joint Distribution Committee documentary that Ben Cohen is working on, he should check out the JDC’s history in relation to Zionism and the state of Israel. He might find it’s a bit too interesting – and conflictive – for his taste.

Regarding Mondoweiss, Ben Cohen should follow the unfolding drama on its truly marginal website. On Mondoweiss the future of ethical Jewishness is being worked out on a daily basis.

Now when you’re called out all sorts of random thoughts come to mind. Walking on the beach last night I thought of a way Ben and Jerry’s can celebrate once they get out of the settlement business. How about creating two new ice creams and naming them Rambam and Rashi?

Or they could go with Marginal Jew.

That’s a great name for an ice cream to honor those Jews who are forging a future worth bequeathing to our children.