MJ Rosenberg posted the following story on his site, under the headline, “Jewish college kid beats the crap out of me on Israel.”
I was on the bus, returning to Washington from New York where I spent Yom Kippur.
I wouldn’t have talked to the kid next to me him except I could not find the outlet near my seat to charge my phone. He saw me struggling and helped me find it. (It was camouflaged under the seat in front of mine). We started to talk and, after I told him I had been in Manhattan for the Jewish holiday, he said that he had been there for the same reason.
We talked about Georgetown and why he chose to go there and then he asked me what I did.
I told him “my story” which led him to say that he had no interest in the Middle East at all. His issue was income inequality in the United States.
Nonetheless, he was fairly knowledgeable about the Middle East. As the conversation went on, I discovered he was fairly knowledgeable about everything. Judging from his looks I’d have taken him for a jock or a preppy but he seemed more intellectual than either of those categories would suggest.
After telling him about my odyssey from AIPAC to critic of both AIPAC and Israel, he said this (paraphrase, obviously):
“I don’t get it. I’m Jewish but Israel is not important to me. I live here and I’d like to help out people who live here. 46 million Americans live in poverty and the situation keeps getting worse and worse. In fact, this country keeps getting worse. Why should I worry about Israel?”
I explained why and he said:
“You may not realize it, but your premise is Zionist. You think Jews are, by definition, connected to Israel and have to care about it. But that isn’t who I am. I’m an American kid whose religion is Jewish. Period. I have no obligation to Israel or to Palestinians because I feel no connection to either. I feel that as a privileged American I do have an obligation to Americans who aren’t privileged. I’m not saying I don’t care about people in other countries. I do.
Maybe some day I will think about Israel more than I do. But, just as likely, I’ll care about poverty in Latin America. As for your point that America is responsible for Palestinian suffering by sending aid to Israel, I agree. But how does that make the situation unique? As a taxpayer, actually a future US taxpayer, I will be contributing to all kinds of terrible things everywhere. But my being Jewish has nothing to do with it. It’s not like I would ever take a Birthright trip! I don’t consider Israel to be my birthright.”
I asked him if he was typical of his friends. He said that he was.
“The Jewish kids who are deeply involved with Israel or Palestinians are sort of the same kids. They accept your premise that they are connected to that place. I don’t and most of my friends don’t either. I’d say we are post-national. America is our country because we live here. Period. It’s home. But then we travel, see the world, and want to help other people, at least some of us do. But Israel is not special to us and neither are Palestinians.
“You, MJ, are a Zionist. You think I have an obligation to try to stop the occupation because of my religion. To me, that is no different than telling me I have to support Netanyahu because of my religion. I see no difference. It is outmoded thinking. Tell me why Israel and Palestine is any more my problem than that of any other American my age, or why I should think about it anymore than I think about the treatment of women in India. I have the right to choose the issues I care about and work to solve, don’t I? Or does my being Jewish mean I have my choice made for me? Show me where I’m wrong? I’m sure that if you were 20, you would feel the exact same way. Am I right?”
I had no response.
That kid gives me hope for the future.
this generational shift among young U.S. jews is what will save America from the zionists – they see through the propaganda and manipulations and certainly see clearly the deleterious effects upon U.S. foreign policy and jews everywhere … blowback is a bitch and the zionists in israel seem not to care
a fundamental shift is occurring – power is going to flow from israel to U.S. jews and they will be in the driver’s seat regarding U.S.-israel relations and nearly all U.S. jews know that America has been very very good for jews and since WWII ended the following decades saw the most freedom, least persecution, most economic and political advancement and greatest mobility (except the muslim nations) for jews globally … and zionism is putting all those gains at risk for the regional superpower goals of core group of zionist-nationalists
the settlers and hardcore fundamentalist types may have bred themselves into real power within israel, but they are pretty much despised by everyone else, including most American jews
I think there is a valid counterargument — namely, that we can have a greater effect by focusing on issues where we can make more of a difference. Israel claims legitimacy by speaking and acting in the name of Jews, so Jews are in a position to weaken and undermine that claim by publicly declaring: “Not in my name!” If terrible things are being done in our name, isn’t it especially incumbent on us to protest? Of course, that includes terrible things being done in our name as Americans too. On other issues — the caste system in India, say — we are not in a position to have that sort of impact, either as Jews or as Americans.
Wow.
My goodness, one can only hope that all 20 yr olds become as evolved.
“As for your point that America is responsible for Palestinian suffering by sending aid to Israel, I agree. But how does that make the situation unique? As a taxpayer, actually a future US taxpayer, I will be contributing to all kinds of terrible things everywhere. But my being Jewish has nothing to do with it. It’s not like I would ever take a Birthright trip! I don’t consider Israel to be my birthright.””
It’s a bit more than aid, but it’s nevertheless refreshing to see this new way of thinking wrt Israel. I think it’s up to us older folks to make the justice happen……… if we lead they will follow.
“I have the right to choose the issues I care about and work to solve, don’t I? Or does my being Jewish mean I have my choice made for me? Show me where I’m wrong?”
He’s right.
I endorse the argumnets offered by this young kid. I hope he raises same objection to those office seekers ( mayoral,council, legislative and presidential ) when they come out portraying themselves as Israeli supporters or want bail out Isreal when the city he lives in needs bail out .