This is part of Marc H. Ellis’s “Exile and the Prophetic” feature for Mondoweiss. To read the entire series visit the archive page.
First the good news. Tzedek Chicago, that upstart non-Zionist synagogue, headed by the renegade rabbi, Brant Rosen, is full for the High Holidays. It’s just been announced that Naim Ateek, the renegade Palestinian Anglican priest and founder of Sabeel, the Palestinian liberation theology institute in Jerusalem, is hosting an upcoming witness trip to Palestine. The world of Jewish and Palestinian dissent continues to grow.
The bad news is that churches like the American Lutherans continue to play around the edges. They are now insisting – for decades now – that Israel stop its provocative actions in the West Bank. The good Lutheran Bishop Eaton just doesn’t get it. She seems to be Middle East-challenged.
The Palestinian flag about to fly at the United Nations and the rumors that Mahmoud Abbas might declare Oslo null and void can be seen as good or an exercise in futility. But the warning delivered by Gershon Baskin, co-chairman of IPCRI, the Israel Palestine Creative Regional Initiatives, is startling, pitiful really. His main point seems to be that Palestinians are too dependent on their occupied status to do much, if anything, to overcome – their occupied status. He does suggest yet another symbolic act to lay the groundwork for a Palestinian freedom that is more distant than ever. Whatever you think of his ideas, though, Baskin’s patronizing language is alarming. It seems Jews patronizing Palestinians has a long shelf-life.
All of this crosses the religious and political universe as the Jewish High Holidays are upon us. These holy days, culminating in Yom Kippur, the Day of Repentance, are as rote as ever for most Jews. What is uppermost on Jewish minds on the global scene is the now done-deal with Iran. The Jewish focus on Iran, of course, is on the security of Israel. During the holiday season expect few words about Palestinians and even less concern.
Tzedek Chicago is the exception of exceptions with the notable appearance of Max Blumenthal on, of all days, Yom Kippur. Gaza is still on Blumenthal’s mind as it should be [Blumenthal is author of The 51-Day War.] Tzedek Chicago wants to keep Jews focused on Palestine. Unfortunately, in the Jewish universe, Tzedek Chicago is small potatoes. Unless, somehow and soon, their views become the wave of the future.
In the Jewish tradition forgiveness cannot be asked for and accepted by God without a justice action plan. What is forgiveness without justice?
In years past, I called this forgiveness-justice combination, revolutionary forgiveness. If you like, call it revolutionary justice. Regardless of how it’s named, this is what Jews and Palestinians need now as a pathway to the future.
“Unfortunately, in the Jewish universe, Tzedek Chicago is small potatoes. Unless, somehow and soon, their views become the wave of the future.”
I’ve got a great idea! Why don’t we put on a Tribal Unity Banquet, to bring the different denominations and factions together? We could eat “ocean vegetables”!
Mr Ellis, I am sure you accept that living in a “global village” is not just a cliché but a reality with clear repercussions. The reason just about anybody is not concerned about the Palestinians nowadays has a very, very simple explanation. They are part of the Mid-East and today there are in this region problems and risk that immensely dwarfs theirs – no amount of emotional outpouring can change this very basic fact (and it is so obvious and multi-faceted that I allow myself to skip details). They had the central podium for a long time and it is gone.
In addition they are not just part of the Islamic Mid-East but also, if we recall the history of the conflict, a violent one (indeed, terror in the region has become a world issue when it was first applied against Israel – as prominently in the Munich Olympic, the airplanes hijacking and the second Intifada) and violent Muslim groups don`t garner anymore any sympathy in the US. Of course not so, for obvious reasons, in Christian quarters (and even beyond the fact that by and large they allied themselves with Israel – seen as an island of normalcy in an otherwise out of control region).
I think these are the FACTS and it is not going change not this season and not in the next ones – if at all probably just get intensified.
Sounds like Rabbi Rosen and Tzedek Chicago are doing all the right things. Courageously so.
I wish them all success. May they be a model for things to come inside (and outside!) the Jewish “community.”
I thought Rosen was a BDSer. Maybe he should read the tag on his Talit. His Talit is made in Israel by Zion Talis. Is the Shofar used at Tzedek Chicago made in Israel too? The BDS movement will crumble when the Tekiah Gadolah is sounded at “Tzedek” Chicago.
https://tzedezchicago.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/brantrosen2.jpg
Peter Beinart doesn’t think that there is a community at this point:
http://peterbeinart.net/haaretz-the-american-jewish-divide-is-about-much-more-than-iran/