Activism

Sick of Zionism’s stranglehold on Jewish culture? There is an alternative.

Hey, did you know that every year thousands of Jews from around the world get to travel to Israel on free ten day trips to learn about how amazing Zionism is?

It’s called Birthright and it’s one of the ugliest examples of how Zionism and a one-sided view of Israel-Palestine gets forced onto young Jews.

At Jewdas we think these trips are sad and dangerous. Not only do they deliberately whitewash Israel’s crimes against Palestinians, they totally negate and marginalise our experiences as Jews living in the diaspora.

Even the name ‘Birthright’ suggests that Israel is somehow our destiny. That for Jewish people Zionism is the only politics that makes sense. But maybe we don’t want a Birthright. Maybe we want to make up our own minds about how and where to live. Maybe we believe something better that the same nationalist politics that led to our own persecution is possible.

We need an alternative, a trip for people sick of Zionism’s stranglehold on Jewish culture. So last year we took a bunch of amazing people to Spain to learn about Jewish culture outside of Israel in all its weird specificities. We called it Birthwrong and it was pretty fucking great.

We learnt about the contribution Jews made fighting fascism in the Spanish civil war. We visited Marinaleda, a communist village in Andalusia. We joined comrades on May Day to march against capitalism. And most importantly we learnt about the Golden age of Jewish culture, a time of stunning cultural achievement and co-existence between Jews and Muslims.

Almost a year later we’re super pleased to announce a new Birthwrong trip for 2016 (more details coming soon).

To celebrate and promote the trip we wanted to share a film we made about the last one.

So here it is. Birthwong 2015. Watch, comment, kvetch and send unto the nations!

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“Maybe we believe something better tha[n] the same nationalist politics that led to our own persecution is possible.”

Wonderful reference to the foundation shared by Zionism and Naziism.

I suggest Birthwrong would be better utilized offering an extension to the Birthright program by offering young Jews who go on birthright trips a free stay at a refugee camp in the West Bank or Gaza. Of course, it wouldn’t be as much fun as Birthright, but then again, that’s the whole point.

I think it’s a valid idea that Palestinians and Palestinian solidarity organizations should consider sponsoring. Even if not practical, it will help raise awareness to the other side of the so-called birth right.

What is the process involved ??.Are candidates vetted.Does one go through the Donkey fellation exercise before being allowed to take part.

Would it be possible to send a few party poopers along to ask the wrong questions and maybe keep insisting that they be allowed to visit “All ” of Israel.They also might , as American taxpayers demand to be shown where their 3.5 billlino dollars a year is spent. This whole birthright propaganda exercise could be demolished if a few non conformists went along each time to put a spanner in the works.

What an “amazing project” Opening eyes.

Have met and talked with 9 young adults who had all gone on Birthright trips. Three of the nine had gone off the planned path of Birthright. Those three young Jewish men and woman all had chosen to really find out what has been and continues to go on in the apartheid state of Israel. They were activated to support Palestinian solidarity efforts. Birthright does backfire.

Birthed awareness in open minded, fact interested young people and now Birthwrong…

Sounds like Max may fuel a Birthwrong movement here in the states.

Zionism and Nazism

same deadly hatred
different targets
while the world stands by
genocide
live