Every June, the WESPAC Foundation, a social justice organization based in White Plains, N.Y., holds an awards gala, and several state senators and assembly people from Westchester County issue proclamations honoring the awardees that are published in the legislative record.
“This year they were silent!” Nada Khader, the foundation director announced — likely because one of the honorees, Jewish Voice for Peace of Westchester, is an anti-Zionist group.
Not to worry– Khader called up Rep. Jamaal Bowman, and the congressman delivered a proclamation, even though his seat is in jeopardy due to over $8 million in (mostly-attack) ads from the Israel lobby group, UDP, ahead of the June 25 primary.
After receiving the award on June 2, Harry Soloway, the leader of Jewish Voice for Peace in Westchester, gave a stirring speech about Palestinian solidarity. Here are excerpts:
“It’s somewhat awkward to be here today to accept an award while the agony and the horrors and the inhumanity of the last 8 months continue with no end in sight.
“Certainly Jewish Voice for Peace has contributed to the Palestinian solidarity movement, helping to dispel the myth of monolithic Jewish support for Israel and conflation of criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism.
“Palestine has become an issue that has resonated with millions of diverse people in this country and around the world and with our courageous young people who are taking up the mantle of civil disobedience in the fight for freedom.
“As with all justice movements past and present, Palestine calls us to affirm our morality, our humanity, and our solidarity.
“The Palestinian people have survived 100 years of threat, displacement, racism, apartheid, occupation and yes, genocide.
“I have come to realize that Palestinians have not only survived, but they have thrived in their resistance to oppression. Even today in their unimaginable grief, Palestinians worldwide continue to grow stronger and more determined to assure a free Palestine.
“How is this possible? I believe that it is their indomitable human spirit, their reliance on their culture, their love of their land and of their community that is the source of their strength. It is who they are.
“The best part of this work is the extraordinary people that we have met. At Jewish Voice for Peace/Westchester we have experienced the most both remarkable generosity and hospitality. A Palestinian friend recently said to me matter of factly, ‘You know Harry, Palestinians really are terrorists. They will feed you to death.’
“Allow me to share one story that touched me deeply. I work with an organization called Eyewitness Palestine. Recently our executive director, a strong and uncompromising Palestinian woman, sent a humanitarian convoy to Rafah, to bring desperately needed doctors and medical supplies. Nancy found an old friend taking refuge in Rafah. He had lost his father and other family members during the siege in the north. His disabled mother and sister still live in what remains of Gaza City.
“Nancy asked him what he needed and he asked her for 40 dollars to buy flour for his family. She gave him $400. The next day he returned and wanting to thank Nancy for her kindness he gave her a ring. Hesitantly, Nancy accepted.
“Despite the relentless gravity of the situation, his humanity and his pride remain paramount to him.
“Nancy came back from Gaza with many stories not only of cruelty and inhumanity but also stories of hope, gratitude and mutual support.
“My friends, there is a chilling wind that is blowing across this country and around the world. The seeds of authoritarianism and repression are being sowed everywhere. Those with privileges will see them erode. Those who are marginalized will be silenced and will face even greater challenges.
“How will we survive? Indeed how will we continue to thrive?
“It can only be in our sense of community and sharing our cultures and leaning into our common humanity, our compassion and our love of justice.
“We will need to stand together in embrace of our differences and in recognition of our commonality. We will need to build a culture of resistance that includes resilience, joy and love.
“That is why this gathering today is so important. WESPAC is our soul, our culture, it is our beautiful community of social justice warriors. WESPAC constantly reminds us of our love of life and our potential– that there is something greater than ourselves and we will always need to fight for peace together. Thank you.”
“This year they were silent!” Nada Khader, the foundation director announced — likely because one of the honorees, Jewish Voice for Peace of Westchester, is an anti-Zionist group.
This would be a good time to draw attention to two books that are hot off the presses –
“Unsettled – American Jews and the Movement For Justice in Palestine” by Oren Kroll-Zeldin
From the Amazon review –
Unsettled digs into the experiences of young Jewish Americans who engage with the Palestine solidarity movement and challenge the staunch pro-Israel stance of mainstream Jewish American institutions. The book explores how these activists address Israeli government policies of occupation and apartheid, and seek to transform American Jewish institutional support for Israel.
“The Threshold of Dissent – A History of American Jewish Critics of Zionism” by Marjorie Feld
Throughout the twentieth century, American Jewish communal leaders projected a unified position of unconditional support for Israel, cementing it as a cornerstone of American Jewish identity. This unwavering position served to marginalize and label dissenters as antisemitic, systematically limiting the threshold of acceptable criticism. In pursuit of this forced consensus, these leaders entered Cold War alliances, distanced themselves from progressive civil rights and anti-colonial movements, and turned a blind eye to human rights abuses in Israel. In The Threshold of Dissent, Marjorie N. Feld instead shows that today’s vociferous arguments among American Jews over Israel and Zionism are but the newest chapter in a fraught history that stretches from the nineteenth century.