When was the last time The New York Review of Books ran a piece by a Palestinian? Lots of Israeli writers, including lately Assaf Sharon, who ignores the BDS movement and advocates for democracy in Israel and Palestine, when saying the Israel’s choice is between the extreme right and the two-state solution. An inherently conservative piece. The Hill actually tries to publish Palestinian opinion.
Ethan Bronner tells Moment that he crossed his fingers hoping news of his son’s joining the Israeli army in 2009 didn’t get out. Greg Mitchell says this was a “journalistic sin,” in which the paper was complicit
Is the professional rabbinate’s role to reconcile Jews to violence in Israel and the U.S. Marc Ellis reflects on the post-mortems in the Jewish press describing the split in Brant Rosen’s Chicago-area Reconstructionist synagogue between left and right on Israel that broke out over the Gaza slaughter.
Six former secretaries of state are shown shoveling dirt in a photo from Secretaries Day at the State Department. Give it a caption, at Mondoweiss.net
Steven Salaita’s firing at the U of Illinois reminds us that the concept of academic freedom began in the early 20th century in response to politically motivated firings at the behest of conservative boards of trustees. The targeted were active outside their schools in labor organizing and socialism. In Salaita’s case, donors exercised pressure on the university after he vociferously supported Palestinian rights on twitter. Marjorie Heins at Mondo
Joan Rivers is being remembered for crossing lines others respected. Sadly, her finale during the Gaza massacre of this summer were rants against Palestinians that political people are not likely to forget.
Katie Mertz reflects on what Rabbi Brant Rosen’s resignation means to her.
Artist Sheilah Rechtschaffer covered a stunted tree with plastic shrinkwrap as a sculptural tribute to the Gaza massacre, at a NY art installation. Some visitors to the exhibit strongly disagreed, but like so many other Gaza conversations this summer, they kept their mouths shut
Marc Ellis writes: “Reading Rabbi Rosen’s letter of resignation and the Tribune article I can’t help but think of the Biblical saga. Out of the blue the prophets arise, are shot down, then reappear. It hasn’t changed much in thousands of years. The prophetic is too deeply ingrained in Jewish life to pass quietly into our newly embraced colonial night. Apparently, synagogues are not for prophets. Those who practice the prophetic and attend synagogue, should take note. Your expulsion is inevitable.”
A letter from Jewish students, faculty, staff and alumni of the University of Illinois to Chancellor Phyllis Wise and members of the Board of Trustees in support of fired Professor Steven Salaita.