When Jews in Berkeley vote to cut support for Israel
A decision by the Berkeley Jewish Student Union to bar J Street's student organization lends momentum to a wider tendency - the exclusion of more Jews from the shrinking tent called the American Jewish community.
By Bradley Burston Tags: US JewsEvery vote sends a message. Last week, when the Berkeley Jewish Student Union voted to bar J Street's student organization from membership, the message it sent was regrettably clear:
The choice is up to you - You can be welcomed as a Jew, or you can speak your mind on Israel.
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UC Berkeley |
Now Berkeley, so often ahead of the curve, has distinguished itself once more. Its Jewish Student Union, founded expressly to provide a forum for communication and to unify campus Jewish organizations, has become the first such group in the country to have denied membership to the unapologetically pro-Israel, pro-peace J Street U.
Trends matter. The Berkeley vote lends momentum to a wider tendency - the exclusion, over political tensions, of more and more Jews from the already shrinking tent called the American Jewish community.
Places like Berkeley matter. It was in Berkeley and other like-minded towns that a surprisingly large number of young people forged a lifelong commitment to work for the ideal of an Israel true to values of democracy and prophetic justice.
It was in places like Berkeley, with its tradition of respect for universal rights, where they learned that support for Israel need have nothing to do with support for occupation or settlements or defaming Palestinians or refusal to compromise. That support for Israel could have everything to do with support for strengthening democracy there, freedom there, equality there, and genuine self-determination for both Jews and Palestinians.
It was in places like Berkeley, with its tradition of activism and freedom of expression, where they learned that there is no contradiction in being critical of Israel's failings while acknowledging its merits and dangers, and believing in its potential.
It was in places like Berkeley, with its tradition of coalition-building, where they learned that Israel needs all the help and support it can get.
What Israel does not need, is a decision which cuts that support.
In a place like Berkeley, it takes guts for anyone, whatever their politics, to admit that they care about Israel. If their politics are progressive, if, like the J Street U people, they explicitly oppose both the occupation and the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement, one of the voters in the Jewish Student Union decision may take the trouble to denounce J Street in the Northern California Jewish newspaper as "anti-Israel" and, perhaps most damning, not "part of the mainstream Jewish community."
What remains unclear is why, when Jews in Berkeley boycott fellow supporters of Israel, they believe that they are doing Israel, or the Jewish people, any good.
Does the Berkeley vote truly reflect the kind of community that Jewish students at the University of California want? An intellectual ghetto, walled off from debate, bricked up against nuance, a trompe l'oeil of democracy, of openness, of communication?
Here in Israel, the war that is closest to us, the war that threatens us most directly, and perhaps, most permanently, is a struggle over exclusion. It is a war which, week by week, vote by vote, uses democracy to diminish democracy. One which, edict by edict, uses the institutions of Judaism to alienate and repel Jews, and the institutions of Zionism to alienate and repel supporters of Israel.
Every vote sends a message. It can build bridges, or burn them. It can foster communication, or deter it. For many people who have lived in Berkeley, it was in part because they found a welcoming, open, questioning, courageous, progressive community of Jews there, that they made a decision to come to Israel to live. Most, wherever they are now, are still actively working to make this a much better place.
To the members of the Berkeley Jewish Student Union, just this: Take a moment. Do something for your community, and for Israel. Vote again.
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The quicker the Palestinians find more progressive leaders and understand that they must negotiate for a state, the faster they will have a good part of what they want.
Nations and Nationalism 13 (3), 2007, 371–394.
Nations and Nationalism 13 (3), 2007, 371–394.
The joke for a generation was, if you want to hide, you move to California.
So now we can stifle each other? We can't be who we are? And this is following the path of the Torah? For the students in Berkeley to vote against fellow Jews who feel differently than they do is is taking us down a familiar and dangerous path. Whether or not J Street is pro-Israel (which it is) is a small issue compared to what's at the end of this road.
The JSU is just emulating Israeli government policy. If Bibi and Lieberman didn't want that, it would not be. Though is was probably Ayalon's idea.
J Street pushes the pretence that it pro-Israel. But, most people don't think that it really is.
J Street is the only Jewish American organization that seeks solutions to the Israeli/Palestinian instead of supporting a status quo that has led to continued bloodshed, human misery and mutual mistrust. J Street is unequivocally pro-Israel in a street-smart way: Israel can only remain Jewish and democratic if there is a Palestinian state alongside Israel in peace and security! Take the time to learn why mainstream American Jews support J Street's moderate, realistic platform.
Reminds one of the way people like Spinoza were treated by the Jewish community.
J Street can call themselves whatever they want, but they oppose everything the Israeli government supports and support everything Israel's detractors support - with hardly any exceptions. J Street is Hamas Lite, and has now been around long enough for all serious people to know it. The only tent they fall under is the anti-Israel tent. Berkeley got it right - well done!
Voices like that of JStreet are desperately needed in the Jewish community. If we truly care about the future of Israel we need to think critically about what steps can bring peace closer, which will secure the long-term future and stability of Israel. JStreet should not be ostracized for bringing this needed voice to the table.
J Street is an anti-Israel, leftist bunch of morons. They are more at home with the PLO then the security of Israel.
What liar! You will smear your own mother if the checks keep on coming.
JStreet supporters are, at best, Toleranz romantikern.
so much for liberal minded jewish thinking dialog obviously not in JSU vocabulary
This ancient saying describes well J-Street and their sponsor, George Soros.
They banned J-street because it wasn't right wing enough, not because it's Israeli. Your headline is completely misleading,
I love how the right winger, settler apologists get all crazy when you point out their xenophobia is showing (Hey Baruch, Pull up your pants!)
over 15 member groups votes- the groups represent over 500 Jewish students on campus. and they voted jstreet down!
Thank you Burston for exposing this! Berkeley is made of proud Jews who are not afraid to hide it!
Very few US Jews are pro-peace in my opinion. They would like to treat the Palestinians the way that President Andrew Jackson treated the American Indians. Drive they away as far as possible.
Just because the members of J Street re Jewish does not define them as a pro-Israel Jewish group worthy of recognition. They would be much more comfortable joining forces under an Arab student group.
As a Jew and as a graduate of Berkeley I scream out that I am totally ashamed of this small clique of right wing Jews who are barring J Street. I guess to these Jews being pro-peace while also being pro-Israel is damning enough to say that some Jews are not allowed in the ever shrinking tent. I guess to these young people being "pro-Israel" means never criticizing Israel no matter what they do, never saying that the settlements are illegal and never doing anything that just might bring peace between Israel and Palestine. Shame on these youngsters. They have a lot of growing up to do.
..DEMOCRACY promotes different "tents" for political views ..hence REPUNS and DEMS in the USA and many political parties (a kind of group "union") in Israel .. LET j-Street get their OWN TENT --then they can still freely debate the BJSU in a netural TENT site...
..when a Foreign Trade Union kicks out a sister Israeli Union from its INTERNATIONAL "TENT" of fre expression and assocuation--THAT should be ist an"intellectual ghetto" and " anti-democratic" and worthy of blame for its EXCLUSION policies-but INSTEAD BURSTON and jis lefty cronies are the first to APPLUAD! See--double standard BRAD!
I think students do not study enough!!! Give the students more homework and lessons to memorize, then the word students could be respected again. Today, a student, is just a piece of shit trying to disturb normal day of life. All political fractions should be forbidden and banned on the campus area.
Since when? J Street continues to push quasi Palestinian propaganda and mixed messages, while attempting to glean millions in donations to fund their leaders lifestyle of pretending to be influential lobbyists. Despite Israel's powerful economy, low unemployment rate and stable currency - J Street still claims that settlements have "drained Israel’s economy". J Street still can't deal with the truth, and for some strange reason continues to flog long dead horses. Why should they be listened to?
I'm a Jewish Berkeley Alum, and it was an environment like this that kept me away from Jewish activities on campus. To current liberal Jewish Berkeley students, I say this: it gets better. You may feel isolated as a liberal Jew at Berkeley, but there are liberal Jewish congregations out there, places where faith does not mean nationalism.
free speech this, free speech that, I generally agree... There might be some politics here as well. The immediate past director of Berkeley Hillel was fired and left on bad terms. He is now the Northern California/Northwest Regional Director of JStreet. Just sayin...
I cannot speak for J-Street in general, but Mr. Burston does not understand that J-Street on campus is not involved in any pro-Israel activities. The only activities that the Berkeley J-Street puts on are blatantly left wing and critical of Israel "in an attempt to improve Israel." There is a history of student groups claiming they have no stance on divestment, but individual members and leaders of groups "claiming they are acting as an individual" have voiced pro divestment opinions. The Jewish Student Union is cautious of recognizing and awarding funds to such groups, especially lobbying groups, which are detrimental to Israel. Michael Oren describes J Street as “a unique problem in that it not only opposes one policy of one Israeli government, it opposes all policies of all Israeli governments. It’s significantly out of the mainstream.”
Was it "pro-Israel" when the organization hid years of contributions from Soros, as well as Arab and Iranian sources? Was it "pro-Israel" when one of the co-founders described Israel's founding as understandable but "unfortunate"? Was it "pro-Israel" when members of the group defended and promoted Judge Goldstone to the Congress? Was it "pro-Israel" when the group allowed J Street U to drop the "pro-Israel" tagline if they found it detrimental to their outreach? Even for a "big tent" Jewish community, there are activities that put one outside the tent. That's where J Street belongs.
Our right-wing government is trying to manipulate and force Jewish organizations abroad to close ranks and toe the official line. If they don't do that they become "self-haters" or even "traitors". Gewalt! But let us recall some relevant past event. In 1995, the Rabin government was negotiating peace with the PLO. The right-wing feared this might come to fruition, so they acted: AIPAC pressured the US Congress to pass the Jerusalem Embassy Act, mandating moving the US embassy to Jerusalem, a city whose fate was to be determined by negotiations with the Palestinians. A nice ploy, opposed by the Israeli government as well as President Clinton. But they were powerless; the House and Senate passed the law by huge margins sufficient to over-ride a Presidential veto. Rather than embarrass himself, Clinton simply did not sign the law, but since then every US president had to sign a waiver every 6 months declaring that the move has to be delayed for national security reasons. Clinton, Bush, and Obama all signed numerous times. They need it like a pain in the neck, but it is a constant reminder that the Jews abroad do not follow every policy of the Israeli government.
Most of you are almost as totalitarian in your views as the Jerusalem Post crowd. Lots of trolls in this garden.
Interesting point of view that "most of us" here have totalitarian tendencies. Sometimes Totalitarianism is a shade best observed in a mirror. You label yourself "Benign Zionist"; I don't believe you to be either.
When J Street starts behaving like a pro-Israel organization, Berkeley will embrace them. In the meantime, my congratulations to the Berkeley Jewish Student Union for keeping the misguided Jewish organizations out of the university.
Make them citizens with the vote? Make them Dhimmis without the vote? Expel them to wherever? Right wingers have no good answers so instead they delegitize those who ask the question. After running away from the question and the consequences of their positions, they then call those who ask the question cowards, self hating Jews, and anti-Zionists. Orwell called in doublethink.
Every poll in Israel for the past several years shows that the vast majority of Israelis support the 2-state solution. That obviously includes right-wingers. The right wing has a problem with Meretz + J Street who still believe that the Oslo process is about to bring peace and tranquility to the middle east. It ain't. Meretz is about to disappear from the Knesset, and that means that even left wingers aren't voting for them. Ask yourself why, Bronxie.
ship them to Jordan
Support for a two state solution is strong but not for a construction freeze? Most want 2 states but Oslo is dead? Another 200,000 settlers mean no two state solution, but there's no support for stopping the increase in the settlement populaiton? Who do you think is kidding whom? Best not to ask too many questions, eh Brian?
Do to the arabs what you recommend be done with the Jews - send them home. They ahve a home with their brothers in Jordan and that's where they should be. If you find that racist, why is it you have no probelm expelling Jews that were born there from their homes?
A small band of left-wingers refuses to acknowledge that there is an actual debate going on, so instead they delegitimize those who they suspect of disagreeing with them. After running away from the debate and the fact that just about everyone agrees that, sooner or later, the Palestinians have got to pull it together to form a mature state that has as a raison-d'etre something other than being a launching pad for erasing Israel from the map -- they proceed to call those who ask the question jackbooted fascists, or silences of debate, or cast themselves in the role of whimpering victims. Who is really trying to shut down discussion? Who is really refusing to engage here?
Jordan=Palestine! The West Bank should be divided by Israel and a democratic republic of Jordan-Palestine. Why should the Mideast be unstable because the Heshamite autocratic monarchy, itself from Arabia and installed by imperialist british forces in 1922 stand in the way of a lasting, just peace?!
Obviously this didn't include all Jews, only the right type of jew
i am proud to be a member of this community. about time the jewish students in berkeley stood up for their beliefs!
The Berkeley JSU has set an example for other campuses!
Where was Bradley Burston when Michael Oren was not allowed to speak on American campuses? Its only when a left wing, anti establishment organization like J Street is not allowed to come here to Berkeley that Bradley opens his big liberal mouth!
not surprising, most American Jews were scared to speak up for the Jews in Germany, they also were upset when Jews fought back because they were afraid it would create "anti-semitism" in the US Not surprising to see a bunch of cowardly pathetic American Jews looking to save themselves
Read up on the transfer aggreement.
From what I have read about J Street leads me to believe they are more left wing anti-Israeli Jews than pro-Israel.
It is about time that the State of Israel get in line with the international community.
WhAt kind of garbage piece is this. The Jewish union in Berkeley is under constant attack by the hard line left "Jewish" fringes, and by the radical wahabbist Brainwashed cult funded by Saudi terrorists. Don't give me the crap that the only true moderate Jewish org in berkleY should allow their freedom of speech to be taken away by your mindless leftist cult bent on the destruction of Israel's Jewish identity. You ahould be ashamed to write this garbage
You should be ashamed of your spelling.
Get a life Bradley. No one believes JStreet is pro-Israel!
They oppose Israel on virtually every issue, even those issues on which there is consensus in Israel
Cal is the Golden Bears, not Da Bears, either. Try to keep it straight. UCLA is a different brand of bear, a Bruin.
This just shows why they didn't get into Stanford. They should ask their Grandparents what life was like for Jews in the US before Israel.
GEE,that is what the "Prophet" MOhamed and his gang of thugs did to the Jews of Arabia then to others as Islam expanded accroos North Africa --but funny--nobody hates the Muslims for that wonderful lesson in "humanism"...
It seems to me that if you've got a tent then you can cope with people being inside and pissing out, and even - at a pinch - tolerate the self-haters of J street pissing in from outside . But inside and pissing in, that's a no-no. I'm sorry mommy didn't teach that to Baby Bradley- might have reduced his spoiled brat whining.
Bradley Burston's insightful column hit the nail on the head. It's sad that many of the comments so far are from people who believe what others with an opposite axe to grind tell them about J street instead of listening and finding out for themselves that its supporters care deeply about the future and welfare of Israel as a Jewish democracy. They amply prove Burston's point that excluding legitimate Jewish organizations from the community is a greater threat than anything our external enemies can do.
Apparently Burston believes in the right to free speech, but not so much in free association. J Street may say a thousand times it is pro-Israel, but Saudi money secretly channeled to its founders speakers louder. Common sense trumps sloganeering, congratulations J-Bears! Oski!
Obviously, you're not very familiar with Berkeley. Since I grew up there, I feel entitled to comment.
I agree with those of you who say that J Street--which has lobbied Congress to continue foreign aid to Israel, criticized Abbas for seeking statehood through the UN, and condemned Palestinian violence--is virulently anti-Israel. How dare those left-wing wackos even suggest that a two-state solution would be in Israel's best interests!
I laughed at them and call them self-deprecating Jews. Those are the same kind of Jews who said while Jews were rounded up by the Nazis that Germany would never do that to their Jewish German Citizens... Believe me those are such a pathetic site...
No matter how many times you tell us J Street is "pro peace and pro Israel" it doesn't become any more believable Bradley.
So, Bradley Burston, it did not go your way, ha... The students spoke, they did. And they told the jsrteet where to go. I hope jstreet got the message.
Maybe they are just movie-makers who like to wear kippahs and say things like Oy Vey!, Mazel Tov and gefilte fish with bagels already. Maybe they are just ecumenists who are looking for that most elusive of sects, the Universal Religion. Oh, well! they will find out their error soon.
It is a shame that the Students chose a path of racism against their fellow Jews when anti-Semitism is on the rise and an insult to all Jews
it's both racist and condescending to treat someone who you dislike as a friend and ally because of their ethnicity. it's certainly not racist to exclude someone from your circle because you find their politics offensive.
racist how?
The decision by Berkeley's Jewish Student Union to ban J Street U is a real shame. J Street U-affiliated students, like the entire J Street organization, is pro-Israel and pro-peace. These students have valid and legitimate voices that are being stifled. Jewish history has a long tradition of allowing for respectful differences in opinion, and Berkeley's JSU seems to be disregarding that tradition in favor of silencing other Jews who love Israel and simply have a different notion of what's best for the Jewish homeland.
Many Jews sadly don't see the difference and they like cattle, they graze in the fields of whatever the Israeli government spoon feeds them.
so Ibrahim I think what you mean is "Pro Israel but Anti Israel defending itself"
J Street is unequivocally pro-Israel and pro-peace. It is one of the only organizations out there that is actually trying to stop Netanyahu's policy of continued settlements in the West Bank that is jeopardizing the Jewish and democratic nature of our prized Jewish homeland. I find it disgusting that Berkeley hasn't even allowed J Street to be A PART OF THE CONVERSATION among American Jews in regards to Israel. J Street shouldn't only be part of the conversation, but it should be the organization supported by the majority of American Jews.
Regardless of what you think of J-Street, the headline is misleading. No party in this article voted to cut funding for Israel. (The sub-header is opinion based, and you might disagree with it, but it accurately reflects the contents of the article.)
What a remarkable, rare bit of common sense from ANY SEGMENT of the student body at Berkeley. A tent that includes what is effectively an anti-Zionist Fifth Column is far too wide. Good riddance to bad rubbish and congratulations to those that showed political sense.
First of all - J Street is not pro-Israel. What makes it pro-Israel? Is it pro-Israel because it doesn't advocate the destruction of Israel- per se? So, then Communists are pro-Israel and so too is the PA. You only advocate for the speech rights of those who you agree with - and do not believe in free speech for the right. Therefore- you and J Street are both phonies.
What about Israelis @ Berkley, do they vote to cut support for Israel?
what a typical haaretz smokescreen!
And if Neturei Kartei were on campus should they be allowed to join the Berkeley Student Union? The answer is clearly no. J street is a harder question. It claims to be pro-Israel. The question is if it really is....and yes I realize the difference betrween Israel and Judaism.
As a student from UC Berkeley, let me assure you that there are far more students who are Pro-Israel than Anti-Israel. I studied in Berkeley from 2001 to 2005 which was the height of Anti-Israel campagin. The anti-Israel students are definitely louder along with Anti-Israel professors who have been hand picked by the Middle Eastern Studies department solely because of their stance against Israel, however there is a huge vibrat pro-Israel campaign that is very active on the campaign. I do not believe Berkeley would ever divest from Israel and neither would the Jewish supporters and donator would ever allow that to happen. Berkeley is the land of crazies and I mean that since I lived there. There are a lot of crazy ideologies born there with huge support and of course they would ultimately die down. This should and will be one of them.
I hope that you've left room in hell for those Jews in Berkeley ( and anywhere else), who advocate boycotting Israel for any reason or abetting in any way the attempt to deligitimize Medinat Yisrael!
Real Jews dont believe in hell Or the occupation. BDS Israel.
the only place where the hillel house and aepi house can get vandalized by white supremacist groups and Muslim students and the school not give a damn
There is no diminishing tent of support for Israel--only among the fringe left of J Street and others who represent no one. Support for Israel remains strong, and growing everywhere except in the pages of Haaretz.
Hypocritical American putz!
You are mistaken if you think J Street is in any way "Fringe Left". Its clear-eyed, compassionate view of Israel is moderate, civil and supportive.
Guess what Americans in general to not want to be blamed for what Israel does.
Of course, this is true...but it's also true that blame has been inevitable, give the countries' entwined history. So, why should American Jews not speak up if they feel the Israeli government is on the wrong path? Why not support J Street in doing exactly that?
Of course, this is true...but it's also true that blame has been inevitable, give the countries' entwined history. So, why should American Jews not speak up if they feel the Israeli government is on the wrong path? Why not support J Street in doing exactly that?
Do American Jews want to be blamed for Israel trying to start a war between America and Iran?
"Any student may participate..." So that says who they are. They are not necessarily Jewish.
Jews should not isolate themselves but unfortunately they do....since Abraham. Salaam/Shalom
Someone should just ask who can join the Berkeley Jewish Student Union ? If they let in Non-Jews like some Muslims who hate Israel and/or people who are disguising themselves as Jews, then something isn't Kosher. Anybody that can't stand in a Minyan is probably an imposter.
that includes over half of any population, including the very chosen... so yosemite are turacisto... lilith
The Republican Party used to be the more "responsible" US party. While the Democrats were big spenders, the Republicans objected and were prudent fiscally. The party has lost its principles and mind recently. Now, "deficit doesn't matter", as Cheney said, and the other principles have shrunk to abortion and other religious-inspired dogmas. Something self-destructive has developed in the US, and it is no wonder that young people are caught up in this. Perhaps Berkeley youth have turned Republican. It happened before, when young Americans started supporting Reagan. The trouble now is that unlike Reagan, Republicans have gone bananas. I am worried about the US. American Jews should embrace J Street, not shun it.
How is the craft, Logios? Take a look at the top 500 member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Brother Newt is present in the 'g' listings ( although he is not in exact alphabetical order, curiously). Note also the huge number of Republican who are members of the CFR. Thsi give one to wonder if they are not just jacksasses wandering around in elephant suits looking for republican elephant-calves they can stomp on?
This article saddened me. Of course, Berkeley has always been very far to left of mainstream American policy, but I'm not going to denigrate them. The issue that I question is why they would block J Street, an organization that is quite far to the left of mainstream Jewish policy. It would be better to include their views, open them for discussion, understand nuances. Berkeley seems to have shut the door on open conversation, while singling out Israel for special denigration. This is what causes many Israelis and American Jews to dig in their heels; they are afraid that no one can see their point of view.
J-Street is explicitly proIsraeli. Having participated in demonstrations with J-Street activists and attended information sessions led by the J-Street regional director of New England (she is the wife of an orthodox rabbi and is suitably covered with long skirts and long sleeves), this group favors a Jewish state for privileges Jews over other citizens in Israel.
So supporting Israel is a requirement for being Jewish? Whether or not it supports Israel it IS a Jewish organization.
It has been at the forefront of all Anti-Israel activities. Whenever it lobbies Congress or Administration - it is always with the expressed aim of hurting Israel.
Ambassador Avital (Nentanyahu's mentor when he was at MIT) is on the board of J-Street. She spoke at the JCC in RI and specifically asked American Jews to give much-needed advice to Israel: end the occupation, make peace with palestinians and assert that democracy has primacy in Israel.
Out and out fabrication. Where are your facts?
or perhaps of saving Israel from its own worst impulses.
Really? When have they expressed that aim? Do you bother to read your posts before you publish them?
research on your own, paula. j street is nowhere near as pristine as you believe.
Freedom of thought, speech & action includes the right to conclude that extremist views (like J Street's")are beyond the pale.
An open mind is a duped mind. And, a duplicitous mind constantly tries to open minds.
you need a new user name. Or are you being ironic?
Are you talking to me?
... And I support J-Street. Enough with the McCarthyist shadow falling over the Zionist community.
So sick of people claiming that JStreet is not pro-Israel ...
These students rae stupid and they won't tow George Soros' line- oh, that's right, the same George Soros whom J street denied was a (major) donor of theirs but then reneged. FYI- Soros is a known anti-Israel advocate! J-street is neither pro-israel, nor pro-American; its donor base is not at times Jewish and even has contacts with prominent anti-Israel muslims/Arabs. Ben AMi himself did PR for Saudi Arabia, one of the main contributors to de-legitimizing Israel!
Israel's only hope is as a secular nation with equal rights for all. You don't need Jewish money and the Americans don't need you to be Jewish to keep giving you money because Israel is basically a US military base in the Middle East. But that's okay. Singapore is tiny but it does well. Cut the ties with the Jewish religion, create one state with equal rights for all and join the modern, democratic world.
A perfect example of anti-semitism. Why do you have a problem with Israel as the Jewish State? No one has a problem with the many Islamic States.
J-Street is not a pro-Israel group. Lackeys of the Left.