Why are American Jews abandoning Israel?

Their eyes are open now - not closed anymore - most of the American Jews realize now that Israel is the problem - not Jews, not Judaism but the state of Israel. It has made aparthied as its national policy - Palestinians are treated like animals and Israel uses its might against innocent and unarmed Palestinians. It managed to get USA to invade and occupy Iraq and now wants USA to help it to attack Iran. Why Israel is forgetting that it is the only country in that region to have hundreds of Nuclear bombs - Now American Jews are getting to know what kind of a monster the state of Israel is so they are abandoning it.

I love (and contemplate retiring to) an Israel that wants peace, is honest with itself, and does not waste its resources subsidizing the Religious wackos with my (future) tax money. I have trouble loving a nation whose budget and future prospects have has been kidnapped politically by the narrow interests of the settlers and the Haredim. And, strangely, American Jews also love the law, and hate to see it twisted by those who claim that a perpetual occupation is lawful. We are not "my country right or wrong". Keep (most of) Jerusalem, offer the rest back, and be RIGHT again.

Many, many, American Jews view the current power holders in Israel as simply hard core right wing ultra-nationalists who have hi-jacked the term "Jew" in an attempt to make in mean "Orthodox ultra-zionist." It's a Religious theocracy little different that some Saudi Mullah. The Israeli Chief Rabbinate, endorsed by this government, publishes textbooks like "Triumph of Survival" by Berel Wein, which openly accuses Reform Jews as being those who caused the Holocaust. Do you think that Reform Jews in America don't know this type of stuff? And do you really think that they are going to support Israel knowing what's being said of them?

The Jews of the US are concerned with American issues of prosperity and peace,just as Israeli Jews are in their country. It just might be the decline of the American economy. Thats how we vote and what we think. Unfortunately Israel is now on the back burner.That is the real reason ,not left , right etc, etc.I believe when push comes to shove the Jews of US will there for Israel.

ground shacking, volcanic apocaliptic indian tribe,need to dry up the river Eufrates to grow something in the willderness of Judea

there are irreconciliable differences between what the hardcore settlers, who are in stronger political position in Israel than ever, want and what many American Jews want. Many Israelis seem content to have permanent war with the Palestinians and the larger Muslim world, not so much enthusiasm for that in America.

US Jews expected too much, more then they had the right to expect. They have this arrogant notion that Israel should be special, not sullied with the blemishes and warts of other nations. It is based on vanity and arrogance and I believe that Jews need to be special.

you had a lousy guide...that's a shame...but don't give up on Israel yet. Further, Israel is not perfect and there is need for growth, BUT she is the best the Middle East has to offer. Please keep in mind that Israel is a poor country that is also a migrant country. Life is ALWAYS hardest for thew new comers. It is the second and third generations that reap the rewards of their families efforts.

Your post is quite ridiculous. While it is true that Jews (as so many other groups) helped in America's beginning, there were very few Jews there at the time. Uriah Levy's accomplishments at Monticello did nothing for the national good. Regardless of what Jews have done and still do for the US (which is a lot), that has nothing to do with Israel. Israel is a country and Judaism is a religion. One can have problems with a country that persecutes gentiles and uses religious discrimination as its raison d'etre without having problems with the religion of the people who live there.

You are absolutely correct. Well said. It is sad but true.

Your theory is flawed. America's beginnings were aided by many Jews. Look at the back of a dollar bill and be reminded a Jewish Banker named Solomon, gave America the cash to fight the brits. What you don't know could fill volumes. Another Jew, Uriahs Levy, also helped to preserve Thomas Jefferson's estate, Monticello and is buried there w/ Thom. Jefferson. You must be very young and very stupid. Both have a cure. Texas in fact acted similarly when the Mexican forces surrounded the Alamo. Guess those madrases couldn't afford US or Israeli history. Dumb shit.

America has always seen itself as fair, egalitarian, a defender of the down-trodden and just. Now the reality may clash with the ideal, but the ideal remains. Americans have seen Israel in the light of the holocaust. Thats why there has been such tremendous support for the creation and the defense of a populace that was so sorely abused. Now comes the conflict where we examine our ideals and find the Israeli state and the zionist movement squarely on the other side of our ideals. Like I said the ideals will remain and if they can't be reconciled, then America will no longer be a friend of Israel.

I was personally criticism by this gentleman about the AIPAC, pro-Israeli WashingtonD.C., lobbying organization. Sir, AIPAC was intimately involved in spying against the USA for the benfit of Israel. Americans and powerful Washington D.C. Americans didn't like it. It's wrong, immoral and a betrayal. Official Washington is very favorable to Israel and has been from Nov 1947, with billions $$$ every year. And no thank yous. "Concocted by arab lovers" was your statement; but the spying was in the Office ran by Wolfowitz, Feith, & Rumsfeld. Why does Israel spy on USA. Why did P.M. Barak in 2000, wanted Clinton to release Pollard, another Israeli spy. This is part why American Jews abandoning Israel.

American Jews do hold Israel to a higher standard than they do the United States. If they did not, they would see that what we did in Iraq and Vietnam was magnitudes worse than what Israel did in Gaza, and the US did it with no reason. But it is difficult to accept that Iran has to be attacked because of the threat of a nuclear Iran-after all, Israel is capable of using a very large nuclear arsenal to destroy Irna totally should Iran make a foolish move. In addition, the west bank settlements allow Hamas to present itself as a legitimate anti-imperialsit power. Jews support Obama, and do not appreciate Netanyahu ignoring his call for a freeze with transparent verbiage.

I am unable to reply to this post because I did not send post 152, and can't reply unless you gives me a better citation so I can tell what I said. I would hope, though, that you would have no problem with my statement that criticism of Israel is not anti-semitic and has nothing to do with Judaism. As to loyalties, I certainly have no problem with Jews feeling that they are Jews first and Americans second - ones loyalty to God should certainly come before ones loyalty to ones country. However, as I have often pointed out, Judaism is a religion and Israel is a country and the two have nothing to do with each other. Iran is a Muslim country; would you say American Muslims should be loyal to Iran?

Before I go to the point of your post, I should point out that I have never heard about any group of Americans wanting to secede since the move several decades ago by Black power groups. Please cite sources. As to your not caring for the US, fine. If you believe that we are likely to set up camps to "put away" Jews and you don't feel safe here, the sensible thing to do is to leave. Granting your devotion to the state of Israel, aliyah would seem something you should do RIGHT NOW before we get you. As to where my family came from, to the best of my knowledge all my ancestors came from the British Isles. However, if they had come from some country which was conquered by (not collaborated with) Germany, I would remind you most of us do not consider the place our ancestors left to be our country and have no interest in its politics.

I went to Israel with a group of 40 college students, and we were shocked at the separatist nature of Israel. Separatist views between Arabs and Jews, the division of Old Jerusalem, and even the division of economic class between Jews. American Jews were taught that Israel was created to unify Jews, and create a peaceful land...and American youth are now questioning this propaganda. What was even worse was that during our trip to Israel, if any type of dissent of Israeli political agenda was mentioned by our group- we were shunned by Israelis and called "ignorant." Americans are taught to question the status quo, and have viewpoints from all perspectives, while Israelis are sticking to their guns. Simple as that.

It's painfully obvious that today's Israel has become an embarrassment to Jews in the United States and elsewhere. It's conduct is more like that of a fascist state than that of a state representative of the Jewish faith. It's treatment of the Palestinians reminds one of the Apartheid regime in South Africa (which American Jews condemned). And it's recent attack on Palestinians in Gaza is more reminiscent of what the Nazis did in the Warsaw Ghetto than anything else. American Jews are grateful for the values of freedom in the United States and don't want to be counted as supporters of the oppression and abuse in today's Israel.

"A better question would be "Why does Israel rely so heavily on the support of American Jews?"" Because they have all the money.

You wrote: "Again, the usual lie -- Israel and Jewish are the same, and criticism of one is criticism of both." Please point out to me where I said anything of the sort, you bald-faced liar. I took the example of Christian loyalties in the Pew study directly from page 147 of Walt and Mearsheimer, The Israel Lobby, and I used the example to make the same point they did about American loyalties.

You very appropriately headed your post garbage. You ask who is anyone to judge if you have never actually been there or don't even know an Israeli. Allow me to ask you: would you apply the same standard to North Korea or apartheid South Africa? Many who don't pass the test of your standards had no right to judge either (or do you apply these standards only to Israel).

growing up as a x-soviet jew in the US (now live in tel aviv), i can tell you exactly why american jews have grown distant from israel- they lost every ounce of their Jewish NATIONAL identity- yes i said "national," for Israeli and Eastern European Jews, being Jewish was NOT only a religious affiliation, but a NATIONAL one. That is why Soviet Jews in the US identify so strongly with Israel. Unlike their parents and grandparents, Generation x and Gen Y Jews in the US are almost indistinguishable from other Americans. They don't understand a Jewish language and are not religious, i.e. if they see themselves as only Jewish by religion- and (as I've been told by my many Jewish friends at Columbia University) and they are NOT religious- then they are NOT Jewish. It's as simple as that! Well, that and the fact that 70% of American Jews have NEVER been to Israel and maybe 2%(Israeli "yordim") of them can pick up a hebrew newspaper and understand what they are reading! sad, just sad...

Any clear-minded person will tell you that Israel is here to stay, but Israeli governments come and go. No one should support any government unconditionally, not even a Jewish one. The last century had more than its share of leaders demanding unconditional support. Can one support America and still be critical of its Administration's policies? Ask John Bolton, former US Ambassador to the UN www.thecooljew.net/2009/09/fox-news-obama-most-anti-israel.html Or Congressman Mike Pence. www.gop.gov/blog/09/09/21/pence-condemns-obama- administrations-policies

The new generation of American Jews have had enough of that "chewing gum" called Zionism. All they want is a good job with a good salary and excellent week-ends. Whose to blame ? Maybe their Yiddishe Mammes.

because jews american doesn't support discriminant policy of israel, and settlers illegal movement. jewish american, like jawish from all world , don't support israeli settler policy

A better question would be "Why does Israel rely so heavily on the support of American Jews?" One rarely sees Ireland, Italy, Poland, Germany, Great Britian, or any other country complaining that Americans who share their ethnicity aren't doing enough for them.

Why should Jewish Americans love a foreign country that oppresses its neighbors?

How odd that people in Prague and Toronto and Israel know all about American Jews. It is Israel that has abandoned American Jews, not the other way around. Israeli Jews have become more Israeli and less Jewish, which is to be expected. They have abandoned the biblical value of Justice. It is American Jews who have retained that value. It is Israeli Jews who are headed for a single state solution. It is American Jews who seek a two state solution.

Jewish or not, who is anyone to judge if you have never actually been there or don't even know an Israeli, worse I think is not even know why Israel was created. Israel is a beautiful country, Isreali's that I have met are thoughtful people with a knack for creating something out of nothing even when every country around them would like to remove Judaism from the middle east. Know your history, who attacks who ? have you ever wondered why there are no synagogues left in the middle east, where are the Jews in Saudi Arabia? Iraq? who is racist? I have seen Arabs and Jew get along fine in Israel, only those on the other side of the fence don't see reason.

I cannot believe the number of outright oversimplifications being posted about Israelis and American Jews. First, American Jews are not abandoning Israel, but are probably just sick of eight years of right wing governments under Sharon and Olmert making abysmal decisions with regard to Israel's security. Your parliamentary system is shifting the rulers to the right, and this is not good. Second, the implication of many posts is that only Likud members are really Israelis - lefties, PeaceNow folks, and non-Orthodox/Conservative Jews need not apply. Finally, there is just as much variance in Jewish identity in America as there is in Israel, and just as much variance in politics. Moderate to left American Jews are just not supportive of right wing Israeli governments and their disastrous rule, just as is the case for Moderate to Left wing Israelis. Right wingers in the US, Jewish and gentile, have been slavishly obedient to right wing Israelis.

see the comment of Yaron Ezrahi, Nataniahu speaks like a Dispora Jew, not like Israeli leader. This is an insult, shtetl-like Israeli barbarity. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1119389.html

I am a lot more worried what people in Tskhinvaly think about Israel and Jewish nation then DC combined. Those brats will order a call girl and do her without pulling socks, and then go out and claim to hate Israel if it makes their stock go up 1 penny over next 10 years. How come our weapons were used to pulverize sleeping civilians and the man who used those still walking in the boad daylight?

People who smell the rot, and are no longer are willing to sign on for war crimes, armed land theft, destruction and dispossession of "others" We have not come this far, to become our worst enemies.

This piece, of course, avoids confronting what Israel has become. It has to: the problem is not a matter of of Israel's 'unlovliest warts'; it's a matter of Israel's essence. By and large, one can tell that American Jews find the relationship painful themselves. It's like having a brother-in-law who's been convicted of a felony. Let's put it this way; suppose there was no Israel; how many would vote to create one that is like the Israel that exists? How many could justify taking what would otherwise presumably be some shambling little Lebanon or the like and inflicting the modern state of Israel on the inhabitants? Who would agree to go to be their oppressors? Let us suppose some faith sprang into being; its adherents conceived the notion that although they had been absent for two thousand years, Lebanon was 'theirs.' Would anyone support the Lebanese being expelled to make way? Would such a notion be moral?

The author has made a fateful error in his analysis. Most U.S. Jews have abandoned Judaism, not Israel. They are Jews in name only.

Personally, I am tired of the middle east conflict. This is starting to remind me of quibbling, immature children. You'd think that after 60 years a resolution could have been implemented.

abandoning Israel?,and not only abandoning, but stabbing her in the back

American Jews have provided Israel with: * $100 to $200 billion American taxpayer dollars (On the books; off the books, at least twice that amount.) * A blank check for any future financial desires. * The security shield of the most powerful military in the world. * The most high tech American weapons available, sometimes at the expense of the American military. * Diplomatic protection for Israel's aggressive wars and alleged war crimes. * Legal protection for Israelis charged with war crimes in other countries or before international criminal courts through threats, bribes, and intimidation. * A pliant U.S. Congress who will bless and pay for any and all Israeli wants and needs. * Hamstrung every U.S. President who tried or tries to bring peace to the Middle East under any terms other than Israel's. * Ad infinitum. I can't imagine anyone, except paranoid whiners, describing these accomplishments of American Jews as abandonment.

The American Jew is liberal minded. The right- wing government is not to his liking. Get rid of Liberman!Israel might regain some dignity!

Many American jews are waking up, it appears. As the article says, "the Zion that they imagined in their minds, wrote about and worked to realize - was a mythical Zion.." The imagined "social commonwealth" has become ipso facto a 'jewish commonwealth.' This supposed "outpost of democracy" has become, rather, an outpost of jewish racism and apartheid. And far from "freedom, liberty, and social justice (reigning) supreme," Israel has become a land of blood and oppression. No wonder that many American jews are turned off.

So while other Americans, including Jewish Americans, fight for their country (USA) in Iraq and Afghanistan, you brag that your kids are willing to betray their country (USA) to fight an essentially unarmed enemy in Palestine? I would be embarrassed if my children didn't have the guts to fight against a real army -- such as one with Merkava tanks, Apache helicopters and F-16 fighter planes. No need to pray for the safety of cowards. The only way they will get hurt is by friendly fire, as in the majority of the military casualties in the "war" against Gaza.

Young Jews today have never saw anyone walking around with tattooed numbers on their arms.

Philistines are NOT ancestors of Palestinian Arabs. Their very name ( and we do not know what they called themselves!) is Biblical " Plishtin": the invaders. True enough....

What does the USA gain from out special relationship with Israel? I am hard pressed to come up with a single benefit. The US foreign policy should be based upon USA "interests" and not "ally". Our special relationship has become a hindrance in our relationship with billions of Muslims, Hindus and Chinese. Most of the young American Jews have not seen the idealistic dreams of the 40s and 50s. What is seen is the brutal occupation of another people. Nearly 50% of the Jews do not know what Israel would look like without occupation. Israel is the country that sets itself out as superior. "The most moral armey in the world" well I think you should go to the Hague and prove it. The "Chosen People" what hubris.

I realized by your post that Jewish values and American values (free choice, respect for the individual, equal opportunities, measering a person by his/her deeds coming from free will and not by bread/blood and so) do overlap eachother greatly (okay okay, it was a Jewish gift to America, sorry sorry, same goes for moonshining and canon balls). That could make America even stronger towards Israel then many Israeli's propably might wish for, I humbly wondered.

All most all Jews I know love Israel and that is world wide. However, Jews are comfortable where they are and even if they do not seem to support Israel you must believe they do!

Obama is a red commy-socialist state-loving atheist scumbag of a Muslim, which are the worst, worse then jihadi's. But even more worse than that: the man is a sissy-professor from Glas House Graduate School. I now sometimes hope his skincolour turns out to be shoepolish and he actually turns out to be the bastard son of Bob Hope.

Many American Jews love and support Israel but feel driven away by the religuous tyranny of the Black Hats. The ideology that the black hats push and that the Insraeli government supports is a 17th century extreme interpretation of Judiasm. We have no Pope. No single group has the right or monopoly on defining Judiasm and jewish religuous practive. The constant deference shown to one group at the expense of all others alienates Amerian Jews, even very strong supporters of Israel.

Kevin, if what you are saying is that American Jews will have to choose between being American and being Jews, then expect an embarrassing choice...embarrassing for you, that is.

Hey Heather.....Why are you staying behind.. If war breaks out..YOU will say..what the hell is this..I wish I never moved here...

Too many of them want Pal land more than they want peace. A lot of American Jews think Israel is headed in a bad direction that will only bring unending war, and danger to the US as well as Israel.

You certainly have put the dual loyalty question to rest; if your loyalty to the US is contingent on its relationship to and support of Israel, you have no loyalty to the US. I am reminded of a phrase used about Pollard - an Israeli with a US passport.

Perhaps as a non-Jew, I might suggest that Israel has lost a lot of support from people who, like myself, has seen the part which Israel's intransigence and greed for land has played in the rise of international terrorism. We applauded Israel's victory against overwhelming odds in 1967, and the Entebbe raid, but it all seems to have been downhill since those events, with increasing brutality against unarmed civilians, repression, blockades, sewing of civilian areas with cluster bombs, massacres Shatila and Sabra, operation Cast Lead with its indiscriminate bombing and high death toll amongst civilians. None of those things should be a matter of pride for you or any potential supporters. A serious attempt to give justice to the Palestinians will doubtless reverse the current trend.

They didn't ask my permission, and I am in no way in the position where I can give it. However, I would make two points; 1. if you consider another country (and not this one) as your homeland, you should go there 2. if you are willing to fight for another country (but not this one), that is where you should live. As to contribution to America, it is certain that Jews have contributed a lot to the American cause, but I seriously question that their contribution (per capita) is any greater or less than that of any other group.

American Jews have been at the forefront of social justice issues within the USA. They have supported civil rights, social welfare programs, health care reform and many other initiatives where Judaic values of truth and justice have focused efforts on helping the most unfortunate in society, regardless of religion or ethnicity. Unfortunately Israeli leadership has ignored those historic and very dear values for the sake of encouraging expansionism at whatever cost to the Palestinians. The Palestinians have become the oppressed while settlers take their land and the IDF stands by and ignores abuses of Palestinians. The world granted the Jews a nation, but the Israeli leadership has violated the trust that came with that grant. Ben Gurion indicated Israel would be judged by how it treats the Arabs. Israel has done poorly in that context, and there appears to be no forseeable change coming.

Again the usual lie - Israel and Jewish are the same, and criticism of one is criticism of both. Every American has the right to follow the religion he/she wants, and I in no way have any problem with a US citizen being Jewish. However Judaism is a religion and Israel is a country. Please explain how my having problems with people who prefer another country to their own is small-minded and mean-spirited.

So when there is a backlash---abd there will be---there will be no more Israel. It will have ceased to exist. All thanks to people like you who support anything it does. Up to and including War Crimes and Criomes against Humanity as seen recently in the barbarism perpetrated on the Palestinian people. Shame on you for using the USA as a launching site for your fancies. Shame indeed.

Everything my family ever taught me about Judaism was beautiful, inspiring, and hopeful. I would be an ardent Israel supporter if I had never gone there, lived there, and seen for myself exactly how the State has twisted Judaism into a gross, paranoid parody of itself, using it to justify racial inequality, expansionism, and militarism. Sometimes I wish I could live with the dream of Zion that so inspired my mother's and my grandmother's generations. But then I'd have to be both blind and deaf.

Bigotry! This was taken from the Bible Mr. Jose Pedro. I don't think that the Jews wills deny the existence of David and Goliath (Goliath who was a Philistine). Maybe you should go back to reading real history books, then we can understand each other. I repeat again and again... don't forget what happened in South Africa after years of Western occupation!

the arch right wing of the Israeli government. Big difference.....

And precisely what does anyone owe their country when the government has made such a bad name for us all over here? Right now, there are millions of Americans who are ready to call it quits and start another secession movement. Either the southern states will go first or the northern states will. In either case, anti-Semitism is on the rise here and in Europe, so why should we Jews profess a loyalty to our country of birth from this point on? Why should we even pay taxes anymore if there's a chance our taxes could be used to put us away in camps again? Would you? Most of you are from countries that collaborated with Nazi Germany. Where was YOUR loyalty to YOUR country when you had the means to resist a Nazi takeover?

I find it hilarious how some people claim the US does not support Isreal. The US foriegn policy is EXTREMLY biased towards Isreal. UN veto anyone. Whats ridiclous is: 1. Israelis dont appreciate the US support and cry any time they are told off. Stop the settelments silly. 2. American Jews are American citizens. How does supporting Israel help the US in any way. It justs costs us. We already have plenty of presence in the middle east and do not need Israel in any way.

coomunists, now? thank you sarah. That really contributes insight. Communists, right. And obama is muslim too, right?!

I agree with david's comment. I feel increasingly distant from Israel because the values I was taught in my Jewish upbringing are not those which are reflected by some of the actions in Israel. I realize the reality of Israel's enemies is a great obstacle to being a morally just nation, but I get bothered when Israeli politicians cannot admit to anti-judaic actions, as if their is no new standard for a people who have so longed to show their moral worth.

its worse than most think. Self examination is much needed. Its pretty obvious to the rest of the world. Stop screaming "anti semitism" at every turn would be the first step. On Israels current path, it will not survive. Choose wisely.

The only ones who abandon Israel are the ones who have already did so. There is no great movement to abandon Israel. I receive more solicitations then I can believe there are solictaters. None of them propose such abandonment.

Also remember what Austria did to Jews. Right now, Israel is more threatened by its enemies on its own soil than the US. And don't even think that you'll win an argument with the dual-loyalty accusation. We Jews don't profess a loyalty to the US if there is a chance the US will turn on Israel. When that day comes, we will side with Israel. So keep your thinly-veiled anti-Semitism in your warped little mind, where it belongs.

1. A more thatn 40 yr occupation of land and over another people. 2. Its ongoing refusal to meet its international commitments 3. Its expectation that they can judge the rest of the world in the worst light while demanding that the rest of the world judge them in the best possible light 3. The corruption of their politicians and their self interest 4. The country's support of Apartheid South Africa and some of the world's worst despots (Amin, Abacha, Mobutu, dos Santos, to name a few) 5. Their lack of social legislation to benefit the poorest and weakest elements in their socity 6. Exploitation and abuse of their foreign workers. Thats for starters.

Are you trying to say that Jews don't have power in the United States. That is a load of horse hockey. Look at our Congress where at least 13% of the Congress is Jewish. Look at the Senate with its many Jewish senators. Look the list of the top money makers in America. A goodly percentage of them are Jewish. Jews do have power in American and perhaps that is why the vast majority are loath to move to Israel, the country from which many Jews are leaving. As for Israel being a lifeboat, that is just wishful thinking. If some mad idiot wanted to wipe out the Jews, and I hope that never happens, Israel is the last place Jews might want to be, all together in one place. America is undoubtedly the safest place for Jews and will continue to be so. BTW, don't you feel safe down in Florida where a large percentage of the population is Jewish? If you don't feel safe why don't you pack up and head to Israel? Got it too good here, eh?

Last I checked, Neturei Karta is orthodox. Stop painting those of us who continue to do the Rabbis' work by analyzing Jewish thought and contributing our own understanding of how best to meet the demands of Jewish ethics as being judenraten. There are reformist Jews who are staunchly zionist. There are orthodox Jews who are traitors to Jews everywhere. I see no conflict between Zionism and leftism; Zionism is at heart a leftist philosophy.

Will I understand the voting record is democrat, democrat, democrat... of the jewish american. The problem the democratic party is no longer democrat, it is communist, and as such will not defend israel , and will make policy against it with the eu. 6 million more jews surrounded, and loosing to the us communist party it voted for.

You said it all - almsty. You forgot the stanglehold that the obscurantist rabbinical establishment and its archaic version of Judaism has on the private life of the country plus its damning influence on political life. All of this very off-putting to modern US Jewry.

Don't know any other ews that are. Suuport is prety strong!

There is no abandonment of Israel by American Jews. Its just that Israel is now established and the revolution is over. This is called normalcy. Many American Jews believe the efforts to establish Israel caused them to neglect their own religious life and now feel free to explore and experiment with new forms of Jewish ritual and culture. They are forming new congregations that are not affiliated with the major movements, creating new youth oriented publications, writing new music, and experimenting with new rituals within existing congregations. These activities are not political but they are profoundly Jewish. Judaism is a developing civilization. Israel is an important part of that civilization and so is the American Jewish community.Building our community here is not abandoning Israel.

After all, USA Jewry is not a sort of colony or suburb of Israel. Jews in the USA have their own interests and priorities. Rather than whining about abandonment, we should remark that is healthy and natural that USA Jews have become more REALISTIC about Israel and have considered to stop peddling the IDEAL one (which off course means different things to different folks). Israeli Jews are like our relatives, we are concerned for them and wish them the best, but in the end what happens to Israel is their call.

Jose, I love the way you create history to fit you...!! Salute..

This is very worrying. While i am against the current Israli stonewalling and barbarism in ME, it is the influx of open minded people who have the potential to help change Israel for the better. IF all the sensible people turn away from Israel now then it will only get worse in the ME.

I did not see anywhere in the comments of Zeek or Heather that they asked you for permission to live in the US, so please leave your nasty little remarks to yourself. Jews have contributed a lot to the American cause by fighting with the US military, or through science, so stop your complaining and be thankful as there is probably no other minority in the US that gave so much to advance the US, especially if you calculate per capita.

Israel and Israelis don't fear, Americas hav traditionally had there heads up their ass they ussualy find a way to get it out by thirty thirty five tops and for the time being and for what it's worth you hbe Canada on your side especially with the conservatives in power jason kenney and Stephen Harper are better and truer friends than the majority of us politicians just bring a coat she can get cold

Otherwise keep very quite , you sound ridiculous. .

to anything , the affiliated on the other hand has no questions when it comes to love for Eretz Israel . This ISM kind if following will never last . This is the reason empty Zionism is dead , but the spiritual one is blooming . The outcome of it is that My children and grandchildren made aliyah and I am next . Our kind of American Jews never have been closer to Israel then now .

There is a very simple reason why American Jews abandon Israel and Its called inconvenience. These are typical Diaspora Jews that never lived in a land of their own and are not accustomed to Jews having power and the right to protect themselves. Diaspora Jews feel more comfortable in the role of victims rather than strong and victorious. Also, Many American Jews have strong ties to the elite, extreme left of Academia which makes Israel a true liability amongst their associates. What they don?t understand is that the state of Israel is the only guaranty to their continued survival if or when a back-lash against Jews will occur and sooner or later it always does. Israel is the Jew?s only life boat and I?m sure that when the time comes these same left wing Jews will be the first to claim their right of return.

A 2006 Pew survey found that 42% of U.S. respondents saw themselves as Christians first and Americans second. I don't mind. It is a free country. I consider myself first and foremost a citizen of the world. What we need are fewer small-minded, mean-spirited Americans like you.

Americans who go to other countries to enlist in military activities should not be allowed back into the US. If they are native-born Americans they should stand trial for treason.

Americans who go to other countries to enlist in military activities should not be allowed back into the US. If they are native-born Americans they should stand trial for treason.

Heather- Maybe you should move to Israel, since that is obviously where you allegiance lies. I dont care to pay taxes in support of a greedy, angry little country bent on showing how it's people are "the chosen ones" Get over yourself!

Is that so few Jews want to live there.

I don't thik so. From my experience most diaspora Jews love and support Israel, but disagree and are enbarrassed with many of its policies. Israel is threatened by terrorists from many sides and has developed a revengeful mentality. They want to kill us, we will kill them. They don't believe that most Palestinians want a peacefult life without humilliation. Maybe the long history of persecutions has taught Israelis "not to be suckers". yet retreating from land that was acquired by occupation is not suckership but a road to security.Yet they immediately point out at the ecacuation of the settlements from Gaza as a proof that the Arabs are not interested in peace. That retreat was dome however unilaterallly by a megalomaniac, without an agreement with the Palestinians and is not an example of how peace can be achieved. Mutual agreements must be negotiated and their implementation guaranteed by outside powers.

If Israel is your homeland, even if you live in the USA, I don't see why you don't move to your homeland. As far as I can see, nobody is forcing you to stay here. By all means, follow your heart and leave.

[A long-dash I'd included above came through as a question mark and made one of my statements look like a question. It should really have been:] [My "abandonment" began...] when I heard two Israelis in my own synagogue talking about how they hoped Israel suffered more terrorist attacks. Why? Because an atmosphere of violence would give Israel a good excuse to hold onto the occupied territories -- and incidentally keep "settling" them. [So the Israelis I overheard were overt about their reasoning; I wasn't questioning them, nor was anything ambiguous.] I want so dearly to be pro-Israel, and then I see Israel take cause with right-wingers everywhere and bash lefties almost as hard as its enemies. It's more like Israel is abandoning me!

If your sons are so involved in another country that they are enlisting in its military rather than their own, it's good they are going. The only hope is that anyone who cares more for another country than their own stays there and doesn't come back - we don't need them.

When one is a Dutch/Belgian/Colombian/etcetera Jew, it must be much easier to stand behind Israel. But upholding the values and principles America stands for is as formidable a call as the need to give (automatic) support to the Jewish state, so it seems. As a European I can only conclude that America has been good to and for Jews and acknowledge that this derives from the American Constitution, their determination to have self-reliance instead of state dependency, and the believe in fairness and equallity in opportunity for all (there have been problems with racism of course but that is slowly dying, at least so it looks like up here in Europe). A Jew may be expected to see Israel as his/her mental and spiritual homeland and center of the world but Americans see themselves as living in the center of the world in the greatest nation and human experiment ever. I think that many American Jews feel their heart crying and bleeding, so to speak, if it comes to Israel nowadays.

Many Jews in America support Israel! Haaretz doesn't know about these Jews because it buys the story that only the Orthodox, who lean to the right, support Israel. Not true. Israel is our homeland too, even if we live in the USA. But because we live in the USA, we are bombarded with anti-Israel propaganda, and the universities which teach only the left-side of politics treat Israel the way Jimmy Carter would want. Meanwhile, we make monetary contributions, we make sure we, and our kids get to Israel, and we try to get a word in against the Israel bashers. Don't be misled by the press.

...when I heard two Israelis in my own synagogue talking about how they hoped Israel suffered more terrorist attacks. Why? Because an atmosphere of violence would give Israel a good excuse to hold onto the occupied territories?and incidentally keep "settling" them. It is common now for Israelis, and Israeli sympathizers, to act as if being a right-winger is natural for Israelis and should be natural for all Jews. With many, there is no longer even the excuse that "there is no partner for a 'land-for-peace' plan"; it is now simply and openly "we want land, not peace." There is the attitude that there can never be peace because we can never trust an enemy to stop fighting; an attitude that goes hand-in-hand with, and is perpetuated by the same individuals as, an earlier belief that we'd never have peace with Egypt or Jordan. What, so you'd rather be at war with them again? Israel has become a Republican Party colony, and you wonder why I'm turning away? I couldn't be sadder about it.

America, not Israel, is my home. I feel no connection to Israel even though I once loved and respected her. But, over the years Israeli actions and Israeli racism have doused any good feelings I once had for the country that says it is my "home" even though it is not and never has been. As far as I know not one of my blood relatives ever lived in that part of the world and, if they had, it was so long ago as to be meaningless. I wish that I could get my good feelings for Israel back but I am afraid that it is too late. Israel has lost me and has lost many other American Jews America is my home and I work to make her a better place for all her people.

it is common knowlege that most universities in Canada/US are left leaning and preach anti-Israel slogans and properganda... I remember at school learing about antient Israel and the kingdom of David and they used the modern maps showing a partition in Israel. They even called the land of Cannan Palestien... when infact it was almost 1000 years befor the name was even mentioned... The fact is most youth are ignorant and easily manipulated into believing what the teacher teaches them... To change the American jew to being a zionist jew frist we must fix the education system.

Captain Shapira, former IAF pilot who refused to fly missions into the Occupied Territories and was forced to resign( he wanted a public Court Martial but was refused by the IAF command) said a few years ago, while touring the US with Combatants for Peace, that he was concerned that so many American Jews seemed to be worshiping the STATE of Israel rather than their G-d. His statement immediately brought to mind the biblical tale of the Golden Calf. American Jewish opinion is finally choosing to return to Jewish transcendent spiritual values as it abandons its "idol worship" of the State of Israel.

own Jewish history and the various manifestations of Jewish civilization of which both they and Israelis are part. Placing matters within the proper context is the only way out. Yet, most American Jews can't communicate in their people's language, Hebrew, be it verbal communication or reading, writing and comprehending. Most American Jews have little appreciation and knowledge of 4,000 years of Jewish history with all that lacking it involves. Indeed, most American Jews have not read through the Hebrew Bible, the TaNakh, let alone discussing it and other Jewish texts in depth. One does not need to be an Orthodox Jew to appreciate the above. One simply need to be committed to being part of the Jewish people. But that commitment I am afraid is also lacking among many if not most Halakhically Jewish Americans. Thus, the community and educational leadership must focus on Jewish education so that one of the outcome will be the love of one's people and its national home: Israel.

Expectations and aspirations have not been met. The two sources for what the Jewish State should have been are: the Bible and the visions of the founding fathers of zionism, Herzl, Ahad Ha'am, Buber, Magnes. The spiritual forces of the movement. None of it has been achieved. There has been more than 40 yrs of occupation. Peace with both neighbours yet a drumming drone of victimhood over Lebanon and iran. Peace has never been attempted with Lebanon and Ahmadinejad is not Hitler and the attempt to make him so, as some kind of existential threat is nonsense. Leadership has been rife with corruption and bribery. Israel leads in sex trafficing, ecstacy trade. It has financially abused Holocaust survivors, and mistreats its foreign worker population.It has supported and propped up some of the most despotic regimes in the world. Its religious establishment is irrelvant and venal, giving as much spiritual guidance to the nation as a stone. This is just for starters. it simply is not a light to

Of course the stiff necked attitudes continue, in fact, they have gotten worse. What a pity!!! High regards.

on the warmongers who are running "their land". Big difference. Victimhood is not en vogue, esp when one is clearly the aggressor. Tea?

Jews live only on 15% of Palestine. 85% is occupied by the Arab contiguous states or Arab (Judenfrei) enclaves.

history. God is not a real estate agent and land is not being returned based on claims from thousands of years ago, esp when those making the claim have dubious validity to the same. Nevertheless, God knows who "his" people are. He will decide who inhabits that land and according to the holy books of the major religions, it will be the "seed" of Abraham. God doesn't need man's "DNA testing" to sort it out. Tea?

The Repubs are in the wilderness in the US and will remain in the wilderness as long as you have the Wilsons, Palins, Gingrichs, Limbaughs, Hannitys, Becks and this new group of Repubs who are going around the world telling China not to trust the US and support a gov't in Honduras the US doesn't support. Throw in the cheering when the US didn't get the Olympic games and a rational US citizen doesn't bond with Repubs, nope, and in Boston where I have relatives, you are still in a gross minority. In fact, your governor is black, a friend of Obama. The Repubs, like you, always want war, but their kids don't go. Even Dubya saw the light and refused to bomb Iran. There will not be any more wars at Israel's behest, and BTW, those "Christian" supporters cheer Israel vis a vis Armageddon, at which point all those Jews who don't accept Jesus will be killed. God is in control, not you, and according to all histories of the region, he has emptied out his holy place on several occasions!

The first amendment of the US constitution reads: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." This is one of the most important tenets of American democracy: the separation of church and state. Israel, being a Jewish state, can never achieve this gold standard. Israel is fundamentally opposed to American values and therefore cannot earn my support. I am Jewish, a student at Brandeis University, and a former resident of Israel; yet I cannot describe myself as Zionist.

"We all naturally go into our respective tribes and the real problem is that Racism transcends intelligence." Only for the slow-witted un-intelligentia of the species

If Israel would not have defeated the soviet sponsored onslaught of the arab armies in 1967 and again in 1973,the Mediterranean would be till nowadays a russian pond,oil would not flow through the Suez and Americans would be riding donkeys and mules...The Oslo accords were a left wing appeasers peace dream...Give land to the arabs and they will make peace...eh,eh,eh...they made "piss"...And the "aiapac" affair was a big nothing,concocted by arab lovers and antisemites in D.C.,that destroyed the live of a good christian man...As for GW Buch,do believe me brother,you will long for the times when he was the Pres...and you could eat 3 meals a day...

Funny to see all the jew haters wetting their pants to rant against support of Israel.T he bottom line is,among jews who actually practice judaism (the way G-D INTENDED,NOT THE AMERICAN WAY)support is growing.I guess noone on this site saw 50,000 at birkat kohanim yesterday!!!

Ahmadinejad, Hanieh, and the rest of the muslim world, a world with the records of direspect of human rights, you are a simpleton bigot, Israel is forever besides is the only DEMOCRACY on ME. Shalom,Paz

Ahmadinejad, Hanieh, and the rest of the muslim world, a world with the records of direspect of human rights, you are a simpleton bigot, Israel is forever. Shalom,Paz

But don't get vexed when you hear that predictable,"Those greedy Jews", "Jew Boy", "They killed Christ", "Yids", "Kikes" and as Jesse Jackson called us, "Heimies" inevitibility. You'll either agree, which is what the cowards do or you will say,well I'm a Jew, in which case I guarantee your relationship with that person will never be the same. people wonder why we would separate outselves from the mainstream. Same reason as most ethnic groups including White Anglo Saxon, Asian or African. We all naturally go into our respective tribes and the real problem is that Racism transcends intelligence.

The only who called the firt term philistine was the romans, when they calling JEWS only. Now the false propaganda is widespreading, but the truth stands always by the lie, cheers.

I think the reason they are abandoning Israel has nothing to do with driving their fathers BMW's as you put it, but rather the fact that they are concerned about the religious extremism and murdering that is going on at the moment. I support Israel in principle but I don't support the right wing government. I think people are fed up with Israels hypocracy and the fact that the actions of Israel are against peaceful Jewish principles. It is not the fault of the progressive thinker, but more of the backwards nature of extreme religious views.

Should Jews be loyal to Israel? My suggestion is, yes. But please change the racism, brutality, occupation... Then decent Jews don't have to defend the indefensible. I wouldn't support anything that denies Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Herzl would be ashamed. Salaam/Shalom

why is it that Hamas tells its Pal TV Mickey mouse rabbit and duck to "hate Jews" why is it that muslem clerics echo the same setiment, and I might add tell all their people to Kill Jews everywhere. I do not support any of this why would you?

You mention the devout "support" of Israel of US evangelicals should play a larger role. Hardly, since this so-called support does not spring from love of Jews and Israel, but only from about 1700 years of christian dogma. After all, if their beliefs were to come true, it would be the end of Israel as a Jewish state.

Silvienne applauds anyone who insists that this is all the fault of Israel. Did you ever think that if the Gazan People say they would stop hostilities that there might be no more aggravation?

of Israel which means that Israel can not any sort of alternative culture or style of life, or unique appeal to one's Jewish sensibilities. The bottom line is that people prefer the original, rather than the aspiring imitation, and that applies to the Israeli Jews as well.

"It is increasingly more difficult to see the values of Israel through such a thick layer of negative phenomena. Just work for leaving the West Bank." The values of Israel are clearly seen in what Israelis do (not in what they say). But the morals of the Israeli government can hardly be compared to those of Judaism. Government is government, religion is religion; and never the twain shall meet. Not in Israel anyway. As for Israel leaving the West Bank, I can only say: good advice!

family haver a double citizenship, a double loyalty. Last week an american jewish soldier from the Reserves was killed in action in Afghanistan. He served his country and if you look at the cemetries in Normandy you see hunderts of Davidstar of loyal Americans. Even today, when more than 4.000 US soldiers were killed in action just in Iraq, your place as a volunteer ,is in the forces of your country. Hunting Pals in the hills of the WB is more comfortable as in Helmland. Good for you. But then resist to give other people a lesson.

Where do you think most of the contributions to Israeli charities come from? Don't confuse the majority of American Jews with the self-hating variety. And there are many Jews in Canada and here in the UK who are doing their part to keep the Magen David flying high.

to paraphrase: you are an american jew who leans left at home but will always support Israel even if that means "compromising [your] own rational and moral judgement". You do yourself or Israel no favors by being so weak. That's why the wingnut vision of Israel is coming to fruition and not your own.

"...only a few people were able to speak it [Hebrew] fluently" I take it none of your friends are Jews??? OK. For a beginning learner, Hebrew is no more difficult than any other language. In many ways it is easieer than some. And Hebrew characters are no more difficult than Greek or Latin characters. If you really want to take a swing at a challenging language, try Arabic. LOOL! (That's a joke, son). P.S. Hebrew has been around a lot longer than English. And not a generation goes by but that millions of poeple speak it quite fluently.

Arabs put a peace proposal on the table in March of 2002. Twent-two countries signed it including Iran. This is a good starting point for talks.. Let's get it on...

They realized that Rabbis write secret books to survive the centuries to deceive the whole human race and their own (secular) people.

Not at all rosy expectations. The expectations were set out in two main sources: the Bible and the Zionist founders from Herzl, to Ahad Ha'am, to Buber, to Judah Magnes. One cannot argue for the "state under seige mentality" today as they could up until 1973. Israel is at peace with its two largest Arab neighbours, has a commitment from the Muslim world for recognition and full diplomatic and commercial relations, and an agreement for long term truce from Hamas. The threat from Iranian leader is not really existential but has been created to be such by those who need to create diversions. Young Jews did not envision a land that would be an occupier for more than 40 yrs, a leader in world sex trafficing and human rights violations. They did not envision a state that would treat its foreign worker population as it does, would have leaders brought up on corruption and bribery charges. They did not envision a society that would lend military and financial support to despotic regimes.

The reason is that the choices are not being made clear to people. Do we really want another women hating kleptocracy in the middle east? Lets face facts, there is not a single Arab country where women are not treated as slaves and where the wealth of the countries are not stolen by the powerful. Why would we want another? The fact is, Israel stands firmly in the 21st century against people who would drag us back into the middle ages. That fight is tough and its a shame that our people need to fight it after all we have been through but I for one view Israel as the front line defense of the west against the forces of brutality and evil.

On many levels, not just the Hebrew/English divide...

"a growing number are parting ways with a nation that has turned its back on basic Jewish values of human dignity and justice." Add to that: Americans are sick of their own nation immorally wreaking havoc in Asia. Why should American Jews feel any different about Israel immorally wreaking havoc in Palestine? Contrary to Israeli opinion, in America the terms Jew, Israeli, and Zionist do not mean the same thing. Each is a separate, distinct, and unique catagory.

There is limit to any Israeli Government's HOT air..and CRY WOLF... The American Jew lives in the MOST OPEN minded Country in the World...and they are FAIR... They are Smart..and the majority will call it as they see it...They are not easy to PULL around on a LEASH and mislead them.. They see that facts for what it is..and will abandon Israel of its UNREASONABLE behavior.. Not right way...But will eventually... The Christian Right will always support Israel and for the wrong reason...They want to save the JEWS....with their OWN ARMAGEDDON.. Israel has to choose Peace..NO OTHER CHOICE..

There are three reasons that some American Jews are less supportive of Israel: 1. Bad choices - Gaza unilateral withdrawal with noone to fill the void and two misguided wars with Hezbollah and Hamas. 2. Bad leadership - When Israeli politicians spend more time with their lawyers than in office, that is a problem. No more rapists and corrupters 3. Get serious and stop playing games - the settlements issue is a PR nightmare and against international law. Israelis need to get out of the settlements. Natural growth is a joke. The bottom line is that Israel is now more of a Middle Eastern country than a Western one. Israelis are like Arabs. They only see themselves as victims and have lost all objectivity and especially the moral high ground.

It is a cobination of the new"left turn"by the Americans,and the Jews are part of the American society,it is Obama time. The second reason is old.Many Jews even changed their names to avoide"problems". Changing names is responible for the immense camouflage that has concealed the true chracter of Russian Leon bronstein=Leo Trotsky.The Madansky brothers=Max brothers.Elmo Lincoln=Otto Linknhelt.Robert Zimerman=Bob Dylan Issac becomes Sach,Saxe,Sace,Seckel. Jacob becomes,Jackson,Jacobi,Jacobus,Jacof. Judah becomes,Jewell,Leo,Leon,Lionel,Lyon,Leoni. Levi becomes,Leopold,Levine,Lewis,Loewe,Lowy. Moses becomeMoritz,Moss,Mortimer,Max,Mack,Moskin and so on with Levy,and Asher,Baruch, Benjamin, David Jonah,and Solomon.

The governmental takeover by Israels radical religous "right" (as manifested by the make up of the ruling coalition) creates policies that tend to drive many supporters into defensive postures. This may appear to be abandonment but shame and disgust may be better descriptions. When the Israeli populace understands the existential threat this fundamentalist swing is creating, they may demand a more moderate and temporal realignment of the political parties. At that point, the love and support previously taken for granted will be lavishly returned upon your beloved people.

It's just a hypothesis based on my observation and experience but I would wager that the love for Israel comes more through the Jewish Mother than through the Jewish Father. So if one marries out to say a Christian or Muslim mother, the kids would be much less likely to be supportive of Israel. Less likely to consider it a homeland. Kids are also heavily influenced by Populist Trends. If the trend dictates an image that conflicts with that of Israel as portrayed in the news and media, then kids would be less likely to identify with Israel. If you're really concerned with the survival of Israel and you're a leader, you need to pay attention to the issues that matter the most at the particular time. Be careful that the image of Israel nor the World View of the World's Jewry do not morph into positions that are totally incompatible with each other. Also if there are particular trends which are useful such as the rediscovery of Jewish Roots among Latinos, don't hesitate to embrace them.

Could it just be that Israel has lost some of the idealism it once represented? Materialism, greed, extremism are unattractive. And let's face it, retroactively revoking hundreds of the Chief Rabbi's own conversions,also rejecting most American conversions, including Modern orthodox, isn't going to endear Israel to most Americans. Israelis living abroad often appear alien to local Jews and seem to take part in anti-Israel activities. It's a complex problem.

American Jews support Israel but have to put the good of the US first. Foreign Jews putting Israel ahead of their own country has cause hate and resentment in the past, this leads to anti semtic feeling with fellow countrymen. Jews living in Israel put Israel first but Jews living in other countries have to walk a fine line between loyalty and treason.

...and has allowed the IDF to kill all goyim whenever the slightest possible reason may occur. Killing innocent children, murdering innocent women..., stealing land, ethnical cleansing, all because right-wing extremists IDF Rabbi's have preached that all Arabs are wild beasts and have to get killed. And guess what? That kind of extremist behaviour is commonly accepted by the majority of Israelis. And that's exactly why American Jews are, among other things, abandoning Israel. Israelis should ask themselves: Who wants to support a Terror State, where its so called 'defense forces' act like lawless monsters following orders from Rabbi extremists instead of being compliant to Israeli laws?

You say you encourage Israel to 'force' the Arabs to make peace. Thats exactly whats wrong with you right-wingers is that you dont understand that peace cannot be forced down someone's throat. Look at history there was never any peace settlement where one side had a gun to their head & they happily said we are at peace with you. THAT DEFEATS THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF A PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT. You cannot have peace based on who has more power & can control the other nation by an occupation, & by making them 'offers on the table'. Also, you say "Israel settled for less than 20% of the land", what planet are living on? The Palestinians were removed from their homes in 1948 & now Israel controls Israel proper & the WB (& has Gaza imprisoned) Everything that you said in your post is in the language of force: "be firm, tell them, force them". that attitude never brings peace. Your post defines hypocracy because you dont apply the same standards to others as you do to yourself. Ironically fascist

either by withdrawing unilaterally from West Bank, or after negotiations. Moves like the refusal to freeze settlements even for less than 1 year leave a very bad taste of what today's Israel wants. Otherwise you are on and on associated with military power, beatings, far-right settlers, land theft, making jokes of one's own law, unjust practices to Gaza population and so on, and so on. It is increasingly more difficult to see the values of Israel through such a thick layer of negative phenomena. Just work for leaving the West Bank.

They are getting wise to the MAFIA STYLE run state of Israel...

American Jews increasingly see Israel as it is seen by people generally. Israel is more and more seen as an apartied state, unwilling to sacrifice land for peace, and led by people of questionable morality. What is one to think of an Israel led by the likes of a Lieberman, an Olmert, and other criminal types. What is one to think of an Israel that has so openly insulted Ethiopean immigrants...people Israel brought to the country. The old view of Israel no longer accords with reality.

And US atrocities in Iraq or Afghanistan have nothing to do with Israeli atrocities in Gaza or Westbank, or even inside Israel.

And it's a stolen homeland.

The American shoun't worry because the Jews abandone Israel. there worries should be that the American Muslims didn't abandone their brothers. They still support the terror,and from one of them the next terror act on American soil would come.Like in the UK,Denmark,Spain.........

"Because they are good people". Does it mean supporting the US wars and killing of civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq. If they were"good people" they would abandone the US foreign policy. "Good people"like you are fighting terror in one place,and supporting it in another place. We don't want to be"good people"like you.

It will be bad for the next 3-7 years while obama is in office. As long as he leads the hate club against Israel, liberal Jews will be on Israels back. Obama can keep the "change".

American Jew lean left and they do not view anymore Israel as holding expected high moral standards. They voted overwhelmingly for Obama and they cannot stand a government in Israel with ideas similar to Bush. I suspect that they are also tired from fighting and would love to enjoy life and live in peace. Let peace be done when Israel is still the strongest country in the Middle East.

Israel is predicated on ripping off the Palestinians to make way for Jewish dominance. Zionists see this as something good and the more people they rope into supporting them the better. If dominating and screwing others were Jewish values we American Jews would be loving Israel and crying out for more. But they're not. They're Zionist values. That is the difference. So for me, Israel is on its own until it exorcises this ideology from its midst. I will not worship this Golden Calf.

and live the American dream. In fact Israeli life offers advantages in major expenses such as education and medical costs.A large part of the budget in a medium size family.

News and Internet affect all countries. For example, the torture and sexual abuse of Iraqi prisoners by British soldiers at Camp Bread Basket in Basra and the dissemination of the photos. Or the widely disseminated and accurate Internet reports of Iraqi civilian Baha Mousa beaten to death by British soldiers. No, Chris, it has been impossible since the advent of television to view ANY country involved in military action through rose-colored glasses, so if we want to understand distinctive problems that would affect Israel we will have to look elsewhere.

Abandon Israel? Israel has abandoned us- Settler criminals and goons, blatant discrimination and against Arab citizens, violent crime, rampant corruption, incompetent leadership, and oh yes, war crimes.

American Jews abandoned themselves, their culture and heritage. Israel is part of that abandonment

Not true not true not true. Non OJ are abandoning Israel because it is being taken over by extremists who commit shameful acts in the name of religion. They might follow the torah, but they are not Jews, as they break the some of the most important commandments - like thou shalt not murder for example. I am not religious but I don't break fundamental commandments - does that make me a bad Jew who abandons Israel and my religion?

You are confusing support for current Israeli policy with support for the State of Israel.In America the same argument about loyalty takes place whenever citizens object to government was policy. The 30+ years of expanding settlements have disturubed many American Jews along with many Israelis. Many of us agree with the Israeli left that true security will only come with a comprehensive peace. Obviously that's a minority view at present, but it hardly equates to abandonment.

One effect of the holocaust experience upon the older generation of US Jews was to strengthen the sense of tribal loyalty ("if not for ourselves then who will be for us?" mentality). However, younger Jews are growing up in an America that is increasingly cosmopolitan in its everyday practices and outlook. The election of a black president was not an issue for them and many of their generation. They generally have little interest in remaining within a virtual 'ghetto' of Jewish neighbours and friends, instead seeking out diversity. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that for many political Zionism is not an appealing ideology. The increasingly explicit evidence of massive violations of human rights by the Israeli authorities is not adequately justified, in their eyes, by reference to 'self-defence of the Jewish state'. These acts are just plain wrong and those responsible are reprehensible, regardless of their religious / tribal affiliation.

It's not the Jews that are abandoning Israel. It's the protraction of time without resolution. It's the extremist factions of both Palestinian and Israelis that are snatching the Utopian dream. Today it's the Hasidic's on the Temple Mount, last week it was Qassam brigade fanatics.... tomorrow only more of the same. This problem is so infused with religious mantra.... on both sides. That it seems like a cycle with no solution.... no end.

as one who still loves israel and is heartbroken about the radical right wing move over the years....Just like the reaction to the Goldstone report....Israelis don't see what they are doing to the Palestineans!

who will come for them when they are in trouble.. today they may not agree with israels policies but g-d forbid one day an america that holds freedoms light for jews over the past 100 years may extinguish that flame for the flames of pogrom.. Remember Germany's and Europes Jews once felt safe only to be turned upon and slaughtered by the millions.. whats to say america one day wont turn this way and then were will these american jews turn to?? Israel perhaps.. ???

US Jews are brought up in a carefully secular and multi-ethnic society, which Jews played a crucial part in building. Then they look at Israel's Jewish, increasingly religious ethnocracy that treast Israeli Arabs as second-class citizens and acts in the West Bank like a 19th century colonial power, treating the natives as inferior, pushing them out and occupying their land. When they look at that, US Jews either have to give up their entire set of moral values or say 'not in my name.' The support of US Jews for ISrael would rocket overnight if Israel had a leader who looked remotely interested in peace and justice for Arabs and Palestinian. Instead there's Netanyahu, Lieberman, Ariel Atias, Barak and the rest of the unattractive crew.

American liberal Jews are simply more and more disturbed by Israeli actions. Believe me the vast majority of American Jews are not about to become "die hard Republicans" or orthodox, and its nonsense to call us self hating Jews, or apologists for Arab terrorists. Most of us care deeply about israel, but the increasing influence of the right wing, the settlers and the ultra orthodox and their leave most of us in shock. Israel is steadily losing American support. Wake up over there before you find yourselves completely alone.

If Israel was just that Israel, most people would have very little problems with it. However the enlarged Israel including the WB and Gaza is an apartheid state with different legal systems for Jews and non-Jews. No moral person, Jew or Gentile, is attracted to this idea. Also the brutality of Israeli society (Gaza Christmas 2008)is offputting to a caring person.

This is not true. If your anti-Israeli your anti semitic in my book

American jews don't speak hebrew, so there's that. and there's the occupation and all of the injustices done to the palestinians. and the fact that israel constantly invades and bombs its neighbors. and we give israel so much foreign aid. no wonder americans--jewish or not--might feel resentful of a country that requires so much money from us. the occupation is amoral, unethical and too damned expensive. cut it out. the american jews will come back.

Israel has a lot of support in the world but the radical anti-semitic crazies are the loudest and get the most media attention. Don't believe the radical Arab Muslim world media!

As a Jewish-American who is not Orthodox, is secular, and a registered Democrat, I love Israel. During the past few years of college (I just graduated), I worked hard to advocate for Israel and work hard to promote a strong U.S.-Israel relationship. There some hate filled comments on this page but they are irrelavent. The U.S. and Israel are connected at the hip and no one, not even anti-semites or so-called "liberals" can stop it.

Why wouldn't they? Just read firebird #9

As a young American Jew I have my own thesis. First off, let's make this clear, there are many of us who love Israel and support it. I know a voluminous amount who are making aliyah, including myself (January 2010), want to join the IDF, and live in Israel afterward. The problem is that many of us grow up in Jewish-majority communities where being Jewish is the norm, hence, unpopular. The American image of "cool" is what is important to the youth (my sister included). For a while I was one of those individuals, but once you leave that safe haven, travel a bit, travel even within the United States, you hear and see things that we only learned about in our Shoah-history class. There is no reality check anymore, no understanding that outside these bubbles we are not well liked. For these reasons, there is no comprehension of what Israel truly means: a chance to be a Jew religiously and culturally, the opportunity to live without fear of persecution, stereotyping, or prejudice.

The reasons for this loss of fervor are because it is now clear what Israel has become: a brutal military power. This was reinforced by two bloody conflicts within 3 years of each other: Lebanon and Gaza. Any rational person could see that there was absolutely no justification for the use of such brutal weaponry against pretty much defenseless people. Especially in the case of Gaza. And now the Israelis are kicking and screaming because the US is telling them to stop building on stolen land. Nobody has ANY sympathy for Israel on the settlements issue. Unless you're a fundamentalist, you do not recognize land deeds from the bible. These issues are a little more than Israel's "warts", as the author put it. Israel has many good qualities for sure. If they stop these criminal policies and give the Palestinians their basic human rights, then the world will look VERY differently on it. That sort of thinking worked out pretty well for South Africa.

Jews are abandoning Israel because they have abandoned freedom of religious observance and the promise of the law of return. As long as you allow the Cheredi and Chief Rabbinate to strip us of our right to marry, our right to aliyah, and our right to be called Jews with their continual campaign to de-legitimize all other sects of Judaism - with the tacit approval of the Israeli Government - then Western Jews will continue to turn away. I am not opposed to Israel being a Jewish state. I'm not even opposed to requiring all who wish to remain in the State of Israel to sign oaths of loyalty or affirming it's "right to exist," no matter what their race/faith. And I am absolutely opposed to giving any more of the original mandate to the Arabs, muslim or not. But I refuse to pretend it's the middle ages, to reject secular education, science, hygiene, etc. and embrace misogyny, racism and sloth or live under those who do. So I get nothing from Israel, therefore she gets nothing from me.

Israel sees American-Jews as only political cash cows.Israel does not recognize Reform Rabbis.We in the non-ortho.steams of Judaism feel,and know that our Modern Judaism meets the needs of our Jewish comunity.We are alinated from a fanatic ortho.,16th century mentality.In other words,Israelis beg for our money on the one hand.And on the other hand, they spit on US Jews.

i agree with David. If one's connection to Judaism s via a belief system based on ethics, laws,and kindness to the stranger,then Israel is contradicitng that connection. It is not enough to say that Israel is in tough-of course it is.But does this explain its appeasement of the settlers,its crooked politicians,and arrogant apoologists. Also-it is misguided to arrogantly discount these views, even if they come from those outside of Israel. The US and Canada support Israel because of political expediency. That is dependent on a supportive US base.If that is lost,Israel may be as well

the reason why most american jews no longer support israel is because they are no longer jewish. the previous generation of non-religious jews at least had some ethnic jewish identity. of course, that is a transient phenomenon and the current generation of non-religious jews don't even have an ethnic jewish identity. their only identity is with the left wing of the demogcratic party - so no wonder they don't like israel. the same process also has happened in israel itself - the non-religious have lost their identity and end up joining the arabs against us, or simply avoidng the draft. only the religious actually have identity because all jewish identity ultimately comes from judaism.

It's not just the young. I am old, and have been a zionist for 50 years. I've lived in Israel, and follow events closely. The unavoidable truth of seeing how Israel drags its feet on making a peace deal is the overwhelming sadness. How often can the words and the deeds be at such odds with each other? How much can the state give in to the extortion of the settlers and the Haredim, as the financially starved state goes down the drain? Education, health, poverty... all are ignored while Haredi schools don't teach a curriculum that will produce a person who can support him/herself. Who will be the soldiers in 15 years? It need not have been this way. But I can't see a future for the state. It will be a paranoid misfit among the nations. Ignorance and superstition . When you are in Israel, it is all too easy to put your head in the sand, live life, and wonder why there is so much anti-semitism. In the Diaspora, it is not so hard to take a look. With distance, things are clear

True the older generation of American Jews supported Israel come what may. Just look at the case of Morris Talansky slipping envelopes of cash to Ehud Olmert,just for the sake of feeling he was a somebody,by brushing shoulders with Olmert. The majority of American Jews are liberal. For many of them the Israeli territorial grab (albeit in an incremental way)in the West Bank when territorial compromise is seen by many as the key to a solution,pushes them away.After 40 years they figure we should have been more generous. Personally I have very harsh words to say about the Pals however I figure no talkback service would ever publish them. I guess I identify with Prof. Benny Morris who maintains (if I read him correctly) is that a Palestinian state is the only solution, however taking into account their conduct and attitude such a solution is bound to blow up in our faces. Perhaps when the Pals change-like say in 20/50/100 years time. Conclusion we will probably see the "waning" continue.

Prof. Sarna, maybe you need to calm down. It is true that young American Jews may not have the unabashed, unrestrained Zionist fervor of man like you, raised by a Jewish studies professor in the 1960s. They may not go to Zionist summer camps in the Adirondacks, etc. etc. But they still have feeling for Israel. However, it is not uncritical. They see Israel realistically. Additionally, when the Jewish state questions whether some of them are really Jewish or when they see their parents' donations to Israel going to support settlements on the West Bank or haredi families without jobs, they naturally become disenchanted. But they aren't questioning Israel's right to exist, nor will they. So, take a a deep breath.

Mr. Sarna, I can honestly assure you that there are untold numbers of American Jews who are squarely in Israel's corner. Israel is our homeland regardless of our nationality. If Israel is threatened, we will be there. My son and daughter were thinking about going to college when they're out of high school in a couple of years. They both changed their minds. They are both enlisting in the IDF instead. My husband and I pray for their safety and support their decision. Yes, Israel has much more support from Jews abroad than you think. Hang in there. Help is definitely on the way.

What do these little whinners think they are dealing with? Some high school love affair? One can dissent from the govt but to lose intrest in the well being of israel is a sign of the infantile expectations of gratification that western youth have become accustomed to.

There are many reasons for American Jews' views of Israel. Israel is no longer the social experiment Americans fell in love with. Israeli policies of monetary support of haredi at other Israelis expense dissuades liberal American Jews' support. Excluding religious from IDF and having two-tiered education discourages egalitarian Jews. Rejecting political criticism and world political organizations is seen as self-destructive. Last, intransigence on the world stage(including 'peace talks') estranges Israelis from American Jews. There are more reasons, I'm sure...what's to wonder?

The fundamental reason is that the majority of American Jews are ignoramuses. And this is true even though they almost all graduate from prestigious colleges and universities. They get their degrees, then get a high-paying job, and then forget everything except how to keep making the big coin.

Why? because American Jews are smart enough to understand that Israel has nothing whatsoever to do with Judaism. Israel is a political construct of a racist, apartheid ideology called Zionism. American Jews see through the lies and crimes that try and convince them that Judaism and Zionism are somehow coincident. American Jews who reject Zionism and leave have a conscience and morality. Those who stay don't.

Why are Israelis abandoning Jewish Values? Would be a better question. For Decades Israel fought defense wars against regimes that wished and actively and openly wished for Israels destruction. Since the 1980s Israel has taken a doctrine of pre-emption, and attacked countries when it feels threatened. Furthermore there is no will left in Israel to actually push forward the peace progress. Instead of being the morally just thing to do (See jewish values), stoppling settlements has become a political pawn to extract concessions from the Palestinians/Americans. After being played so many times...

Maybe they are sick of being associated with warmongering mass murderers?

and more importantly the Internet means the view of Israel through rose coloured spectacles is no longer possible. Sure people have their problems in the United States, but they are infinetismally smaller than if they ever moved to israel. That dream is over and with the end of that dream American Jews are placing their roots firmly in the States, and that includes marrying out and turning to Judaism lite as they adapt to their new reality. That they were born, will make a life and raise a family before dying in the United States of America.

Israel doesn't know who its friends are. In many ways they remind of the Black community in the U.S., who are so blind with fear and suspicion that they have insulated themselves even against those who would befriend them. Nowhere is this more evident than with the evangelical community in the U.S., a group that would devoutly support Israel if given the least bit of encouragement. Instead, the Jewish polticos in the U.S. almost universally choose the liberal party, despite its voting record and history of betrayal. It makes no sense.

You will be glad to know that at least pro-Israel support is big in the Sephardic community (Persians, Syrians, Moroccans, etc.). Maybe this is because our families come from the Middle East and therefore understand that if Israel wasn't strong and willing to use all its strength, it would not last a single day with the neighbors it has. It also may be because we know first hand how upsetting it is to the Arabs and Muslims that we are no longer "dhimmis". Israel: don't worry about our Ashkenazi American brothers and sisters who are so obsessed with being liked and accepted that they are turning their backs on Israel. When push comes to shove they will back you. They know the importance of a strong Jewish state.

Because intelligent Jews outside of Israel are revolted by the power and fanaticism of the Ultras. Most are parasites who do not upport the state but are only too happy to receive welfare paid for by normal Israelis

The photo of a fried baby with ripped off lower limbs off its extremities, a video of a bulldozer rolling TWICE over a young girl's body, bullet holes in the back of schoolchildren's heads, uprooted ancient olive trees, the army shooting at Palestinian farmers at work, and much more - are the pictures of modern day Israel. Reign in the violent fanatics, pay reparations, include all Palestinians and Israel will have a future.

Stephen. Well put. I hope people who care about Israel heed your warning. It is certainly not the progressive, democratic and enlightened Jewish state my grandparents, parents and I worked for all our lives. But it seems, sadly, that most of my fellow Israelis have their heads in the sand.

because it needs courage to fight for something as noble as your homeland. because they never experienced anti semitism because they prefer their well established life ,than to fight for our dream. next year in jerusalem.

American Jews tend to be Americans first and formost and Jewish as a distant second. One must also consider how America is a capitalist society where it's "every man for himself." That being said, it should come as no surprise that American Jews are losing interest in Israel. Am Yisrael chai!

I don't think it's fair to claim that American Jews simply had optimistic rose-colored view of Israel -- the massive political push, backed by millions of ideological dollars, is why so many young American Jews have broken from Israel. A totally unrealistic vision, one fed by a drunkeness on blindly backed US power, as opposed to a realistic and humane vision based in reality, has disillusioned Americans. It's the prevailing Zionist vision that has alienated the younger generation and now blind Zionism is one of the biggest dangers to the idea of Israel, a safe home for Jews under persecution,

For centuries, Hebrew was a language, that was reserved to religious matters and only a few people were able to speak it fluently Nowadays it should be easier to learn but it is said that it's still difficult (no vowels, characters that are difficult to read - at least in comparison to Latin characters) Perhaps it would attract some learners, if Haaretz would publish some Hebrew texts with vowels and with Latin interlinear transliteration on its English website.

In answer to David and all of your likes: just remember what happened in South Africa... no more apartheid, the land went back to its owners. In the case of Israel, remember it used to be called Palestine in all history books... and before you ever dreamed of being there (first as you say) there was a people called ... the Philistines (remember who was Goliath? a Philistine, ancestor of the Palestinians. If people have been arabised, this does not mean that they did not exist before. Just remember South Africa...!

As the article said "support for Israel generally increases with age and experience." Some of the childish comments in response to this article support that contention.

Um, David? It's great that they let mental patients outside to walk the grounds, get some fresh air to offset the effects of the lithium and thorazine, but giving them access to the internet is just inviting trouble. Exhibit A: YOUR COMMENTS.

My parents generation came of age in the U.S. in the 1930's when anti-semitism was a serious and deadly force and when Jews were often on the defensive in the U.S. WWII and the birth of Israel were a cathartic transfermation for them. Jews showed they had no need to be defensive, apologetic and insecure. They could be tough as well as smart. They owed this to a state that was utopian socialist and which they could admire for its ideals as well as its power. Later generations in the U.S. had the luxury of assuming that Jews did not have to be defensive. Accomplished Jews after WWII did not have to hide Jewish roots as in Europe. Their "manhood" had been so redeemed by Israel that they forgot it was ever in question. Isreal, in turn, went from giants like Ben Gurion to midgets like Olmert and off the wall religious parties. American Jews' increasing security and Israel's diminishing idealism softened the connection. It's strength, though, is still enormously strong.

I'll defend Israel to its death. My fellow American Jews should be ashamed of the way they've turned their back on their land.

Another relevant point the author fails to address is that the American Jewish community has funneled billions of dollars every year to Israel, while neglecting the needs of its own infrastructure. Consequently Jewish organizations, especially schools, are underfunded and the level of education and experience they can offer to American Jewish youth has declined precipitously.

Why is it that every Jew who is critical of Israelis automatically classified as a "self hating Jew"? Are all people who are critical of their countries "self hating"? In all seriousness, please enlighten me. I love Israel, have been living here for over 20 years, but I cannot give blind support to every policy decision that is acted upon. There is room for improvement. Constructive criticism does not self loathing make!

Jews around the world lost faith in the Israeli government because it has consistently failed to honestly seek peace, while continuing to expand settlements in occupies lands and seizing land from Arab landowners.

After reading your post #6 I have one question for you: When did you say you going to live in Israel?

Following your policies would make Israel even more disliked than she is already, and that's certainly saying something... Israel simply isn't in the position to carry out the ideas you suggest. Not now.

Non-orthodox Jews abandoned Judaism. So, it is no surprise they abandoned Israel.

"Israelis, living as they do in a highly dangerous neighborhood, know that they can scarcely afford to lose friends." Who created this danger? Israelis.

What has to happen is for Israel to stop killing Palestinians, bulldozing their homes, taking away their basic necessities in life, and moving forward with settlements. Israel has to stop whining about it's victimhood and forcing America to fight all these imagined battles in the Middle East.

In short, because they are good people. That is why people abandon Israel.

tell the Arabs Israel has and always wanted peace but they refuse to acknowledge the fact that Jews were there first. Be forceful and remind people the Temple Mount was built for the Temple, not for Muslims who invaded more than a millenium later. Remind them Jordan Palestine has racist policies against Jews. Remind them that Israel settled for less than 20% of the land and has a vibrant Arab and other minority population. tell the arabs to make peace or there will no longer be an offer on the table to create another Arab Palestinian state and they can go to Amman as their capital and give them 1 year to finish. Separate completely from the. Finish the peace fence. You must be firm. Always hope for peace but also deal with the reality that the arabs has prevented peace for a century, not 40 years, but a century because they cant live with the truth about the land. Theirs is a one sided story based on dates that are only meaningful to what they want, not reality.

I know many diehard Republican Jews like myself who detest these liberal self-hating Jews in US. We have many Christian friends in US too. We are by far the majority and have more children so expect more support in the future. Dont listen to this liberal trash. Look at the facts. Even all the current polls show support for Israel in US is very strong and very strong amoungst American Jews. As the Orthodox population increases in the US so will the American Jewish support for the Republican party and for Israel. Most Jews liberal and conservative are strong Israel supporters, unfortunately, some of the liberal left wing are lound and self hating, but they are a small minority. Am Yisrael Chai! Your brothers and sisters in the US still support you strongly and that will never end.

Jews in the US usually lean left in almost all instances except when it comes to Israel. I myself am a moderate, but will give Israel the benefit of the doubt more then I will my own country when it comes to the use of military force. I believe the future of Israel will eventually be side by side a palestinian state or there wont be any Israel and palestinians. I feel Israeli's military success in the past can not be replicated do to their current lack of an enormous military advantage and the media. What Israel was able to accomplish for decades would be very tough to push through in todays 24 news cycle, hence the problems in Lebanon. I know a majority of Israeli's feel differently then American Jews, but i liken it to a drug addict. Its very hard to stop using drugs when you are an addict, as Israel has become to a military deterence. That being said, i will never throw israel or israeli's under the bus even if it means compromising my own rational and moral judgement.

They don't want to be Jews anymore, don't even want to have Jewish children and consider it cool. No wonder, they don't like Israel either.

Having been around Jews from "little baseball" time and all through my 60 years, I have always been pro-Israel & pro-Jew. But 42 years after the Six-Day War and 16 years after Oslo, activities have been become very crazy. And I am educated and as a businessman, who has work overseas and in the middle east--so my perspective is more atuned than the average American. Israel has travelled in reverse. And my former President Bush, allowed the reverse direction to be accelerated. In Wash D.C. the AIPAC with their "closeness" to a spying scandle, was the last straw for many. I've enjoyed my travels to Israel in the past; but something BIG needs to happen to stop this slide..

to Christianity, besides Israeli yordim and maybe their children nobody is fluent in hebrew.etc etc.

First of all, not all American Jews have abandoned Israel. Most seem to have an "Israel right or wrong" mentality. But a growing number are parting ways with a nation that has turned its back on basic Jewish values of human dignity and justice.