Young U.S. Jews aim 'occupy' movement at Birthright Israel
Members of youth section of Jewish Voice for Peace disrupt New York event sponsored by Birthright, say program 'free propaganda trips for predominantly middle and upper class American Jews.'
By Haaretz Tags: Jewish WorldAs the various "occupy" movements spread across the United States, headed by the massive Occupy Wall Street events, a group of young Jewish Americans is taking the notion of the "99%" against the ruling "1%" to debunk what they see as the hypocritical U.S. Jewish leadership.
In a mission statement titled "Occupy the Occupiers: A Jewish Call to Action," the Young, Jewish, and Proud (YJP), described as the youth wing of the left-leaning Jewish Voice for Peace movement, called out to young Jews to "stand up to the 1% in our own community, the powerful institutions that support Israel’s corporate-backed military control of the Palestinian people and act as the gatekeepers for our community."
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An Occupy Wall Street campaign demonstrator holds a sign in Zuccotti Park, near Wall Street in New York, October 17, 2011. |
| Photo by: Reuters |
In one event meant to demonstrate the kind of grass-roots dissent shown in other "occupy" events, YJP members disrupted a New York event sponsored by Birthright Israel Alumni Community, using the now famous "human microphone" to interrupt a speech by venture capitalist and author Steven Pease.
In response to the incident, Executive Director of the Birthright Alumni Community Rebecca Sugar told Haaretz that those who interrupted the event "numbered roughly 10 people" and were quickly escorted out of the room.
"We have chosen not to respond to blatantly false claims made by protesters, because we feel this group is not deserving of anyone's time or energy," said Sugar, staying that the Birthright Israel Alumni Community believes in "civil discourse and in a healthy exchange of ideas."
Speaking of the incident to the YJP website, one participant, Liza Behrendt, said the event was meant to protest the Birthright program – in which Jewish youths are given a tour of Israel.
"Birthright is a symptom of a larger structural problem in the Jewish institutional world in which our version of the 1%, a handful of wealthy donors including people like the Schustermans or Sheldon Adelson, is able to dictate the social and political agenda of the 99%. That's because Jewish institutions are so dependent on the 1% for funds," Behrendt said.
Behrendt criticized Birthright as "free propaganda trips for predominantly middle and upper class American Jews while urgent needs in the United States and Israel go unmet."
"At the same time, within the dominant Jewish institutions, like Hillel, critical thinking about Israel is not only discouraged but actively suppressed," she added.
Another participant, Carolyn Klaasen, quoted on the movement's website as referring to the event, said that the recent "occupy" movement made her feel that "such actions are far more in line with Jewish tradition than this event, which lifted up as a model of ‘success’ people like illegal settlement builder Lev Leviev who profit from exploitation of others."
"That is part of the problem we’re protesting in the Occupy movement," Klaasen added.
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how about us 1% Jews send you on a birthright to Gaza? Would you like that
you make life long friends both in america and Isarel. And it will change your life in the most positive way. these kids dont speak for the 99% they are the 1% of people who got turned down.......I wonder why.
Ha - of course Birthright has a hidden agenda, altho, it is not so hidden. Young Canadian Jew here and when I went I knew the the goal was...and guess what, it worked ! The people were amazing, I made lifelong friends and am a staunch supporter of Israel. Attempting to 'expose' propoganda to change the course of the eventual outcome will do nothing as nearly everyone who goes on these things knows what the goal it.
The answer to this is better security and restraining orders to keep them out of our events and synbagogues. These leftist anarchist groups, having little or no connection to our people, should be glad they were born as Jews and not Arabs, and that we don't do to our collaborators what they do to theirs. At least not yet.
My birthright experience was by no means a propaganda trip; we actively debated the dichotomy between US and Israeli Jewry, the Palestinian struggles, and global issues of inequality in financial systems and in human rights. Also, I am by no means "upper class"...this movement is dangerously close to over-reaching. I am disappointed that Jews are reacting this way to an incredible gift that has been extended to ALL Jews 18-26 that have never been to Israel.
Is it because he pays them and the JStreet ?
Birthright is amazing. Yeah so they try to show the good side of Israel. Big deal, thankfully it balances the lies and slander we hear about all the time about Israel. There is plenty to proud of here in Israel and thankfully for 10 days Jews get exposed to this. These people are a bunch of whiny losers.
And that not all Jews blindly follow Israeli Government policy
Birthright gave my kids the opportunity to visit Israel and it crated the atmosphere for them to go back for university study. I am all for it. It is one of the best programs exists.
The greatest benefit to the community will be the growing understanding those of us who do protest are doing so out of our love and support for Israel but that the days of unquestioning support whatever are over.
Then make aliya. Goodbye, good luck, and have a happy life. Salaam/Shalom
Birthright is a wonderful program that has helped tens of thousands youth connect with Israel and their Jewish roots. The problem is that the program fails to provide an honest view of the facts on the ground in the Holy Land. Through subtle and not-so-subtle means, impressionable youth meet with only the most attractive members of the World's Most Moral Army, see the sights, get loaded up with the usual Holocaust-driven fear and anger at Yad Vashem, and get a dose of Jewish idealism (heroes don't commit suicide) at Masada. What they don't get is exposure to the ugly injustices within Israeli society and an understanding of the screwed up government--one that would never pass for democracy in any civilized nation by any civilized measure. On top of that, they are primed to hate the Arabs and fed a bunch of lies labeled as "history." Fortunately, some of our youth are bright enough to see the propaganda for what it is. They enjoy the trip, take a lot of pictures, get a bit connected. Then, thankfully, they return home and agitate for change. JVP must continue its important work as the antidote to the racist poison being fed to the next Jewish generation--the only real hope for Israel. Birthright can do so much more and, as a beginning, I'd suggest coordinating with Birthright Unplugged (check it out).
Birthright is pure propaganda and even the people who go on it know that. I work with them, and every single one has told me they know it's BS and they're only in it for the free trip.
Kol hakavod Mike, for speaking the truth.
Occupy Birthright, really? Sounds like a few people got impatient with being wait-listed for Birthright. I was on a wait-list for over a year, but it was worth it in the end, Birthright was AMAZING!
And we can all assume that you have no coherent rebuttal to the very valid criticism levelled by JVP. I guess because you and your friends are planning to go on this free vacation, it *MUST* be a good thing.