Michael Oren has no right to snub J Street
Maybe Oren feels pressured by the old Jewish establishment, but his refusal to meet J Street smacks of arrogance.
By Anshel Pfeffer Tags: Jewish World Israel newsMichael Oren, Israel's ambassador to Washington, told Haaretz last month that he was "enjoying every minute" of his new job. But according to another interview with the New York Times, before all the fun started, he had to undergo one painful experience.
He told of how difficult it was for him to sign an official "oath of renunciation" of his American citizenship. He had little choice, though, as Israeli ambassadors are not allowed to hold dual citizenships.
The ceremony was so traumatic that his friends from the American Embassy in Tel Aviv supported and hugged him after it was all over. Two week's ago, Israel's most influential commentator, Yedioth Ahronoth's Nahum Barnea, took Oren to task for those words.
The ambassador should show more gratitude to his adopted country, Barnea wrote. Had he remained in the United States, at the most he would have become a professor at some university.
Israel instead granted him the privilege of its most prestigious diplomatic appointment. I'm with Oren on this one.
The normally prescient Barnea fails to realize how many of us, while confident in our Israeliness, feel toward the countries of our birth. Oren did not leave America because of a lack of opportunities, or due to anti-Semitism or disillusionment with the American dream. One can make a conscious decision to emigrate while still retaining deep emotional connections to the homeland.
I love my British passport and not just because it allows me to stand in the shorter queue at Heathrow. Her Majesty's royal coat of arms on the cover symbolizes for me allegiance to an island-nation that fought for freedom, that gave the world ideals of democracy, decency and fair play; the country that led the world in granting Jews equal rights and where my great-grandfather found sanctuary for his family.
My parent's decision 28 years ago to move us to Israel was in no way a repudiation of all these ideals. We all yearn for the day when we can say the Jewish state firmly stands for similar values, as it originally set out to do. Yes, I know that perfidious Albion hasn't always lived up to its own ideals either, but it's not just about that. Being British - or American for that matter - connects you with the widest possible horizon, with the world's only universal language and a culture that has mainly for better, and also a bit for worse, permeated the entire world.
I think that Barnea was objecting to the current trend of Israelis waiting outside the German and Polish embassies, with birth certificates of long-dead grandparents who were lucky to flee these countries with their lives.
Those seeking "rainy day" passports think this may be ticket to a berth on the last boat should the Arabs throw us into the sea.
That is the reason why I have never been able to bring myself to fill out the forms for British passports for my Israeli-born children, though everyone tells me I should. It is just too morbid, I don't want to contemplate a day when they will need to run away.
Being British is a part of who I am, not my family's life insurance policy. I am certain that Michael Oren felt the same about his American citizenship, why should his decision to spend the last three decades in Israel mean that he has to relinquish his connections to the Land of Free, one nation under God with liberty and justice for all?
Israeli arrogance and J Street
But in one sense at least, he is certainly more Israeli than American. Since his appointment, Oren has repeatedly snubbed the young and energetic "pro-peace and pro-Israel" Washington lobby, J Street, and refused to meet its members.
In two weeks, J Street will hold its first national conference and despite being invited, Oren has yet to RSVP. Since its founding 18 months ago, J Street has been the focus of much controversy.
Is it legitimate for a Jewish organization to call upon the U.S. administration to apply pressure on Israel to force it to make concessions to advance the stalled peace process? Should American Jews be second-guessing the Israeli government when they are not the ones who will suffer the consequences? Do they represent a significant stream in American Jewry or are they just a group of defeatist self-hating do-gooders?
The facts are that while the Israeli left was decimated in this year's elections, J Street's views mirror those held by a portion of Israeli politics which is still part of the "legitimate" Zionist mainstream.
And during a period when interest among young American Jews in their Jewish identity, let alone in Middle East politics, is at an all-time low, this is one group which is bucking the trend and motivating thousands to get engaged with the fundamental questions concerning Israel's future.
Many of Israel's supporters would rather J Street not exist, preferring apathy to being challenged. J Street has rocked the Jewish machers' cozy boat ride.
Whatever one thinks of J Street's policies, at least they give a damn. The old guard of the Jewish "leadership" is now trying to delegitimize the lobby, but it is not their business to tell others how they should support Israel. And it certainly isn't for the Israeli ambassador to bestow or withhold his approval from Jewish organizations.
It is quite possible that Oren is simply caving in to pressure from the old Jewish establishment, threatened by the new kids on the street, but his refusal to meet J Street smacks of good old Israeli arrogance. What do these limp-wristed shtetl Jews who have never held an M-16 know about running a country?
Both of Michael Oren's countries are committed to freedom of speech. If the Declaration of Israel's Independence hanging in his office doesn't remind him of this, he could always open the bottom drawer in his desk and give a little rub to his now invalid U.S. passport.
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What requirement is there that an Ambassador or High Commisioner of one nation to another have any liking for the nation where he is posted as such?
s it legitimate for a Jewish organization to call upon the U.S. administration to apply pressure on Israel to force it to make concessions to advance the stalled peace process? Should American Jews be second-guessing the Israeli government when they are not the ones who will suffer the consequences? Do they represent a significant stream in American Jewry or are they just a group of defeatist self-hating do-gooders?" No, they don't, most particularly because they have nary a word about the history of abuse and murder by Palestinians, Yasir Arafat and Hamas. As far as I'm concerned that invalidates anything they say about Israel.
Michael Oren should attend. He should listn to all points of view . Raquel
says steve from raleigh Good,then why all the palaver by Goldstone? We Jewish Israelis don't give two hoots about it,as Michael Oren Our Ambasador gave them the cold shoulder they deserve to get. Okay steveie old chap? Yup,let the saudis et all enjoy the pantomime. No business of Israel who gives NOT A FIG.
You?The biggest bofoon who is trying to denigrate Israel with his LIES? I will not continue because anger will replace my reply to your articles BOTH,that says a lot about you and yours. That our Ambassador refused to join the scums called JEW STREET(yes,if the shoe fit)the ones who preside within this disgustingly billioners paradize are nothing but mentally disturbed Jews who need shoulders to cry on(the fools)and recognition for our ENEMIES THE ARABS versus US ISRAELIS who LOVE and DIE for our country.While those at Jstreet enjoy the freedom to express their antiIsraeliness to gain DUBIOUS FAVOURS. But from whom?The Saudis? And rest of the ME Arabs?Oh.what a laugh,they will alway be outsiders looking in,unlike in Israel INSIDERS enjoying looking out IN FREEDOM. Now goldstone,back to the dawing board.You are acting like a politician WHICH YOU ARE NOT. A jurist?well,not a good/real professional jurist acts as you have done so far. Merely exacerbating situations,happy now?
You have both put the crux of the matter and spot on with each word you proferred here concerning the Jstreet.These lot who are following Obama's party line and have no right to interfere IN MY COUNTRIES affairs. Fine for them living in comfort from afar by deciding what my Prime Minister or His Ambassador should say/do to please the Obama's clique.I will repeat:Please read Dr.Brnd'post and take note of the words within it. I did my bit,but others express it more fluently.
of how the extreme right will isolate itself (and Israel) from everything that is not in conformity with its narrow views. In the process, it will denigrate many of its supporters. As I write this, Oren has rejected the invitation by J Street. This will be about as effective as not talking to one's opposition. No nation can survive alone, but it appears that the Jewish Homeland is going to try.
I can't see why the American Jews, living in Mahattan, Chicago, Miami or Los Angeles have to say what Israel have to give or not to the palestinians. This is an Ecxlusive Israeli business and NO ONE, jew or not jew, have nothing to say about. Jewish putting pressure on the Hussein Obama administration in order to get more concession for the Palestinians is totally unacceptable. With Jewish like them, who need the palestinians???
J street is just another in a long line of anti-zionist liberal groups, comprised essentially of Jews with real identity problems. These are the jews who, during Chanukah, root for the Hellenists and condemn the Macabees as religious zealots. Amb. Oren is correct to recognize them for what they are. Eventually, J street will end up in the trash where it belongs.
...and like Jews for Jesus, it has an agenda crafted for it by its non-Jewish founders. J-Street was created by the Democratic National Committee (check out this easily verified fact for yourself!), which provides its leadership and its funding (except that coming from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait). It was created to give Obama and the Democrat party a "Jewish" alternative to talk to instead of the ACTUAL Jewish leadership and organizations like AIPAC here in the US. The founding leadership of "Americans for Peace Now" also comes from the DNC - created for use by Billary in the 90's. Get it now? Oren has EVERY right to snub J-Street. He would serve Israel better by attending the Jews for Jesus convention - far less harmful to the Jewish state than fluffing up the image of the sociopolitical Sonderkommandos of "J-Street". This is the same kind problem we have with the anti-Israel Sulzberger family, Tom Friedman and the New York Times: don't want their cozy assimilation disturbed.
Suggesting that jstreet represents more than a small minority of Jews is ridiculous. This loud minority is more for Obama and his Muslim allies than they are for Israel. One merely needs to look at their make up, their financial supporters and their founder to know that are not pro Israel nor good for Israel. Please stop the propaganda, Jewish lives will be lost if jstreet has it's way.
J Street is not an "advocate" for Israel - they haven't done one thing that can be considered "advocacy", unless you consider parroting every policy of the Obama Administration "advocacy".
Oren won't be missed. In fact J-Street needn't bother with any Israelis at all. They'll just spoil the mood of the midnight torchlight rally
All of the "very important Hebrew Journalists" are bemoaning about the ingratitude of the Olim that made it good in their place of migration. Let them eat cake. Do they know how much Moroccan Jews have suffered in Israel, instead of had they stay at their place of Birth, their life fulfillement would have been far superior to those achieved in Israel. Just ask the Russian "prfessors" who came here for economic reasons, mostly. After a short while the even became Ministers and heads of Government Depts. Go figure, life in Israel is very unjust, just try and reason with the xext generations of Moroccan Jews whose cousins in France and Canada made to so highly priveleged academic and financial heights.
When the Palestinian J Street emerges in Gaza and Ramallah. Until that time...NOTHING. Problem is, if the longshot occurs that there is a Gaza J Street, they would be executed as collaborators. Israel, therefore, must be steadfast with strength ad not allow the misguided liberal J Street to inflict their suicidal views on Israel. They simply DON'T GET IT. Oren is totally correct, they should be given zero ligitimacy.
Mr. Elbinger, you have the right to stand with whatever you want, even with a telegraph pole. However, J Dead End Street is not represent anyone except of its own self-aggrandizing founders and financiers like Mr. Soros, who made his millions on currency speculations. I also suspect you do not know much about "spiritual aspects of the Jewish religion"; it is not Hinduism. You would better stick with the pole.
Yes, designate to Ambassador Oren his rights. Paper is a very patient substance.
anshel if anything underestimates the extent to which j street represents the us jewish stance. aipac are right wing dinosaurs. there is nothing whatsoever controversial or radical about j street and michael oren is doing a disservice to diaspora jewry by snubbing them. when will people just get a grip?!
In fact, just like the domestic Israeli left, the J-Street leadership includes plenty of "tough" Jews who have fought for Israel in the military. Meanwhile AIPAC and the pro-occupation and pro-settlements, no-real peace forever, are full of chicken hawks who have never served in any military. The argument about "Shtetl" Jews in the Diaspora participating in the Israeli-Arab peace discussion in and obnoxious misleading lie. Right wing American Jews (and non-Jews) do so. There is no reason why centrists and leftist should not also. After all, so long as American money and support is part of what allows the Israeli policy, then American citizens have a right to participate in what is good for America. And the J-Street position which overlaps with the stated positions of Kadima and Labor and Meretz is fully within the mainstream of America and Israeli discourse.
"...Should American Jews be second-guessing the Israeli the Israeli government when they are not the ones who will suffer the consequences?..." Who says they are not the one suffering from the conduct of Israeli governments which they are supposed to support ? In case nobody understands this - diaspora Jewry pays with anti-semitism which is FED by the ill-conceived actions of Israeli governments. Indeed !
Good assessment of J St. They may give a damn, but they don't have to live with the damn consequences
Oren is Likud. Why would he meet with J STreet when his goal, like that of the Government he serves, is continued occupation and expropriation of the West Bank? Peace is a threat not to Israel but to Likud and to Hamas.
Though J street is still rather meek as a left-leaning american political entity, it provides an effective new platform for US Jews who like their universalist jewishness but abhor what the occupation did to what israel used to stand for. far from denying their "heritage", it is J street that asserts it best. Unlike the neocon jews who corrupted jewish values to serve expansionist, imperialist ends. In the US, many liberal jews have come to realize that their values - as jews and americans - are rapidly diverging from israel's,a country that's becoming more levantine, narrowly nationalist and zealot infested than most western nations are comfortable with. I feel sad that Oren chose a parochial, tribal set of values over the enlightened, post racial, forward looking tenets that most americans cherish, Jews included. Perhaps, when the time comes, he'll be able to return the true promised land again. We are not vindictive....
look at their financial supporters.
J Street is a game-changer. The introduction of a reasoned, compassionate, intelligent voice in the American Jewish community alters a Middle East Peace Process that is currently more about process than peace. J Street represents a consciousness that recognizes both narratives in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has the heart and chutzpah to evoke, envision and encourage resolution of that conflict. J Street manifests spiritual aspects of the Jewish religion and allows me to be proud of my Jewish identity even as I am proud of my American nationality. In sum, J Street rocks.
While not a large group, J Street is hardly extremist or radical. They are pro-peace Zionists who represent what many American Jews increasingly support.
The first three responses reveal why J Street needs to exist. For too long, self-appointed representatives of American Jewry, like AIPAC and the OU, have held hawkish views on Israel, openly criticizing Israeli politicians striving for peace. The fact is, outside of the Orthodox world, most American Jews have liberal viewpoints, and tend to identify more with the Israeli Zionist left then the hardline right. With a few exceptions, most are not anti-Israel, and don't support Hamas, as the previous posts imply. Attempts to marginalize a group like J Street by claiming that they are "funded by Arabs", "do not celebrate Passover", and "want Israel to commit suicide" are pathetic. One doesn't have to be holier than the pope to be a supporter of Israel, and many people feel that Israel's future is better served by striving for peace rather than "beating" the Arabs. Israel has won wars for 60 years, and yet finds itself fighting with increasing frequency.
Poor Anshel has no real understanding of J Street from an American perspective. First, it represents only a small extremist position in the American Jewish community. Second, it hopes to gain greater legitimacy by meeting with Oren. Third, the great majority of American Jewry have already rejected J Street. Fourth, American Jewry believes that Israel does not have to commit suicide to solve J Street's problems, or Anshel Pfeffer's problems. Fifth, is it not clear to extreme radical American and Israeli Jews that there were many opportunities for the creation of a Palestinian State, if the the extremist Palestinians and other Arabs had not aborted those chances by intefadas and terrorism just when the hope for peace seemed at hand. Finally, there will be peace and a Palestinian State, when there will be a real desire to accept the existence of an Israeli State. It is the interest of Hamas to prevent any peace that that does not eliminate Israel. Is that so hard to see?
I do not think that one can put those words in Michael Oren's mind or thoughts when he looks at Jstreet. He may see them as I do, trying to maintain their position in a non-Jewish world, by denying their heritage. Do not, ever Passover, express the hope that next year we will celebrate in Jerusalem. Do the Jstreeters even celbrate Passover, the festival of freedom? I do not know, but if they utter the closing words of the Seder, I wonder if they mean them.
Freedom of speech means that the Arab funded far Left J-street group is allowed to call for the destruction of Israel. It does not require that anyone listen to them or provide them with a forum.