Rosner and Mort, Israel and American Jews

I’m at the J Street conference. So is Jo-Ann Mort, of Americans for Peace Now. Shmuel Rosner unfortunately is not.

He and Jo-Ann go at it, in a very civil way, about Jewish epectations of Israel, American Jewish expectations of Israel, Israeli expectations of American Jews, and the role of the left.

Shmuel is a more generous blogger than I: He gives Jo-Ann the last word.

Here’s Jo-Ann:

The J Street conference which has been the subject of much press and blogger debate is both a reunion of many of us who have fought for decades for an Israel that embraces democratic, Jewish and (yes, it is NOT a contradiction) pluralist and Jewish ideals and of young people, many presently in college, who are the product of youth movements, of Taglit/Birthright Israel or of their synagogues, who want to join into support for an Israel that supports their ideals. American Jewry remains the most liberal organized entity in American public life. We embrace ideals like human rights, pluralism and diversity. We cling to democracy as a way to defend our own rightful place in America’s polity. And these are the values we want to see–but don’t–in the Israel so many of us love.

Here’s Shmuel:

1. Israel today is also not the Israel I grew up yearning for. Tough luck. I also had hopes to have a different kind of American Jewish community, and didn’t get what I want.

2. If Israel needs change, the people living in Israel will have to decide. "Who’s Israel is it?" – it’s first and foremost Israelis’ Israel.

And here’s Jo-Ann again:

1. Israel today is also not the Israel I grew up yearning for. Tough luck. I also had hopes to have a different kind of American Jewish community, and didn’t get what I want.

My response: his is not about tough luck – you didn’t get what you want – it is about fighting for what you believe in.

2. If Israel needs change, the people living in Israel will have to decide. "Who’s Israel is it?" – it’s first and foremost Israelis’ Israel . 

Shmuel – are you saying that the American Jewish community should play no role in Israeli society ? If so, then you are implying that we should support Israeli policies with a blank check.

Read it here and here.