From The New York Times:
It's bad enough when non-Jews attack our rights to exist and live in our Holy Land, but when Jews and Israelis, too, side with the most anti-Semitic forces, it shows that we have a serious problem, which can be, G-d Forbid, fatal if not remedied.Essay Linking Liberal Jews and Anti-Semitism Sparks a Furor
The American Jewish Committee, an ardent defender of Israel, is known for speaking out against anti-Semitism, but this conservative advocacy group has recently stirred up a bitter and emotional debate with a new target: liberal Jews.
An essay the committee features on its Web site, ajc.org, titled: "Progressive" Jewish Thought and the New Anti-Semitism, says a number of Jews, through their speaking and writing, are feeding a rise in virulent anti-Semitism by questioning whether Israel should even exist.
In an introduction to the essay, David A. Harris, the executive director of the committee, writes, "Perhaps the most surprising and distressing feature of this new trend is the very public participation of some Jews in the verbal onslaught against Zionism and the Jewish State." "Those who oppose Israel's basic right to exist," he continues, "whether Jew or gentile, must be confronted."
Recently, the extremist Jewish fringe sect, Neturei Karta angered many Jews by traveling to Iran and supporting the Iranian plans to, G-d forbid, destroy Israel. That resulted in calls to have them "excommunicated," put in Cherem.
In many ways the extreme left wing "liberal" Jews, and the extremely "religious" Neturei Karta are two opposite ends of Jewish Life Style spectrum. But if we take the "line" and attach the two ends to form a circle, we find that they are connected. They actually have an awful lot in common.
2 comments:
bs"d
Neturei Karta by rejecting Zionism rejects Mitzvot Teluyot Baaretz. Mitzvot Teluyot Baaretz can be observed when Am Yisroel has sovereignty. True religious Zionism means true yearning for these Mitzvoth. Perhaps some of the secular Jews who established the State rejected keeping Kosher and Shabbat. The anti Zionists reject different Mitzvoth. Let G-d Judge which Mitzva is most important. As Jews we are obligated to try our best to keep them all. See http://shemittahrediscovered.blogspot.com/2006/12/re-my-comments-leader-of-neturei-karta.html
The Neturei Karta are very dangerous, since they encourage those who want to destroy Jews all over and destroy Jews in Eretz Yisrael. That counteracts whatever "holiness" may have been in their original thinking.
Post a Comment