The Phoneys at "J" Street

J Street’s Spiritual Conceit
By: David M. Weinberg
Oct 24, 2009

The pious spiritual claptrap that characterizes J Street’s conference in Washington this week is both a conceit and a new form of Jewish apostasy. Conference speakers earnestly broadcast their “profound” Jewish and “spiritual” identities in order to besmirch the mainstream Jewish community and engender a distancing in US-Israel relations. This certainly does not fool the American Muslim leaders who are speaking at the conference. They know and appreciate exactly what J Street is up to.

It was the Buddhist seders that tipped me off to the real conceit behind J Street. The sensitive “progressive” types behind the new Washington lobby are deeply concerned, it seems, for the morality and soul of Israel.

Gee, thanks.

A love for Buddhist seders, a penchant for avant garde poetry (including a ballad entitled The Queer Intifada), and an abiding concern for Israel’s spiritual quintessence – all while being intermarried down to nearly the last Jewish soul among them — is how The New York Times recently characterized the founders and key staff members of J Street. They seek, you see, justice and holiness and Jewish meaning in the world. Especially in the Arab-Israel conflict.

This explains the preponderance of numerous, vaporous spiritual types at this week’s big J Street hug-in in Washington. Rabbi Sharon, Rabbi Amy, Rabbi Tirzah, Rabbi Jennie, Rabbi Julie, Rabbi Toba and Rabbi Melissa are among the prominent speakers. They are “diversity facilitators,” “spirituality counselors,” and “interreligious leaders” at places called Neve Kodesh, Brit Tzedek, Dorshei Tzedek and Just Vision.

So much “Tzedek”! So much “Kodesh”! So much overflowing of honey, holiness and justice! At a political lobby conference, no less. Perhaps the organization should be renamed Spiritual Street.

You know that all this righteousness just needs to be exported – through tough love, if necessary — to Israel. To repair the Middle East. To spiritually save Israel in spite of itself. Or at least to salve the sacred American Jewish soul.

Well, enough, I say, of this misty, sentimental and self-serving gobbledygook. All this soft spiritual urgency, supposedly on “behalf of” Israel, belies a triple conceit; or should we say, a great deceit.

Firstly, J Street is peddling the nutty notion that spirituality has anything to do with Mideast peace. The latent chutzpa is the insinuation that authentic identification with the Jewish prophets and morality dovetails with the dovish side of the political map. If only American Jews and Israelis were more religiously dovish and in touch with the forgiving and compassionate side of their Jewish souls – we would do the “left” thing and concede more generously to the Palestinians. Then, lo and behold, peace would come to the Mideast.

The second conceit is that such J Street-peddled nonsense – along with J Street support for talks with Hamas, opposition to military action against the Hamas, and opposition to sanctions or military action against nuclear Iran — represents the majority of American Jewry. Hogwash. Patently false.

The third conceit is that, if only Israel were to change – and it is J Street’s job to get America to force Israel to change – then peace would come to the Mideast. As if Israel was the party unwilling to compromise. As if Israel hasn’t already offered the Palestinians at Oslo and Camp David and Taba and Annapolis just about everything they want of post-67 Israel. As if the Palestinians have compromised on their demands one wit since the great handshake on the White House lawn. But it is Israel that needs to be pressured, say the J Street moral oracles.

J Street is a new form of Jewish apostasy. Its adherents hasten to embrace their Jewishness (even if they don’t really know much about authentic Jewish tradition and morality) in order to besmirch Israel and the mainstream Jewish community. They earnestly declare how “profoundly” Jewish they are, in order to engender a distancing in US-Israel relations.

I guess that’s why J Street has spent most of its resources bashing long-standing supporters of Israel – calling them extremists and right-wingers and accusing them of a ’silencing’ – and listing things that Israel must be made to do. All this, instead of calling out the dangers of Iranian nuclear weapons or Palestinian genocidal anti-Semitism. That’s why they fret over the Jewish soul instead of working to save and protect the physical Jewish State of Israel.

The only people clearly not fooled by all this spiritual mumbo-jumbo are Salam al-Mayarati, Ziad Asali, Trita Parsi and other leaders of the American Muslim Public Affairs Council, American Task Force on Palestine and the National Iranian American Council – all of whom are speaking — surprise, surprise — at the J Street Jewish soul jamboree this week. They undoubtedly see past the pious claptrap, and know – and appreciate – exactly what J Street is up to.

* Originally published in The Jerusalem Post on October 23, 2009.

THE TIME HAS COME TO DEAL WITH THE JUDENRATS - REMOVE THE TRAITORS...

Marginalize the renegades

Isi Leibler - Oct 06, 2009
wordfromjerusalem.com

The exploitation of Judge Goldstone’s Jewish background by our enemies intensifies our obligation to confront the enemy within - renegade Jews - including Israelis who stand at the vanguard of global efforts to demonize and delegitimize the Jewish state. Such odious Jews can be traced back to apostates during the Middle Ages who fabricated blood libels and vile distortions of Jewish religious practice for Christian anti-Semites to incite hatred which culminated in massacres. It was in response to these renegades that the herem(excommunication) was introduced.

More recent examples include Jewish communists who, in addition to undermining campaigns to liberate Soviet Jews and defending state-sponsored anti-Semitism, even applauded the Stalinist execution of their kinsmen on bogus charges. Like their contemporary counterparts, some of them attempted to depict themselves as devoted Jews championing "world peace.

"In practice they simply advanced the objectives of the Evil Empire. They were regarded as pariahs and isolated from the Jewish mainstream.

Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, took ruthless measures against Israeli renegades, insisting also that Israeli embassies maintain close ties with local Jewish leaders and persuade them to refrain from publicly criticizing policies impinging on security. The consensus was that it would be immoral for Jews abroad to influence decisions that could have life-and-death implications for Israeli citizens.

Unfortunately, in the wake of the Oslo Accords, the massive divisions which tore Israeli society apart shattered this convention, ironically with right-wing politicians encouraging Diaspora leaders to undermine the Rabin government.

This occurred simultaneously with the rise of post-Zionism, vigorously promoted by the daily newspaper Ha’aretz, which published critiques of Zionist doctrine until then considered beyond the pale by the vast majority of Israelis.

Ha’aretz also launched an English internet edition which emboldened Diaspora Jewish extremists and provided a green light to global media outlets to run demonizing articles about Israel on the grounds that they had already appeared in a "reputable" Israeli daily. The most recent example was the Ha’aretz campaign defaming the IDF, which proved to be entirely baseless but created an enormous global upsurge of anti-Israeli hysteria and eased the way for the Goldstone Report.

IN THIS atmosphere, fringe groups of "non-Jewish Jews," many with no prior involvement in Jewish life, exploited their Jewish origins or Israeli nationality to defame Israel. Today, they occupy leading roles fueling global anti-Israel campaigns.

Regrettably, successive Israeli governments failed to respond even when professors at universities funded by Israeli taxpayers and Diaspora Zionists began exploiting their positions to delegitimize their country. They identified with Israel’s enemies, calling on the world to boycott Israeli institutions, including their own universities.

Israel prides itself on being the only country in the region in which genuine freedom of expression reigns supreme. But it is also a country under siege, surrounded by neighbors seeking its destruction and confronted by an ever-hostile global community. To tolerate such abominations in the name of freedom of expression is taking an ideal to a lunatic extreme. Besides, it is hard to visualize the authorities adopting such a laissez faire approach had the offenders been racists, fascists or even radical right-wing extremists.

In fact, when senior academics like Ben-Gurion University’s Neve Gordon, call Israel an "apartheid state" and encourage the world to boycott Israeli institutions, they are the ones abusing academic freedom.

It is thus high time for the Knesset to set up a non-partisan commission to recommend legislation to deny tenure at state-sponsored institutions to those indulging in such activities.

The rot has extended to the Diaspora, especially Europe and has also affected the United States. Highly vocal Jewish groups like the recently created J Street describe themselves as ’Zionist’ but their prime objective is to pressure the US government to use "tough love" against Israel - a euphemism for demanding that the Jewish state make further unilateral concessions to neighbors pledged to its annihilation.

In the past two weeks alone, a host of new anti-Israeli initiatives were reported. In Toronto, Jews were at the forefront of a campaign to boycott Israeli films at a film festival because the anniversary of Tel Aviv - ’built on the destroyed villages of Palestinians’ - was being celebrated; two Israeli women who evaded national service are conducting a North American campus tour under the auspices of ’Jewish Voice for Peace’ to persuade students to intensify their role in the "resistance movement"; in San Francisco the local Jewish Federation is providing funds for a film festival which promotes the vilest anti-Israel films; radical Rabbi Michael Lerner invited a woman who justifies suicide bombings to address his synagogue on Yom Kippur; and so on.

IM EIN ani li mi li? If we are not for ourselves, who will be? We are engaged in a battle against fiendish enemies committed to our destruction. The Israeli government must now take steps to neutralize the impact of renegade Jews who present themselves as legitimate alternative Jewish viewpoints. Such an initiative by a country which provides genuine democratic rights to all its citizens, including Arabs, could hardly be categorized as eradicating freedom of expression. It would rather represent a highly overdue effort to exorcise such odious groups from the mainstream and expose them as unrepresentative fringe groups with no standing.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is currently riding a wave after his superb United Nations address. He should summon a global Jewish solidarity conference encompassing Jewish leaders, opinion makers, philanthropists and activists similar to that organized in 1989 under the auspices of then prime minister Yitzhak Shamir and then defense minister Yitzhak Rabin in order to demonstrate the unity of the Jewish people.

At a time when we desperately seek allies, in addition to encouraging millions of Jews in the Diaspora who remain committed to Israel to become more actively engaged in our struggle, such a gathering would also provide an opportunity to exorcise the renegades from our midst.

Collaborators in the War Against the Jews

The Psychology of Collaborators in

the War Against the Jews

By: David Gutmann
FrontPageMagazine.com Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Commentators on Jewish matters have noted a paradox: a surprising number of Israel-bashers – including some who call for the elimination of Israel as a specifically Jewish state – are themselves Jewish. Consider Noam Chomsky, George Soros, Michael Lerner, Marc H. Ellis, Eli Pariser, Tony Judt, Ilan Pappe and Norman Finkelstein, to name but a few. It sometimes appears as though anti-Israel Jews are more numerous than the high command of Hamas. They are not only vocal but also militant. For example, many members of Moveon.org. and The International Solidarity Movement hamper IDF troops as they confront the Jihadists. Likewise the leaders of JStreet, a new organization, is mobilized to oppose the long-established pro-Israel lobby, AIPAC.

This is not a new war of the Jews: the Radical Left, with its large complement of Hebrews, has from its beginnings in the nineteenth century condemned Zionism as a reactionary, parochial movement – one that attempted to solve the Jewish problem in just one land and for just one people, rather than through universal socialism for all the workers of the world. But the supply of Jewish red-diaper babies has declined over the generations; there are no longer enough crimson nappies to account for the increasing numbers of Jews defiantly proclaiming, “Not in our name!” New forms of protest and new rationalizations for invigorated Jewish anti-Zionism have clearly come into play.

The chief excuse offered by the Jewish quislings and their apologists holds that the Jews are uniquely endowed with a strong, often oppressive conscience. Because our long history of suffering and victimization have, understandably, made us particularly sympathetic to the pain of other vulnerable groups, we are not allowed to be violent against those who, like the Palestinians, carry the title of “victim.” Even when they murderously attack us, the victims can never be blamed - certainly not by us Jews, who turned those innocent, agrarian Palestinians into victims. It is only we, the Victimizing Jews, who merit censure.This rather glib rationale both flatters us Jews and lets the quislings among us off the hook: “When we abandon Israel it is for the purest of motives; indeed, it is we who are morally superior to the bloody-minded Jewish hawks that we condemn.” You can in short bash your fellow embattled Jews, and acquire merit for so doing.

I have been a clinical psychologist since the 1950s, and have treated and evaluated many patients for whom guilt was a central feature of their psyches. These Hamlets tend to be hesitant, unable to act decisively, self-deprecating, and tending to punish themselves for often imaginary crimes. Never do the truly guilty show the kind of arrogant, condescending, holier-than-thou self-assurance that I routinely encounter among the typical Israel-bashers. These are not shrinking violets, allergic to their own anger. Nor are they in any sense self-hating Jews. Quite the contrary: the Israel-bashers are full of sincere appreciation of their own righteousness. They congratulate themselves profusely on being immune to the sentimental claims of people-hood. They may despise other less rational Jews, but not themselves. These militants are in effect addicted to the aroma of their own resentments, affects that are turned outwards, away from rather than toward themselves. They vigilantly sniff out injustices, victims, and oppressions to be enraged about. They long for opportunities to demonstrate their moral uniqueness and superiority.

Thinking along these lines, I concluded that these ultra-virtuous, Israel-bashing Jews are not for the most part persecuted by guilt, by defamation of self, but over–stuffed with its converse: an excess of self-love, or narcissism. In this condition, the unique self and is prized above all those entities – intimates, spouses, children, friends, professions, communities and nations – that normally draw our love and allegiance away from an exclusive fixation on the anointed self.

Narcissism, including Jewish narcissism, develops very early in the individual life cycle, and influences not only the posture towards Israel, but also a whole range of political and life-style choices. Generally speaking, the narcissistically inclined react strongly against what they experience as conventional limitations imposed on their ineffable uniqueness by parents and “Society,” long before they had any say in the matter. For example: to be a boy or a girl, to be a patriotic American, to be heterosexual, to be white, to be a Jew, (and as a Jew, automatically pro-Israel.)

In their eyes they had been, without consultation, deprived of choice regarding these crucial matters of gender, race, sexual preference, or national and political loyalties. Starting in the 60’s, the streets, the arts, the media have been vivid with the noisy attempts, by insulted, disenfranchised narcissists, to restore their power of choice in these matters. Generally, they do this by espousing or even becoming the socially tabooed alternative to what they were “programmed” to be: “You declare me to be a Boy? Not after my Sex Change.” “You think I like girls? Meet my partner, Melvin.” “You say I’m White? I say you’re a Ho.” “You insist that I’m an American? Hey, I’m off to Canada until the war’s over.” “You assume that I’m Jewish? Then after I finish at the Ashram, I’m away to Ramallah with my blonde WASP wife, to help guard Yasir Arafat against Mossad assassins.”

Our Jewish narcissism may believe that they are, by such “revolutionary” acts, restoring some lost freedom of choice. But clearly, they are not. Their “Unconventional” choices are as pre-programmed, stereotyped and externally imposed as the most vapid of the conventions that they reject. Their narcissism may be temporarily satisfied, but they have meanwhile cut themselves off from the great shared traditions, which are the true sources of identity, and they have put their already imperilled people at greater risk.

Judenrats - Liars & Traitors = The Modern Day Hellenists

Blogmaster’s rant: I am old fashioned, I’m a Chabadnik and reasonably religious, I am a dedicated Zionist, I believe that not one centimeter of Jewish land should be relinquished for any reason, I believe that the “Two State Solution” means the death of Israel as a Jewish Homeland and a Jewish State. I also had a grievous personality fault…I tended to trust other American Jews to do what is right for Israel and our people. I have learned a hard lesson…I have learned to trust no one who voted for Obama, to trust no one who espouses drivel such as what we hear from “Peace Now” and others of their ilk, and to trust no one who, as a Jew, would support measures and ideals that would be contrary to what is best for Israel as a Jewish State.
In my opinion, the wealthy, influential American and Israeli Jews listed below are lower than whale dreck on the ocean floor. They are no better than the Judenrat or the spies that returned to inform Moshe that Israel was not as Hashem had promised. Throughout our history, we have been plagued by collaborationists such as these modern-day Hellenists. With the help of Hashem, we have always prevailed and we will do so again. The betrayers listed below should be shunned by all who love Israel as they are no different than those who would lead us as sheep to the slaughter. Bill Maniaci, Blogmaster, ‏12:31 לפנה"צ
_____________________________________

We’ve got your back, Mr. President!

The Jewish people say yes to an Israeli settlement freeze:

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Lead Signers
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1. Lead Signers
Ed Asner, Emmy award-winning actor
Jeremy Ben-Ami, Executive Director, J Street
Mili Avital, Israeli Academy Award winner
Theodore Bikel, Emmy award-winning actor and folk singer
Scott Blakeman, "NY's Top Political Comedian" (NBC TV)
Heather Booth, activist; Co-founder & President of Midwest Academy
Leon Botstein, President, Bard College
Rosellen Brown, author
Lawrence Bush, Editor, Jewish Currents
Stephen P. Cohen, President, Institute for Middle East Peace and Development
Debra DeLee, President and CEO, Americans for Peace Now
Olympia Dukakis, Oscar award-winning actress
Elliot Figman, poet and author; Executive Director, Poets and Writers
Debbie Friedman, composer, singer, and recording artist
Mort Halperin, Director, Policy Planning, Department of State, 1998-2001
Arnold Hiatt, Past Chairman, Business for Social Responsibility
Martin Kaminer
Philip Kotler, S.C. Johnson & Son Professor of International Marketing, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
Don Kraus, CEO, Citizens for Global Solutions
Tony Kushner, Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and screenwriter
Amichai Lau-Lavie, Executive and Artistic Director, Storahtelling
Theodore Mann, past Chair of Mazon, A Jewish Response to Hunger; past Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish American Organizations
Anne Meara, Tony and 4-time Emmy nominated actress and comedian
Arthur Obermayer, President, Moleculon Research Corp; President, Obermayer Foundation
Eli Pariser, Board President and former Executive Director, of MoveOn.org
Mandy Patinkin, Tony & Emmy Award-winning actor and singer
Letty Cottin Pogrebin, author; a founding editor, Ms. Magazine
Alicia Ostriker, poet and author
Miles Rapoport, President, Demos: A Network for Ideas & Action
M.J. Rosenberg, Washington Director, Israel Policy Forum
Ruth M. Rothstein, Retired CEO of Cook County Bureau of Health and Mt. Sinai Hospital of Chicago
Darya Shaikh, Executive Director, OneVoice US
Dan Sieradski, Founding Publisher, Jewschool.com
Daniel Soyer, professor of American history, Fordham University; organizer, Jewish Scholars for Obama
Marc R. Stanley, Chair, National Jewish Democratic Council
Stephen Stern, dialogue facilitator, Theater J at Washington DC JCC; Director, Akbar Ahmed’s Waziristan to Washington: A Muslim at the Crossroads
Jerry Stiller, Emmy-nominated comedian and actor
Craig Taubman, American singer/songwriter and music producer
Sidney Topol, President, The Topol Group; retired Chairman/CEO, Scientific Atlanta
Ilana Trachtman, producer/director
Miroslav Volf, Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology, Yale University Divinity School; Director, Yale Center for Faith and Culture
Edward Witten, professor of physics, Institute for Advanced Study; MacArthur Fellow
Nancy Wohlforth, Secretary Treasurer, OPEIU; Vice President, California Federation of Labor
Louis Zorich, actor
Affiliations for informational purposes only.

2. Lead Rabbinic Signers
Rabbi Camille Shira Angel, Congregation Sha’ar Zahav (San Francisco, CA)
Rabbi Dennis Beck-Berman, OHALAH (Past President) (Petersburg, PA)
Rabbi Lisa Bellows, Congregation Beth Am (Buffalo Grove, IL)
Rabbi Stan Levy, B'nai Horin (Los Angeles, CA)
Rabbi Allen B. Bennett, Temple Israel of Alameda (Alameda, CA)
Rabbi Elizabeth Beyer, Jewish Community of Elko County (Reno, NV)
Rabbi Binyamin Biber, Machar - The Washington DC Congregation for Secular Humanistic Judaism (Washington, DC)
Rabbi Stephen Booth-Nadav, Bnai Havurah:CJRF (Denver, CO)
Rabbi Caryn Broitman, Martha's Vineyard Hebrew Center (Vineyard Haven, MA)
Rabbi Herbert Bronstein North Shore Congregation Israelï (Glencoe, IL)
Rabbi Marcelo Bronstein, Congregation B’nai Jeshurun (New York, NY)
Rabbi Sharon Brous, IKAR; named to Newsweek's Top 50 Influential Rabbis (2008, 2009) and 25 Top Pulpit Rabbis (2008) lists
Rabbi Marcus L. Burstein, Temple Rodef Shalom (Falls Church, VA)
Rabbi Ayelet Cohen, Congregation Beth Simchat Torah (New York)
Rabbi Michael M. Cohen, North American Recruitment and Special Projects, Arava Institute for Environmental Studies
Shoshanah H. Conover, Temple Sholom of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
Rabbi Mychal Copeland, Hillel at Stanford (Stanford, CA)
Rabbi James S. Diamond, Princeton University (Princeton, NJ)
Rabbi Robert Dobrusin, (Ann Arbor, MI)
Rabbi Art Donsky, Temple Ohav Shalom blog author, “Know Justice, Know Peace”, past chair, Greater Pittsburgh Rabbinic Association (Allison Park, PA)
Rabbi Elliot Dorff, Rector, Sol & Anne Dorff Distinguished Service Professor in Philosophy, American Jewish University; named to Newsweek’s Top 50 Influential Rabbis list (2007, 2008, 2009)
Rabbi Malka Drucker, Hamakomï (Santa Fe, NM)
Rabbi Larry Edwards, Congregation Or Chadash (Chicago, IL)
Rabbi Amy Eilberg, St. Paul Interfaith Network (Mendota Heights)
Rabbi Diane Elliot, The Aquarian Minyan (Berkeley, CA)
Rabbi Charles Feinberg, Adas Israel Congregation (Washington, DC)
Rabbi Michael Feinberg, (New York, NY)
Rabbi Ted Feldman, B'nai Israel Jewish Center (Petaluma, CA)
Rabbi Brian Field, Judaism Your Way (Denver, CO)
Rabbi Reuven Firestone, Professor of Medieval Jewish and Islamic Studies, HUC-JIR/Los Angeles
Rabbi Tirzah Firestone, Congregation Nevei Kodesh (Boulder, CO); author
Rabbi Frank Fischer, (Chapel Hill, NC)
Rabbi Randy Fleisher, Central Reform Congregation (St. Louis, MO)
Rabbi Dayle A. Friedman, Director, Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College; named to Forward 50 list (2008)
Rabbi John Friedman, Judea Reform Congregation (Durham, NC); Chair Rabbinic Cabinet, Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
Rabbi Capers C. Funnye, Jr., Congregation Beth Shalom B’nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation (Chicago, IL)
Rabbi Joyce Galaski, Congregation Ahavas Achim (Amherst, MA)
Rabbi Hillel Gamoran, rabbi emeritus at Beth Tikvah Congregation, (Evanston, IL)
Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg, Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek (Chester, NY)
Rabbi David Gordis, President Emeritus, Hebrew College; founding director of the National Center for Jewish Policy Studies
Rabbinical Student Emma Gottlieb, (New York, NY)
Rabbi Art Green, Rector, Hebrew College Rabbinical School; named to Newwseek’s Top 50 Influential Rabbis list (2008, 2009)
Rabbi C. Michelle Greenberg, Temple Jeremiah (Northfield, IL)
Rabbi Nicole Greninger, (New York, NY)
Rabbi Beth Janus, Temple Beth El (Santa Cruz, CA)
Rabbi Nancy Kasten, Director of Hebrew & Judaic Affairs, The Wise Academy (Dallas, TX)
Rabbi Jonathan Klein, (Los Angeles, CA)
Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Congregation Beth Simchat Torah (New York, NY); Newsweek’s 2007, 2008, 2009 Top 50 Influential Rabbis
Cantor Jeff Klepper, Temple Sinai / Sharon MA (West Roxbury, MA)
Rabbi Peter Knobel, Beth Emet the Free Synagogue (Evanston, IL); Past President, Central Conference of American Rabbis
Rabbi Chava Koster, The Village Temple - B'nai Israel (New York, NY)
Rabbi Yechiael Lander, Jewish Community of Amherst / Smith and Amherst Colleges (emeritus) (Northampton, MA)
Rabbi Michael Lerner, Tikkun Magazine/Beyt Tikkun (Berkeley, CA)
Cantor Sam Levine, East Midwood Jewish Center (Brooklyn, NY)
Rabbi Joshua Levine-Grater , Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center (Pasadena, CA); Rabbinic Cabinet, Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
Rabbi Stan Levy, B'nai Horin (Los Angeles, CA)
Rabbi Seth M. Limmer, Congregation B'nai Yisrael (Armonk, NY)
Rabbi Ellen Lippmann, Kolot Chayeinu / Voices of Our Lives, (Brooklyn, NY)
Rabbi Mordechai Liebling, (Philadelphia, PA)
Rabbi Tamar Malino, Peninsula JCC (San Mateo, CA)
Rabbi Jonathan Malino, Professor of Philosophy, Guilford College (Greensboro, NC)
Rabbi Roly Matalon, Congregation B’nai Jeshurun (New York, NY); named to Newsweek’s Top 50 Influential Rabbis (2007, 2008, 2009) and 25 Top Pulpit Rabbis (2008) lists
Rabbinical Student Jessica Kate Meyer, (Belmont, MA)
Rabbi Jack Moline, Agudas Achim Congregation (Alexandria, VA); Vice-chair of The Interfaith Alliance; named to Newsweek’s 2008 Top Pulpit Rabbis list
Rabbi Linda Motzkin, Temple Sinai (Saratoga Springs, NY)
Rabbi Laura Owens, Congregation B'nai Horin (Beverly Hills, CA)
Rabbi Yael Ridberg, West End Synagogue (New York, NY); President, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association
Rabbi Brant Rosen, Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation (Evanston, IL); named to Newsweek’s 2008 Top Pulpit Rabbis list
Rabbi Donald B. Rossoff, Temple B'nai Or (Morristown, NJ)
Rabbi Michael Rothbaum,Director/Campus Rabbi, Hillels of Westchester (Nyack, NY)
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, author and educator
Cantor Bob Scherr, Williams College (Williamstown, MA)
Rabbi Drorah Setel, (Buffalo, NY)
Rabbi Julie Saxe-Taller, Congregation Sherith Israel (San Francisco, CA); Co-Chair Rabbinic Cabinet, Brit Tzedek v’Shalom
Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, Rabbinic Chair of ALEPH: Alliance for Jewish Renewal; named to Newsweek’s Top 50 Influential Rabbis list (2007, 2008, 2009)
Rabbi Marvin Schwab, Temple Beth Shalom (Santa Fe, NM)
Rabbi Amy Schwartzman, Temple Rodef Shalom (Falls Church, VA); named to Newsweek’s Top Pulpit Rabbis list (2008)
Rabbi John Sherwood, Oxnard, CA
Rabbinical Student Andy Shugerman, (New York, NY)
Rabbi Jodie Siff, Reconstructionist Synagogue of the North Shore (Plandome, NY)
Rabbi Suzanne Singer, Temple Beth El (Riverside, CA)
Rabbi Elisabeth Stern, Congregation Eitz Chayim (Cambridge, MA)
Rabbi Ron Stern, Stephen S. Wise Temple (Los Angeles, CA)
Rabbi Adam Stock Spilker, Mount Zion Temple (St. Paul, MN)
Rabbinical Student Patrice Spitz, (Boulder, CO)
Rabbi Toba Spitzer, Congregation Dorshei Tzedek (Newton, MA); named to Newsweek’s Top 50 Influential Rabbis list (2007, 2008)
Cantor Elliot Taubman, Congregation Sons and Daughters of Ruth (Block Island, RI)
Rabbinical Student Rachel Timoner, Los Angeles, CA
Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Founder and Director, The Shalom Center
Rabbi Bridget Wynne, Jewish Gateways (El Cerrito, CA)
Rabbi Michael Zedek, Emanuel Congregation (Chicago, IL)
Rabbi David J. Zucker, Shalom Park (Aurora, CO)

Affiliations for informational purposes only.
3. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What does "We've Got Your Back" mean?
It’s important that the President know that a resounding majority of American Jews want a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and are willing to see the U.S. take a tough stance – nearly 70%, in fact, support the U.S. publicly disagreeing with Israeli or Arab positions, or exerting pressure on both parties to make compromises, if it will help resolve the conflict. http://www.jstreet.org/files/images/J_Street_Survey_Analysis_032309.doc]
For Brit Tzedek, “we’ve got your back” means that President Obama does not have only the passive support of the organization and our grassroots advocates. We are actively committed to helping him bring his policy goals to fruition, getting the word out and winning hearts and minds. The President has said that he wants a two-state solution by the end of his first term – Brit Tzedek will help face down naysayers, and provide him with the political breathing room and active assistance he’ll need.

2. What can the U.S. do if the Israelis and Palestinians don’t respond positively to President Obama's efforts?
Clearly, any peace deal will have to be struck between the two parties. No one can force Israelis and Palestinians to accept an agreement they don’t want. However, there’s a difference between forcing an agreement, and using the U.S. government’s powers of persuasion. A powerful example can be seen in the success of the 1998 Irish peace talks, mediated by former Senator George Mitchell, who serves currently as the Special Envoy to the Middle East.
By deploying talented, dedicated people to the region – Mitchell has gone several times, Secretary of State Clinton has been, envoys have been sent to Syria – and empowering them to achieve agreement, President Obama has signaled that he’s serious about achieving a two-state resolution by the end of his first term. This seriousness demonstrates that the parties have a real ally in the effort to end the violence, and also serves notice that the U.S. is no longer willing to accept an endless cycle of destruction.
On both sides, a majority of ordinary people have consistently said that they want a two-state solution. Many Israeli and Palestinian politicians, intellectuals, military experts, and cultural icons agree. The positions of a particular government aren’t necessarily a reflection of the peoples’ willingness to achieve peace. If the U.S. invests fully in diplomacy, encourages cooperation, and helps to clarify that only peace can bring true security, America can serve a crucial role in turning the reality around.
3. Can individuals pledging really make a difference in political policy?
It’s not the pledge itself, so much as the actions to which you pledge yourself. It’s very easy to do nothing when it seems nothing can be done. But by committing yourself to action, you’ll join your voice to Jewish Americans across the country who want to see a peaceful resolution of the conflict, and want the U.S. to take a leading role in finding that resolution. For decades, American politicians have believed that American Jews line up behind official Israeli policy and are unwilling to consider a two-state peace accord with the Palestinians. Writing to Congress, taking part in Action Alerts, writing to newspapers and blogging your opinions – all this informs our leaders that many support the new policy direction, and changes the tone of the discourse. Reaching out to friends and family expands the circle of advocates who will work to achieve a real solution.
4. What can Congress do to influence foreign policy?
Congress approves our national budget, and this carries enormous weight. For instance, if the administration wants to direct funds to monitoring implementation of a new agreement, it won’t be able to without Congressional approval. Furthermore, Congress represents the people: If it rejects an Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the administration will understand that it doesn’t have either the political or popular support it needs to act. The recent sea-change in Congressional attitudes has played an important role in giving the Obama administration the political room to voice its policy plans, and if this momentum gains, the openness to diplomacy will also grow.
5. Does Obama really pay attention to the grassroots?
Yes, he does, in particular with regards to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Brit Tzedek has been advocating with Barack Obama from his days as a Senator, and our members and national leaders often turned to him to express their thoughts on the conflict during his campaign. Representatives of the Obama campaign met with Brit Tzedek prior to the election, and during the transition period.
Among the first actions the President took post-inauguration were many that Brit Tzedek had urged for years, and he’s often used language that echoes Brit Tzedek’s positions. He has consistently made it clear that he wants to hear from the individuals who make up the American electorate, and has shaped policy responsive to the needs he’s heard.
6. Who can sign the pledge?
The pledge is geared toward American Jews, but any American who supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is encouraged to sign, and join in our advocacy.
7. Why is the pledge targeted to Jews?
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has long been at the center of American Jewish discourse. Many American politicians have assumed that if they express anything but complete support for official Israeli positions, we would turn against them. As such, our input has far more weight than our numbers would indicate – and American Jewish peace advocates have got to make it clear the majority of our community actually supports a two-state solution, including the possibility of pressure on Israel to achieve such a solution

http://www.jstreet.org/files/images/J_Street_Survey_Analysis_032309.doc]

Moreover, the vast majority of American Jewish voters cast their votes for President Obama. We are a central part of the success of his campaign, and we must act to make our voices heard to the man we helped place in office.
4. Signer Disclaimer
By signing this open letter, you agree to allow Brit Tzedek v’Shalom to publicize your name publicly and in any paid advertising. Your signature on this pledge indicates support for the contents of the pledge and does not constitute your agreement with all of the positions of Brit Tzedek v’Shalom. If you wish to sign the pledge anonymously, please email jeff@btvshalom.org. You may give us your general endorsement for our work by joining our Brit Tzedek’s Email list at http://ga3.org/btvshalom/join.tcl?source=home_2009.
5. Return to the Campaign
Maintainer: Brit Tzedek v'Shalom (info@btvshalom.org)
Dear President Obama,
Please know that I share your sense of urgency to bring peace to the Middle East.
Therefore, I pledge:
to back your committed and persistent leadership in support of a negotiated two-state solution
to work within my communities to build the political will that will enable you to take decisive and bold steps -- and to urge Congress to support you in this endeavor
to make it known that an American President who dedicates himself to establishing a durable Israeli-Palestinian peace acts in the best interests of Israelis, Palestinians, the United States and our allies
to support you in staying the course through difficult times and to celebrate your successes
In Hebrew, the words for wind and for spirit are one and the same -- ruach. As you work for peace, I promise that the ruach of the American Jewish people and our friends in the pro-Israel community will be at your back.

Israel should cede its Ancestral Homeland for Peace

The Brit Tzedek lectures on the Israel Palestinian conflict with Gbaith al-Omari of the American Task Force for Palestine appears to be a new type of propaganda initiative, to convince us of Palestinian victimology and the need for Israel to cede it’s ancestral homelands for an illusory peace.

Dejavu, the Palestinians have been practicing terror against the Jews of Israel ever since the Grand Mufti, Arafat’s uncle terrorized the Jews of Palestine in the 1920’s, who later sided with Hitler and had a key role in the Holocaust.

The world forgets that while about 700,000 Palestinians left Palestine in Israel’s war of independence, the Arab states expelled about 800,000 Jews from Arab lands, most of whom settled in Israel. Did any of these Jews ever conduct terrorism against localArabs? Yet despite the Oslo peace accords which the Palestinians violated, they still continue to pledge Israel’s destruction , practice hatred and incitement, and teach their youth terrorism, carrying out thousand of heinous evil acts of terrorist death against innocent civilians.

It’s unfortunate that leftist Jews buy into this misleading peace propaganda, which is really “a piece process” to weaken Israel, by falsely claiming occupation of Palestinian lands. Israel’s historic Biblical homelands belong to the people of Israel. There is a Palestinian state, Jordan that occupies 80% of the lands of Palestine. Creating a PLO terror state on Israel’s borders would be suicide for Israel, with PLO terror rockets within range of Israel’s airport and major cities.

Let’s see who Brit Tzedek really is. I recommend that the following article, “The Anti-Zionist Zionists” from Front Page Magazine,

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=FFF51A4E-5B61-4A94-B287-D17F09845DD7 be read and understood. Can we trust an organization funded by Noam Chomsky and the Ford Foundation, which bribes Jews out of their homes in Judea and Samaria?

The following myths and truths need to be understood by everyone.

Myth #1: Israel is an aggressor.

Truth #1: Israel is the victim of Arab terror.

Myth # 2: The "intifada" wave of Palestinian terror was caused by Israeli occupation.

Truth #2: The "intifada" wave of Palestinian terror was caused by removal of Israeli occupation.

Myth #3: The territory of Israel used to be an Arab Palestinian state.

Truth #3: There has never been an Arab Palestinian state anywhere, anytime.

Myth #4: Arabs are mistreated by Israel.

Truth #4: Arabs under Israeli rule are treated infinitely better than are Arabs living under Arab regimes.

Myth #5: The West Bank is Palestinian land.

Truth #5: The West Bank is Jewish land that was recaptured from Jordan in 1967..

Myth #6: Creation of a Palestinian state will produce peace.

Truth #6: Creation of a Palestinian state will produce escalated war, and perpetual terrorism .

Myth #7: Arab war and terrorism against Israel was produced by Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.

Truth #7: Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza was produced by Arab war and terrorism against Israel.

Myth #8: Israeli leftists are seeking to achieve peace.

Truth #8: Israeli secular leftists are motivated by hatred of their own country and their own people, and are seeking an end to a Jewish state of Israel, many favoring a bi-national state.

Myth #9: Arab terrorism is a byproduct of poverty.

Truth #9: Arab terrorists are almost all middle class and educated .

Myth #10: The key to peace is granting Palestinians hope.

Truth #10: The key to peace is taking away Palestinian hope (of destroying Israel).

Myth #11: The Palestinians seek to have their own state alongside Israel.

Truth #11: The Palestinians and their apologists seek to destroy Israel and conduct genocide against Jews.

Myth #12: Zionism is a form of racism.

Truth #12: Anti-Zionism is a form of racism.

Myth #13: Arab violence is a result of excessive use of force by Israel.

Truth #13: Arab violence is a result of insufficient use of force by Israel.

Myth #14: Israel can only achieve tranquility through displays of niceness.

Truth #14: Israel can only achieve tranquility through displays of harshness.

Myth #15: Israeli displays of flexibility and willingness to make concessions build Arab trust

.Truth #15: Israeli displays of flexibility and willingness to make concessions are seen by the Arabs as signs of weakness and encourage Arab aggression and irredentism.

Myth #16: The bulk of Palestinians want peace with Israel and oppose terror.

Truth #16: Virtually all Palestinians support war and endorse terror. None have publicly denounced terrorism.

Myth #17: Abbas is trying to halt the terror.

Truth #17: Abbas personally commands part of the terrorist groups carrying out violence against Israel.

Myth #18: The Road Map is an effective plan to achieve peace.

Truth #18: The Road Map is an effective plan to achieve the destruction of Israel.

Myth #19: The Palestinian cause is similar to that of black South Africans under apartheid.

Truth #19: The Palestinian cause is similar to that of the Sudeten Germans in Czechoslovakia.

Myth #20: Israel is an apartheid country.

Truth #20: Israel is the only state in the Middle East that is NOT an apartheid country.

Myth #21: The Arab war against Israel is a struggle for justice.

Truth #21: The Arab war against Israel is a struggle for injustice.

Myth #22: The Middle East war is a result of unwillingness by Israel to share land and resources.

Truth #22: The Arabs control land from the Atlas mountains to Central Asia. The war is because they are unwilling for the Jews to control an area smaller than New Jersey.

Myth #23: Arabs became refugees because Israel expelled them.

Truth #23: Israel invited all Arabs living in Israel to remain as Citizens of Israel with the same rights as Jews. The Arab states refused to admit their bretherin after encouraging them to flee the new state of Israel.

Myth 24: Jews living in Arab states are welcomed and live there in peace.

Thrth 24: Jews from Arab states became refugees because the Arab countries expelled them.

Myth #25: The Middle East war is about Israel refusing to acknowledge the Palestinian right of self-determination.

Truth #25: The Middle East war is about the Arab world refusing to allow the Israeli Jews the right of self-determination.

Jack Lauber