Jewish Anti Zionists

Three Jewish Anti Zionist Academic Influencers

An article by Yaniv Pohoryles in Ynet struck a chord with me. Not because I like what he describes. But because I agree with his take. It asks the question, ‘Why do they hate us? The ‘they’ in that question are not who you might think. They are Jews. And the ‘us’ in that question are fellow Jews that support Israel. 

These haters are not your typical Jew. They are surely not believers in the tenets of Judaism nor are they observant in any meaningful sense of the word. That does not, however, stop them from identifying  as Jews. 

Some would  label these people self hating Jews. But I’m not sure that's right. What I believe they really are is victims of a culture that has exchanged religious values for progressive values taken to the extreme. 

They divide the world into 2 groups: Aggressors and victims. As that applies to Israel and the Palestinians - Israel is the aggressor and Palestinians are the victims. An aggressor can never be a victim. No matter what happens to them. And a victim can never be an aggressor. No matter what they do. 

The following excerpts demonstrate just how far the anti Zionism of  Naomi Klein, Judith Butler and Norman Finkelstein - three prominent Jewish anti Zionist academics go:

The October  7^th  attack against Israelis was an act of self defense against the Israeli aggressor. And  Israel’s defensive war against Hamas is genocide.  The following excerpts demonstrate just how far the anti Zionism of  three prominent anti Zionist Jews (Naomi Klein, Judith Butler and Norman Finkelstein) go: 

"Too many of our people worship a false ideal, and that ideal is called Zionism. It takes our biblical story and turns it into colonialism and genocide. From the start, Zionism has violated human freedom and killed Palestinian children," accuses Naomi Klein, the Canadian activist and author. 

"October 7 was an act of military resistance. It is neither terrorism nor antisemitism – it was an attack on Israelis," claims prominent American philosopher and gender theorist Judith Butler. Though long associated with feminist values, Butler questioned reports of sexual assaults and rapes during the October attack in Israel, stating: "We want to see proof that these events occurred. It’s not a crime to demand evidence of rape and assault." 

"The military operation in Gaza goes far beyond self-defense. It enters the realm of collective punishment," analyzes Dr. Norman Finkelstein, a political scientist and outspoken critic of Israel. Finkelstein, who has previously referred to Gaza as a "concentration camp," described the October 7 events as "heroic."  

If these comments don’t turn your stomach - you aren’t Jewish. Maybe not even human.

I wish I could say that these people are screwballs with no standing in the academic world. But I can’t say that. I wish I could say that no one would pay any attention to these lunatics because of how far out their views are. But I don’t think I can say that either.

These people and many other Jewish academics like them across campuses all over the country are heroes to their young students. Students who don’t know anywhere else to get their values. These are their beloved teachers and mentors that inspire them to protest for ‘just’ causes. Like opposing the 77 year long  Zionist oppression of indigenous Palestinians whose land was stolen from them. 

This is why one will find more than a few Jewish students that are quite normal in many other ways at campus protests shouting: ‘Free Palestine from the river to the sea’ right along with Palestinian students. They have been convinced by these radical academics that Zionism is nothing more than white European colonialism. That colonialism is evil at the core and must be eradicated by any and all means. The Hamas attack against Israelis was a heroic act of defiance against 77 year colonialist oppression.

Prof. Maoz Azaryahu of the University of Haifa, head of the Herzl Institute for the Study of Zionism explains the phenomenon in the following way:

 "What we’re seeing now, after the October 7 attack, is the same narrative dominating the global radical left for years – anti-Zionism on steroids. It aligns perfectly with old Catholic ideology, which is why it resonates strongly in countries like Spain and Ireland. Today, anti-Zionism is a socially acceptable stance among educated circles and global academia. From their perspective, Zionism is a moral injustice that should be eradicated."

There are some other factors that might be influencing these young people to become so openly opposed to Israel. One  pro Palestinian organization is called ‘Not In My Name’. that name suggests another motive as articulated by Azaryahu:

"When Jews openly and vehemently oppose Zionism, it’s a sign of an antisemitic climate. These are Jews who feel the need to say, ‘We are not them – they are the bad Jews; we are the good ones.’"

I mention all this because it's important to know why so many young Jews are involved in protesting Israel. It’s true that anti Israel influences have been around on college campuses for decades. But October 7^th exacerbated their determination to articulate it even more. 

It should also not surprise anyone that (as reported by Pew Research) when so many secular Jews are abandoning their Judaism; and with an over 70% intermarriage rate, that this kind of thing is happening now. Especially with the mainstream media focusing almost daily on all the carnage in Gaza without uttering a word about the context.

There is a silver lining to all this. While the war in Gaza has certainly turned a lot of indifferent Jews against Israel, the antisemitism it has generated has also awakened a sense of Judaism in a lot of other Jews. Being persecuted for being Jewish can do that to you. These Jews are now seeking more information about their heritage and in many cases beginning to consider becoming observant.

It is up to those of us that are currently observant to lead the way and show them what being Jewish is really all about in the most positive way we can. Mostly by being open, kind, warm, and welcoming to all comers. Making sure to make a Kiddush HaShem whenever we can.