There is a trend among some liberal Zionist and other Jewish critics of Israel in the US and West to claim that Israels actions in Gaza cast a shadow over them. One writer claims the current Gaza death toll casts a moral shadow upon American Jews, and unfairly, upon Jewish communities everywhere. The theory that Israels actions harm my name as a Jew is predicated on the idea that Israel exists only for you. I have seen opeds where someone claims a deep attachment to Israel...I went there for a week in high school with my family. Their theory is that for the one week in their life they might go to Israel, Israel must exist just to please them. And they want it to be the Israel that reflects my values and Israel shames me when it acts against civilians. But why does Israels actions reflect badly on other Jews abroad? Why is their this self-centered idea that Israel exists just to make a few Jews abroad look good. Ireland doesnt exist to make Irish Americans feel good, Armenia doesnt exist to make Armenians have a better reputation...no one pretends that India exists so an Indian in Tobago can have a good name. Your name is what you make it. If you find people blaming you for Israels actions, tell them to complain to Israel. Why should the proper address for dislike of Israels actions be anyone named Cohen or Goldstein living in the US, UK or Canada? No one blames some random Syrian for Assads actions. And Syrians dont claim that Assad has ruined the name of the Syrian people. People should realize Israel exists, not in order to please a few good hearted people abroad, but primarily for its own 7 million citizens. Insofar as Israel is a potential home for other Jews, they should advocate an Israel that they want to see, not because it reflects badly on them abroad, but because they want it to be better. It shouldnt be self-centered of I want Israel to behave better so I look good but rather I want Israel to behave better for its own sake, etc...
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 11:12:15 +0000
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