2008 Woodie Awards
Red, White, and Orange?
Eitan Kastner
Issue date: 8/31/05 Section: Opinion
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It is difficult to fall through the cracks in Israel. From the secular Hilonim to the devout Hareidim, nearly fascist Kahniks in the settlement of Tapuah to the thorough integrationists in the half-Israeli half-Arab town of Neve Shalom, it seems that no ideology is left unaccounted in Israeli society. These groups advocate drastically different ideas about what the State of Israel should be and how it should be run. And there is nothing wrong with that: Israel is a democracy and it is natural for a democracy to have factions with different viewpoints, so long as they ultimately all accept the existence of an overarching democratic system.
There is, however, one faction of Jews whose actions are most problematic: American Jews who publicly oppose the policies of the Israeli government. There is no problem with American Jews disagreeing with any or every of the policies of the Israeli government. Everyone is entitled to have their own opinion. But, remember, having an opinion is one thing; expressing it is most certainly another. While it may undoubtedly be a good thing for American Jews to have strong opinions and convictions on Israel and Israeli policy, it is problematic when they express those views in a public forum.
A prerequisite to appreciating my forthcoming argument is an understanding of the necessity of an internationally recognized, democratic, Jewish state with a strong military. If one does not have such an appreciation (which, in my humble opinion, can be gleaned from an awareness of the Holocaust and the events that led up to it), then this argument will inevitably fall upon deaf ears.
This past summer, I had the opportunity to work at a popular tourist site in Israel, frequented by American Jewish tourists, probably half of whom arrived clad to the teeth in orange (the color of those who oppose the disengagement). The reactions of my mostly non-religious co-workers ranged from confusion to rage upon viewing these tourists making such a strong political statement. This wasn't surprising, considering their own political stance, which was supportive of the government's policy of disengagement. Indeed, they would probably voice similar sentiments upon seeing Israelis wearing that color.
There is, however, one faction of Jews whose actions are most problematic: American Jews who publicly oppose the policies of the Israeli government. There is no problem with American Jews disagreeing with any or every of the policies of the Israeli government. Everyone is entitled to have their own opinion. But, remember, having an opinion is one thing; expressing it is most certainly another. While it may undoubtedly be a good thing for American Jews to have strong opinions and convictions on Israel and Israeli policy, it is problematic when they express those views in a public forum.
A prerequisite to appreciating my forthcoming argument is an understanding of the necessity of an internationally recognized, democratic, Jewish state with a strong military. If one does not have such an appreciation (which, in my humble opinion, can be gleaned from an awareness of the Holocaust and the events that led up to it), then this argument will inevitably fall upon deaf ears.
This past summer, I had the opportunity to work at a popular tourist site in Israel, frequented by American Jewish tourists, probably half of whom arrived clad to the teeth in orange (the color of those who oppose the disengagement). The reactions of my mostly non-religious co-workers ranged from confusion to rage upon viewing these tourists making such a strong political statement. This wasn't surprising, considering their own political stance, which was supportive of the government's policy of disengagement. Indeed, they would probably voice similar sentiments upon seeing Israelis wearing that color.