Jewish Currents is much more skeptical of Zionism than even most left-wing American Jews are. |
American Jews have been trending to the political right since October 7, largely over the far-left's anti-Israel stance. There is, of course, room to be horrified by the starvation in Gaza and oppose Netanyahu's government. I just don't think that Beinart and Stewart are good spokespeople to do that, because they aren't representative of mainstream American Jewish views (largely), so it's hard to take them seriously on this serious issue. I will listen to Jon Stewart all day long when he's talking about support for 9/11 first responders, or another subject that he is clearly passionate about and can speak with authority. But he's used his Judaism as the butt of a joke so often that when he invokes his Judaism for something serious, like Israel-Gaza, it just doesn't feel sincere. |
so you havent watched the video
So annoying since you clearly have no idea what they said. |
+100 |
I did actually watch the video. And if I felt that either of them were coming to the discussion with care for the importance of the promise of Israel within Judaism and the importance of Zionism to Judaism, I would take it more seriously as two Jews talking about the subject. I think it was a good interview of two people talking about the conflict. But the framing of it as two Jews, when neither of them represents mainstream Jewish thought, is disingenuous and liable to be misinterpreted by non-Jews who don't understand that these two are outliers within the Jewish community. |
Perhaps you should expand your horizons and listen to Jews who don’t always agree with your idea that “Israel can do no wrong.” We can talk about Judaism and the existence of the state of Israel when the Israeli government stops starving children and committing gencide. |
Where did I say that "Israel can do no wrong"? I expressly did NOT say that (I said "There is, of course, room to be horrified by the starvation in Gaza and oppose Netanyahu's government." up above). I do listen to Jews who don't agree with me, as evidenced by the fact that I watched this interview, and I also have family members and friends who are to the left of me and to the right of me on the issue. Talking about Judaism and the ideals of Zionism that the State of Israel isn't living up to is exactly relevant now. Beinart was right that there needs to be a conversation about how we live our Jewish values when we have power on the world stage. And that conversation would be taken more seriously if led by people who aren't editors of a far-left antizionist magazine. |
As I said before, talking about "how we live our Jewish values when we have power on the world stage" needs to happen AFTER the genocide and the starvation stop. Especially when it comes to Jews pontificating from their comfortable American homes. |
No, the American Jews that YOU associate with have become more right wing. Most of my Jewish friends are anti bibi and able to recognize that Israel is committing genocide. These are not niche views. Maybe you need to chat with more Jews. |
Jewish people don't have to do anything you say actually. Like Joe Clark said in the movie "Lean on Me", all he needed to do was stay black and die, well all Jewish people need to do is stay Jewish and die (eventually, as all humans do). Why does everyone feel the need to always tell Jewish people what to do and think? They are one, not a monolith, and two, they are alm entitled to their own opinions on any topic, just like anyone else, even on the "topic of Israel" whatever that means. And on that topic, the concerted effort to conflate children in Gaza with the goal of seeking the destruction of the nation of Israel as it exists now is obvious. If Israel stopped attacking Gaza, and its government did not change, and its borders did not change, you would not be happy. Better to have a suffering people of Gaza, great fake evidence for your public trial of Israel. |
Yikes, what’s wrong with you? |
pp is expressing their opinion. What's wrong with you? |
That's what zionism looks like. It's a whole lotta crazy and unhinged. |
He doesn't want to. He wants to stick his head in the sand and "just be Jewish" because he secretly likes what Bibi is doing. That's why he is on this thread protesting when sane people (Jewish or not) are condemning what is happening in Gaza right now. |
Ok...anyone can say they know what is going on in someone's head. I'll play--you like horses, but are too afraid to ride them! I know what you are thinking! But regardless, people don't HAVE to agree with you that Israel needs to be destroyed. Their not agree with you is not a gotcha we have to be concerned about. |