Newton Vs. Anti-Zionism
“The American Jewish establishment and political allies have read a large section of American Jews out of Judaism, out of Jewishness, by making the de facto definition of what it means to be a Jew in good standing virtually unconditional support for the State of Israel as it relates to Palestinians. But the problem is that there is a growing number of Americans, particularly younger ones, who simply dissent.”
I understand this article could come off as controversial. I do not wish to offend anyone with deep ties to Israel and I do not wish to criticize American Jews simply for holding certain beliefs. Though one could argue that Zionism is definitionally illiberal, for the sake of this project, I simply argue that some Newton residents use Zionism to exclude non-Zionist residents from discourse and from their own identity. And that is illiberal. Jews and Israelis are disproportionately represented in Newton, leading to pro-Israel residents also being over-represented. This project hopes to accomplish a push towards a liberalism that is self-critical. In my utopian Newton, residents would have genuine conversations about the suffering of Palestinians while not feeling as if they are sacrificing any deep-rooted support for a Jewish state. Many Jews know that balancing the two are incredibly difficult, but including those with sympathies for the plight of the Palestinians in the discourse, acknowledging the other side of the debate, and differentiating between anti-zionism and anti-semitism is, at least in my experience, remarkably easy. Understanding what it means to be Jewish and feeling a kinship to other Jews is healthy, but we must not be militant in our camaraderie with those that share our identity. I find, as a Jew looking at this conflict, that what Judaism has taught me is more important than any connection to Israel. Judaism taught me how to mourn, how to pray, and how to care. These lessons have led me to a nuanced perspective that does not allow me to disregard any human life. I am grateful for how my religious education has shaped my views on Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) and how that concept informs my views on Israel and Palestine.
In Newton there is a popular lawn sign (clearly, I really hate lawn signs) that reads, “We stand with Israel #Humanity”. I, a Jewish resident who has, at the very least, numerous critiques of the Israeli government, find this offensive. The sign implies that to not stand with Israel is to not possess some level of humanity. I believe that Israel could end this war. As Ezra Klein said, speaking about the horrors of October 7th, “Hamas did not then and certainly does not now threaten Israel’s existence.” Therefore opposing Israel's offensive in both Gaza and the West Bank is far from inhumane. If anything, it is the pacifist position. Lest you mistake me for a true pacifist, I am not, and this article is not meant to argue the facts or morality of the conflict. But I also recognize that the lawn sign is not meant to invoke a debate on what position is more “humane”, it simply seeks to alienate Newton residents and discredit their viewpoints. How would you feel opposing Israel if you fear your neighbors would find you inhumane? And just in case someone reading this is part of the, “but you can stand with the people and not their government” sector of American Zionists, I ask you, please, put up a sign saying “I stand with Russia” to express your empathy for Russians caught in the crossfire.
I want to make it clear that this sign is extremely common in Newton. In fact, I would guess that it is the most popular lawn sign in the city. And that way of thinking about the conflict is just as common. I have heard kids being judged for not supporting Israel and seen Newton residents post on their Instagram accounts things that directly dehumanize Palestinians. Regardless of your nuanced view on Israel, I ask you, if you were a Palestinian living in Newton, would you feel welcome?
I have a friend who shares the belief that some Newton residents exercise illiberal and exclusionary values through Judaism and Zionism. He claims that these values are perpetuated by Newton Synagogues. He is Jewish and a person of color. He reported to me that in select Newton temples, he and other non-white Jews were glared at and experienced frequent racism. I asked him how they handled Palestine. He told me that they didn’t; they acted as if it didn’t exist. Even the map of Israel on the wall included all of the occupied lands with no reference to Palestine. The complete exclusion and denial of the fact that the land is, at the least, contested, is partially responsible for the lack of differing opinions in Newton. I worry that if youth are not exposed to different opinions, they won’t have the agency to develop their own.
At my school, we had a conversation about Israel and Palestine. It was organized by students and was meant to spark discourse about the conflict. The same aforementioned friend spoke out against some of the policies that the Israeli government had adopted. Instead of appreciating his contribution to the discourse, one girl, a Newton resident who was a year older than us, called him a “self-hating jew”. Apart from the idiocy of going to a “discussion about Israel and Palestine” and proceeding to rage at the first sign of a differing view point, this goes to show how ingrained the conflation between anti-semitism and anti-Israeli government rhetoric is in the minds of many young Jews. I do believe that there is a difference between anti-zionism and anti-semitism, but for the purpose of this example, the comment was not even anti-zionist, it was simply anti-Israeli government. And I suppose, in this case, criticizing the leader of Israel was made equivalent to hating Jews. Thus, if the person criticizing Israel is Jewish, then the only logical conclusion is that they must hate themselves. I happen to know that this same girl is liberal and vehemently opposed to Trump. I wonder if she considers herself a self-hating American.
Political parties like to take hardline stances on things: pro-choice, pro-Israel, anti-DEI etc. But to me, taking a hardline stance in support of a war in which thousands of children have died is misguided. The Democratic party tried this, taking a hardline pro-Israel stance. As a result, they lost many young voters and eventually the election. I see the same mistakes in Newton with elected officials saying outright “we stand with Israel”. If this sentiment alienated young voters across the country, surely, it alienates young people in Newton too. And regardless of the possible exclusion that statement might create, does anyone really care whether a suburb of Boston stands with a near-hegemonic military power in the middle-east? I remind you, Newton is extremely educated. People here are smart. They are capable of nuanced conversations and nuanced beliefs. I am not advocating for any Newton resident to change their personal views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but I am pushing for some pro-Israel Newton residents to read this and at least reconsider the judgement which they put onto others. I encourage Jewish residents to speak to those that disagree with them. Take me, I am Jewish, I have Hebrew tattooed on my arm, my ties to this community are deep, yet I think taking a hard-lined pro-Israel stance is anti the very values that make us Jews and liberals. Instead of excluding Jews like me from discourse, every Jew should seek to reckon with opposing viewpoints.
This project is meant to influence others. I understand Newton residents will not cease to support the Israeli government because two high school students started a blog. However, I want there to be a clear message to Newtoners on the fence: even if you are afraid to go against your pro-Israeli friends, family, and community members, know, you do not have to support the government of a nation across the world. You do not need to describe yourself as pro or against Israel. You can hold nuance. As a Jew committed to Liberalism, it is tiring to be asked to defend a government that goes against both my religious and ideological values. I do not accept the pervasive narrative simply because the lawn signs of my neighborhood decry that those who don’t are inhumane. And if you accept it, I ask of you, allow others to reject it. Being against a state that is perpetuating a war is natural and human. Diverse opinions – which Newton lacks – make us stronger. The prosperity of the city rests on our ability to critique our current practices.
