Court Rules: Judaism ≠ Israel

A British court has just ruled against a Jewish pro Israel activist who claimed that his union's anti-Zionist positions were antisemitic. The court wrote, in part

 “a belief in the Zionist project or an attachment to Israel or any similar sentiment cannot amount to a protected characteristic. It is not intrinsically a part of Jewishness.”

This is a welcome blow to the anti-Zionism = antisemtism trope that is being increasingly heard in the U.S, Canada, and Britain.

see Haartez for more details.

Is The Jewish Mainstream Beginning to Move?

Both statements above are true. Whats surprising is that they appeared in the not very radical New Voices e-zine, - the official publication of the Jewish Student Press Service, which itself is a Jewish Community funded voice to/for Jewish college students.

Over the weekend I had an opportunity to hear Peter Beinhart speak. One of his noteworthy comments is that on many U.S, college campuses the leadership and core of of the "Palestine Solidarity Campaigns" are Jewish students. Beinart's insight, is that the Jewish community needs to engage in the debate with these students, not try to shut it down. Having a debate on BDS in a synagogue has the advantage of getting these kids into shul and engaged with the Jewish community. Something that is unlikely to happen otherwise.

The Jewish community needs to decide: does it want to defend Israel's largely indefensible reputation at all costs, or does it want to keep these Jewish youth in the Jewish community. The article cited above seems to indicate that at least some community leaders are beginning to side with Beinart on this point.