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03/02/2010

Big-Tent Zionism Includes Progressive Wing

by Kenneth Bob
Special To The Jewish Week

The following article, written by Ameinu President Kenneth Bob, was published by The Jewish Week on March 2, 2010.

The Zionist movement historically welcomed a broad range of points of view, from left to right, Orthodox and secular. In recent decades, the liberal religious streams have formally joined the World Zionist Organization, widening the movement’s base. With this in mind, it was disconcerting to read Rabbi Yotav Eliach’s Opinion piece in The Jewish Week (“A Litmus Test For Zionism,” Jan. 22) in which he uses selective quotes from Israel’s Declaration of Independence to create a “litmus test” to narrowly redefine Zionism.

Although the organization I serve as president, Ameinu, made his cut, it appears he does this in an attempt to eliminate organizations with which he has political differences from the all-important pro-Israel “big tent.”

This is part of a new campaign that decries the use of the phrase “pro-Israel” by groups, particularly J Street, that are critical of various aspects of Israeli policy regarding the occupied territories and its inhabitants. It is instructive that those on the left spend much less energy outing right-wing groups that clearly oppose Israeli government policy, some of them even encouraging and funding the breaking of the law by West Bank settlers. Are these right-wing groups dangerous? Yes. Do I believe they ultimately will hinder the fulfillment of the Zionist dream? Absolutely. Do I spend energy trying to distance them from the rest of the community? No.

It is a fact that the American Jewish community reflects the broad range of political views represented in the Israel Knesset and throughout Israeli society. While the debate over the right of American Jews to criticize Israel continues, I believe it is slowly becoming irrelevant. Israeli political leaders either accept it as a positive development that engages diaspora Jews or are realizing they need to live with a new reality.

When Rabbi Eliach and others try to expropriate the word “Zionism” and the phrase “pro-Israel” for their own exclusive use, they are doing a disservice to the Jewish people. At a time when the campaign to delegitimize Israel’s very existence is growing on campuses and in communities around the world, progressive Zionist groups are often best equipped to combat these attacks. We can address the erroneous claims of those trying to delegitimize Israel by using language and arguments that are understood by this audience. Seeking to place progressive groups outside the accepted Jewish community is short- sighted and damaging to the overall pro-Israel objectives. Instead, we should encourage all of our fellow Jews to connect with Israel in the context of our community.

While I am not a big believer in litmus tests as proposed by Rabbi Eliach, in the interests of maintaining the aforementioned big Zionist tent, I would suggest that we take a look at the Jerusalem Program, the official document of the Zionist movement, for guidance. In addition to statements about Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the importance of aliyah and the Hebrew language, and the struggle against anti-Semitism, comes a clause stating that at the “foundation of Zionism is strengthening Israel as a Jewish, Zionist and democratic state and shaping it as an exemplary society with a unique moral and spiritual character, marked by mutual respect for the multi-faceted Jewish people, rooted in the vision of the prophets, striving for peace and contributing to the betterment of the world.”

This statement includes the definition of Israel as a Jewish state, which is clearly a Zionist tenet. It also includes the requirement that Israel be a democratic state, thus dictating the enactment of the two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. The demography of the region, with close to equal numbers of Jews and Arabs between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, leaves no room for other alternatives. Following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Bar-Ilan speech in support of a two-state solution last year, this is recognized as the Israeli consensus position and a critical part of fully realizing the Zionist dream of a Jewish, democratic state.

Theodore Herzl, the father of modern Zionism whose 150th birthday we celebrate this year, provided the inspiration for the Jerusalem Program, envisioning a socially just, religiously tolerant Jewish state living in harmony with its Arab neighbors. In addition to reaching the elusive peace with the Palestinians, there is much work to be done within Israeli society to live up to his vision. American Jews can certainly contribute to that endeavor as well, supporting the work of Israeli not-for-profit organizations and activists. Let us expend our energy positively rather than creating false divisions within the community.

Kenneth Bob is the national president of Ameinu, a progressive Zionist organization, and serves as a member of the World Zionist Organization Executive Board.