This Will Not Extinguish My Flame

Count me among the many left-leaning Jews who feel isolated from many groups and people with whom we’ve organized and advocated in the past.

For the past two months, many people have felt compelled to align on one side of the Israeli-Hamas war, or another. The organizations that some label “woke” – those advocating for gender equality, queer rights, racial justice – have mostly positioned themselves as anti-Israel, believing that the Jewish state is the result of settler colonialism and white supremacy. This belief is perpetuated by decades of an intentional and misleading narrative, rooted in some of the oldest antisemitic tropes. Jewish greed, puppet mastery, world domination, elitism, and more… are all building blocks to the false perception that Israel is an illegitimate nation.

The feeling of isolation that I share with so many of my Jewish siblings comes from experiencing the betrayal of having stood side-by-side and hand-in-hand with so many other marginalized communities, advocating for their rights, to now find them advocating against our existence. I know, from personal experience, that those advocating against Israel do not believe their advocacy is rooted in antisemitism or that it harms me. But my heart and my understanding of my People’s history know the harm being caused.

Phrases like “from the river to the sea” cannot be accepted as peaceful aspirations. Even if a person who wants peace says them, that is not the origin of the phrase or the goal of its authors. Those of us who advocate for justice know that impacted communities can speak best to the harms caused by statements and actions. Listen to the vast majority of Jewish people when we say that this calls for our genocide. Believe us when we say that the vast majority of us want peace in the Levant – for all people. Most of us have been calling for a two-state solution for decades and still want to see this come to fruition, even after the Simchat Torah Massacre.

Though I feel betrayed, I remain proud of every step I’ve taken in solidarity with the reignited fight for racial justice during the summer of 2020. I still have a sign at my home reading “Black lives matter.” I remain proud of each breath used to call for queer rights to be fully recognized in our laws. I stand by my words when I spoke up against rising Asian hate during the pandemic, and against Islamophobia after the election of our 45th President. Because I didn’t do any of these things as a downpayment for when I knew I inevitably would need allies. I do these things because Judaism has taught me “tzedek, tzedek tirdof – justice, justice shall you pursue.” I do these things because they are the right thing to do, even absent reciprocity.

I remain grateful to all who stand against antisemitism, and I hold space for those who do not yet see the harm they are causing by ignoring the truth.

My commitment to social justice remains intact, and my Zionism remains intact. My flame remains burning for peace and justice.