We Are Not Alone, But Urgent Attention to Intergroup Relations is Required

“More than 3,800 years of Jewish history keeps yielding the same bracing lesson: In the long run, we’re alone.” — Bret Stephens, New York Times, Nov. 7, 2023. 

Since October 7th we have seen countless articles, sermons and posts about how long-time allies of the Jewish community abandoned us in our hours of need after the brutal Hamas massacre — perhaps expressing initial solidarity only to fade away after Israel responded militarily. Some have suggested that we walk away from these relationships, that they have proven to be a waste of time. We believe that is the opposite of what is needed now.

It is true that our community feels quite alone. That is a natural reaction to going through a collective trauma that is understandably hard for people outside of our community and who do not share our historical memory to fully comprehend, including the extent of shock, mourning and depth of connection to our Israeli brothers and sisters. And we feel particularly vulnerable now as Jews with the dramatic surge in antisemitism. But we have a different perspective about the responses of long-time allies. There should have been an outpouring of empathy after the Hamas pogrom. There should have been an immediate and swift response to the explosion of antisemitism, surrounding our community with a protective layer of solidarity. The deep disappointment in the thin response is genuine. At the same time, this abandonment is not as comprehensive as is generally presented.   

Huge anti-Israel protests and ugly antisemitic attacks do not mean that we are alone. Many long-time non-Jewish friends from liberal Protestant ministers to ethnic leaders have reached out to colleagues around the country to stand in solidarity with the Jewish community—not nearly enough expressions, but still far more than reported. And now, after being blindsided by the pace and depth of this latest wave of antisemitic activity, people who were quiet are finding their voices. They should be embraced even if they are late.

Examples of standing up include the recently released letter by more than 200 law firms to law school deans. The letter pushes back strongly against antisemitism and other forms of hate. The initiative by Yeshiva University President Ari Berman to engage university presidents to stand with Israel has resulted in a significant outpouring of support. African-American leader Reverend William Barber II, founding director of the Center for Public Theology & Public Policy at Yale Divinity School, spoke out against Hamas and in support of Israel. In recent weeks, there have been interfaith vigils focused on condemning Hamas, praying for the safe return of the hostages, and speaking out against growing antisemitism and Islamophobia.

We cannot expect potential allies to understand our attachment to Israel and the extent of our fears about the rise of antisemitism if we are not in sustained relationship with leaders of other diverse and often marginalized communities.

The reality is not that the Jewish community is alone but that we are woefully outspent and understaffed in the intergroup relations arena. It is not that we have spent too much time building relationships; it’s that we have spent not nearly enough, particularly when our community’s detractors quickly fill the vacuum. We cannot expect potential allies to understand our attachment to Israel and the extent of our fears about the rise of antisemitism if we are not in sustained relationship with leaders of other diverse and often marginalized communities: religious, ethnic, LGBTQ, labor and other communities. Nor should we have high expectations for others standing up for our community if we are not standing up loudly when their community is under attack. And while many special relationships exist today, they are a fraction of what is required. 

As our community has become more professionalized, many grassroots connections have been lost and too often pro-Israel voices are absent from key community organizing tables. The answer to the challenge is to double down and dramatically expand our relationship-building, find common cause, share how Israel is an inseparable part of our Jewish identity, and be open concerning our real sense of vulnerability and our concerns with how the Jewish community is often stereotyped as white and privileged. The point is not to embrace extremist views — there will always be red lines — but to marginalize them, which we can do only if we multiply our numbers beyond the 2% of Americans that Jews represent.

It is time for the American Jewish community to recognize the urgency of dramatically increasing its investment in intergroup relations and relationships with local and state officials and that this bridge-building is a strategic necessity for American Jewry and sustaining a strong American-Israel relationship.  

What does such an investment look like? For starters, it requires understanding that the urgent need for this work resides primarily at the local level. Jewish Community Relations Councils (JCRCs) operating in 120 communities and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), which mobilizes a national network dedicated to building such relationships are, if properly resourced, particularly well-positioned to expand this outreach. (It should be noted that JCPA has recently gone through a major reset and hired outstanding professional leadership to focus more strategically in this arena). We call upon American Jewish philanthropists and foundations to embrace now the critical task of bridge-building beyond the Jewish community. It cannot be done without the vision, speed and level of investment that only they can help ensure.

To test the theory that significantly expanded outreach and bridge-building will translate into more allyship, we recommend a two-year pilot project: identifying an initial 15-20 communities and providing their JCRCs with additional personnel to engage specifically in this essential work and JCPA with sufficient resources to coordinate and package the best practices and intended outcomes to share with the entire field. Such an approach will not prevent every offensive action directed against Israel or antisemitic act, but the likelihood that extremist views can be kept closer to the margins will increase. And, at a time when America’s Jews are feeling vulnerable, such a program of collective action will allow all of us to feel less alone, which is its own value.

Does a major intergroup initiative mean we should not be disappointed or prepared to pivot when we feel burned by people whom we once counted as allies? No. We have a right to expect true friends to stand with us, while at the same time being realistic and strategic regarding how they can support us.

Standing with us may not always involve speaking at our Israel solidarity rallies. While that would be optimal, there are other important actions that allies can take. For example, numerous friends who are local officials have made it difficult for anti-Israel actions to gain traction in their cities. For every city council that threatens to pass a toxic anti-Israel resolution there are dozens of councils where relationships have been built and sustained over time that have not succumbed to pressure. Let’s also give full credit to the behind-the-scenes relational work designed to stop anti-Israelism from spreading while continuing to call on key community leaders to speak out.

At the same time, going forward, it will be helpful for practitioners to have an informal contract — a “reasonable standard” — that conveys whether we can count on long-time allies in our time of need. 

It is reasonable to expect:

—Unambiguous condemnation of major terror attacks directed against Israel.

—Reaching out to Jewish community allies with personal messages of concern and solidarity.

—A willingness to speak out swiftly and forcefully against overt acts of antisemitism.

—A commitment not to publicly endorse anti-Israel statements or take positions that oppose Israel’s right to defend itself.

—Demonstrating willingness to actively seek to forestall anti-Israel resolutions in their arenas of influence.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach, but one thing is clear: American Jewry’s position in this society will be at greater risk if we fail to invest more deeply in intergroup relations.

Rabbi Doug Kahn is the Executive Director emeritus of the Jewish Community Relations Council Bay Area. Dr. Windmueller is an Emeritus Professor of Jewish Communal Service at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles and previously served as the JCRC Director of the LA Jewish Federation. The views expressed are their own.