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Jewish Journal

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December 19, 2023

Why Are Some in the Media Misrepresenting Jewish Attitudes Towards a Ceasefire?

Commentary, Opinion /

According to NBC News, “Hundreds of Jewish organization staffers call for White House to back Gaza ceasefire.” Apparently, the editors of the piece didn’t question the contradiction between their sub headline, “Most signed anonymously for fear of their jobs,” with the text of the letter, which states that signatories want to “demonstrate broad support within the Jewish community for a ceasefire.”

Which is it? Is there broad support for a ceasefire, or is this view so radical that espousing it would cost someone their job?

The fact that NBC ran this story about a letter that is signed by so many as “anonymous” or without any kind of identifiers (such as a last name, city or state), raises serious journalistic questions. How do they know the true number of signatories when nearly 30% of the signatories do not clearly identify themselves? Why are they giving a platform to a letter that contradicts itself?

No matter, this open letter was used as evidence by others in the media that there is popular support in the American Jewish community against Israel defeating Hamas.

Just after the print article published, MSNBC’s Ali Velshi spoke about the letter, saying “More than 500 staffers representing more than 140 Jewish organizations across the country from synagogues and museums to community centers and philanthropic organizations signed an open letter to President Biden calling on a ceasefire.” In fact, these individuals do not represent these organizations and do not claim to do so. They are quite explicit that they are writing “as individuals.” Velshi has taken a letter signed by some random Jewish individuals and presented it as the authentic view of the American Jewish community. This is tokenism.

In reality, calls to leave Hamas in power and demand an Israeli ceasefire are outside the mainstream of Jewish opinion.

Not one of the 50 diverse organization that make up the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations are calling for a ceasefire. Instead, their CEO, William Daroff, has reposted comments against a ceasefire, such as those by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who said, “A ceasefire — in this moment — with Hamas still alive, still intact, with the stated intent of repeating Oct. 7th again and again and again, that would simply perpetuate the problem.”

It’s not just at the organizational level. A recent poll by the Jewish Electorate Institute found that 74% of Jewish voters approve of President Biden’s handling of the war between Israel and Hamas. Specifically, by a margin of nearly 2-1 American Jews support the United States vetoing a United Nations Security Council Resolution calling for a ceasefire.

So why the mischaracterization? Presumably, proponents of a ceasefire want to see the hostilities end in order to stop the bloodshed in Gaza and see the people of the coastal enclave begin rebuilding their homes and their lives. And using Jews as tokenism is of course effective, when it comes to a public relations war. However, when it comes to the actual war, sadly, a ceasefire while Hamas continues to control the Gaza Strip would achieve the exact opposite result.

Presumably, proponents of a ceasefire want to see the hostilities end in order to stop the bloodshed in Gaza and see the people of the coastal enclave begin rebuilding their homes and their lives … Sadly, a ceasefire while Hamas continues to control the Gaza Strip would achieve the exact opposite result.

In fact, “Israel, Hamas agree to ceasefire to end bloody 11-day war,” read the headline of an AP article on May 21, 2021, describing the conclusion of the last major round of fighting in Gaza. That ceasefire largely held until Oct. 7th, 2023, when Hamas unleashed the most vicious and widespread terrorist attacks that Israel has ever experienced.

A ceasefire would, in effect, restore the status quo ante, allowing Hamas to continue using Gaza as a launching pad for terrorism against Israel, and send a message to Hezbollah and Iran that they can attack Israeli civilians with impunity.

This is an untenable position for Israel in light of comments by Ghazi Hamad, a member of Hamas’ decision-making political bureau, who said: “The al-Aqsa Flood [Oct. 7 attack on Israel] is just the first time and there will be a second, a third, a fourth because we have the determination, the resolve and the capabilities to fight.”

A ceasefire now would also condemn Palestinians civilians to more oppression and human rights abuses under the brutal rule of Hamas. Indeed, the State Department’s West Bank and Gaza 2022 Human Rights Report details “credible reports of unlawful or arbitrary killings by Hamas personnel; torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by Hamas personnel; arbitrary arrest or detention; political prisoners or detainees; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary; arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy; serious restrictions on freedom of expression, including violence, threats of violence, arbitrary arrests or prosecutions of journalists, censorship, and criminalization of libel and slander; serious restrictions on internet freedom; substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association; serious and unreasonable restrictions on political participation; serious government corruption; lack of investigation of and accountability for gender-based violence; crimes, violence, and threats of violence motivated by antisemitism; unlawful recruitment and use of child soldiers; crimes involving violence and threats of violence targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex persons; and the worst forms of child labor.”

Surely these aren’t the values the ceasefire advocates are seeking to impose on the people of Gaza. It certainly isn’t the opinion of the overwhelming majority of the American Jewish community.

As rabbis spanning the Jewish denominational spectrum, we too wanted to add clarity, which is why we organized an open letter signed by nearly 700 rabbis that explicitly rejects the letter covered by NBC News. Unlike the pro-ceasefire letter, these rabbis all include their full names, cities and states, making them easily identifiable. Put simply, the position that requires anonymity to espouse isn’t mainstream. The position that you can attach your name to is.

So, if the leaders of American Jewish organizations reject calls for a ceasefire, the average American Jew rejects calls for a ceasefire, and American Jewish religious leaders reject calls for a ceasefire, why are some in the media continuing to present fringe positions as mainstream?

Rabbi Jeremy Barras is Reform pulpit rabbi in Miami, Florida. Rabbi David-Seth Kirshner is a Conservative pulpit rabbi in Closter, New Jersey. Rabbi E. Samuel Klibanoff is an Orthodox pulpit rabbi in Livingston, New Jersey.

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Huge Hostage Display Goes Up in Culver City

Community /

If you live in Los Angeles, or anywhere in the United States, you’ve likely come across those ubiquitous “kidnapped” posters featuring Israeli hostages. They seem to be plastered everywhere—on walls, electric poles and trees. They are also often torn shortly after they go up.

Frustrated by this disheartening sight, Dershowitz and producer Jeremy Goldscheider decided to take action. The non-profit organization, in collaboration with the Combat Antisemitism Movement, decided to create impactful art that couldn’t be destroyed. Says Goldscheider, “We set out to create a KIDNAPPED poster so large and powerful that no-one, no matter how malicious they may be, could ever rip it down.”

Artists 4 Israel, which boasts artists from around the world, recently lost of one of its members, graffiti artist Inbar Haiman (known as Pink), who was kidnapped by Hamas. On December 17, her family was informed by the Israeli government that she had been murdered while in captivity. Haiman, 27, was abducted from the Nova music festival on October 7.

Goldscheider then approached Ari Mark, the CEO of Ample Entertainment in Los Angeles, and asked him to use his building in Culver City for the large-scale “KIDNAPPED” poster, showcasing all remaining hostages. Mark immediately agreed, fully aware of the potential backlash he might receive from haters.

The street-level art installation incorporates seven mirrors, each framed in the iconic red, allowing passersby to see their reflections amidst the powerful statement. Mark hopes that this installation will create a significant impact and draw attention to the situation.

Mark shared his weariness at witnessing countless posters being torn down throughout the city.

“I’m tired by the lack of interest in the remaining hostages,” he told the Journal. “I feel like Hollywood has been way too silent, and I feel abandoned. I was raised as a liberal Jew and I always spoke out for those communities who needed support. Jews in the entertainment industry like me, posted on social media and showed support for Black Lives Matter, the LBGTQ, about every single issue, but when it comes time to support Israel, suddenly people are keeping quiet or saying it’s complicated and don’t want to get involved?”

Mark emphasized that it’s not just non-Jews but also Jews in the industry who refrain from taking a stand and showing support for Israel due to fears of repercussions and being “eliminated.”

“It’s sad and it’s unforgivable,” he said. “I know we will face some backlash because of this, but I’m ready for it. A woman stopped to take pictures of the building, and a man who was passing by in his car started screaming slurs at her. I suspect there will be others who will have issue with this art, but I’m ready for it. We want to bring attention to the hostages and the fact that I have to defend and explain why I put on posters and want bring civilians back home, is so disgusting. Like many Jews in the U.S., it’s shocking for me to see how little support we have in this country. We can’t sleep at night knowing that there are hostages kept by Hamas, and that’s the least I can do to bring awareness.”

Dershowitz, who is married to an Israeli and has a brother-in-law serving in the IDF, shared that all materials for this project were generously donated by an anonymous supporter, with the primary artistic contributions coming from two artists. He expressed the hope that the project would inspire people to persist in putting up posters. He acknowledged the discouragement faced by many when they witness posters being torn down and emphasized the message for them not to be afraid but to continue displaying them, regardless of how many times they are removed.

“By using mirrors on the ground floor, we want each person to truly imagine what it would be like to be kidnapped by terrorists.” Craig Dershowitz

“By using mirrors on the ground floor, we want each person to truly imagine what it would be like to be kidnapped by terrorists,” said Dershowitz. “As you walk by, you will see yourself in the frame, see your face among the hostages. Maybe that empathy will help people stop tearing down these posters and start tearing down antisemitism.”

The world’s largest “KIDNAPPED” poster, featuring the portraits of 173 hostages and prominent text reading “Bring Them Home Now,” will be officially unveiled on December 20th at 4:20 p.m. in a ‘Moment of Reflection’ that will include hearing from the family of Farhan Alkali, a Bedouin Arab taken hostage by Hamas, and Baby Ariel, one of the influencers at the heart of the firestorm on TikTok surrounding the Israel-Gaza War.

Ample Entertainment is located at 11101 Washington Blvd Culver City, CA 90232.

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“New School” Students Trample Memory of their Zionist Founder

Commentary, Opinion /

Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

When pro-Hamas students at Manhattan’s prestigious New School blocked the entrance to campus last week, they were also trampling the memory of the Zionist scholar who co-founded the university, and of the refugees from Nazi genocide who served as its core faculty for decades.

For several hours on December 4, dozens of extremists physically prevented fellow-students from entering, waved Palestinian flags, and falsely accused Israel of committing genocide. One student walking by the pro-Hamas protesters told reporters that they encircled her and shouted accusations about her being a “colonizer.”

The protest was organized by the campus branch of Students for Justice in Palestine, which has praised the October 7 pogrom by Hamas in southern Israel, in which over 1200 Israelis were massacred, tortured, raped, or beheaded, with hundreds more abducted.

Before ditching class and picking up their bullhorns, the students should have taken a few minutes to read up on the history of their own school.

I wonder if they know, for example, that the university was co-founded by the philosopher Horace M. Kallen, who was one of the earliest leaders of the American Zionist movement. Kallen lectured and wrote tirelessly in support of creating a Jewish state in the Holy Land.

The New School’s Jewish roots don’t end there. In the 1930s, when many American universities refused to help German Jewish scholars who were trying to flee the Nazis, the New School stepped up. It created a new division, the University in Exile, for the specific purpose of rescuing fugitive professors.

Unlike today’s protesters, who hurl the term “genocide” at anybody they dislike, the refugee scholars who taught at the New School knew from first-hand experience what it’s like to be persecuted by a genuinely genocidal regime.

Although few Jewish refugees were permitted by the Roosevelt administration to enter the United States, a clause in the immigration law admitted foreign scholars outside the strict quota system. The New School used that provision to save 184 of the world’s most brilliant intellectuals. And they, in turn, vastly enriched the university—and the country—with their knowledge and experience.

The refugee faculty included some of the world’s most famous economists, legal scholars, psychologists (such as Gestalt pioneer Max Wertheimer), sociologists (including the founders of the authoritative journal Social Research), and political scientists. Some of them had served in earlier German governments and lent their expertise to the Roosevelt administration’s New Deal initiatives and, later, America’s war effort.

Refugee Hans Simons began his association with the New School in 1935 as a professor of political science. He went to become dean of its School of Politics, Director of International Studies and finally, in 1950, president of the university. At the time, the New School had 5,000 students and just a single building.

In the decade he was president, Dr. Simons initiated an expansion effort that saw the student body grow to 8,000, along with the construction of two new buildings—both named after Jewish philanthropists who generously funded them.

I wonder how many of the pro-Hamas students who make use of the Jacob M. Kaplan Building or the Albert A. List Building each day know about Kaplan and List, sons of the immigrant generation who had to drop out of school as teenagers to support their families. Their sweat and toil made it possible for today’s students to enjoy a comfortable campus life.

Probably few, if any, of the pro-Hamas students know how the New School came to adopt the phrase “To the Living Spirit” as its official motto. The backstory is that a building at the University of Heidelberg, in pre-Hitler Germany, bore a plaque urging students to “be the Living Spirit.” When the Nazis rose to power, they tore down the sign. They also purged Jewish faculty members and instituted a completely Nazified curriculum.

As a demonstration that the New School’s University in Exile would represent the very opposite of the totalitarianism to which Heidelberg had succumbed, the school adopted the old Heidelberg slogan as its own.

Despite protests by New School faculty members, prominent U.S. universities, including Harvard, Columbia and Yale, sent delegates to take part in celebrations at the University of Heidelberg in 1936. It was part of the broader tragedy of Ivy League schools cultivating friendly relations with Nazi Germany.

As for Zionism and Israel, New School co-founder Kallen was far from the only Zionist in the New School’s illustrious history. Stella Adler, a strong supporter of Israel, chaired its drama department, and among her students was Marlon Brando, an equally ardent Zionist. Brando later recalled how the refugee scholars “enriched the city’s intellectual life with an intensity that has probably never been equaled anywhere during a comparable period of time.”

New School drama alumni Ben Gazzara and Shelley Winters were active in a pro-Israel group in Hollywood; a statement they and other entertainers drafted—back in 1976—warned that Israel was “the target of total planned destruction” by its Arab enemies. Another alum, Walter Matthau, famously clashed with Vanessa Redgrave over her film supporting Palestinian terrorists.

In short, American Zionists and European Jewish refugees made the New School what it is today. They must be spinning in their graves at the spectacle of New School students cheering on the mass murderers of Israeli Jews and slandering the Jewish state.

Dr. Medoff is founding director of The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies and author of more than 20 books about Jewish history and the Holocaust. His latest is America and the Holocaust: A Documentary History, published by the Jewish Publication Society & University of Nebraska Press.

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