A session during the Israeli American Council (IAC) National Summit featured panelists stressing the importance of maintaining the strong relationship between the diaspora and Israelis amidst concerns from the former over the latest Israeli coalition government.
The session, “Israel, the American Jewish Community, and the role of Israeli Americans,” featured Jewish Federations of North American President and CEO Eric D. Fingerhut, Shalom Austin CEO Rabbi Daniel Septimus, Ruderman Family Foundation Executive Director Shira Ruderman and Jewish Agency for Israel Chairman of the Executive Doron Almog as panelists. The panel was moderated by The Jerusalem Post’s Zvika Klein.
Fingerhut began by saying that he has heard that in the American Jewish community there are “huge amounts of real concern” about the proposals of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s latest coalition government. One concern includes proposed changes to Israel’s Law of Return that would eliminate the grandfather clause allowing Jews with at least one Jewish grandparent to immigrate freely to Israel as long as they don’t practice any other religion. Fingerhut’s concern is that Law of Return is the “umbilical cord” that provides a pipeline for American students to visit Israel through Birthright and cutting that cord would endanger those trips.
But the top concern on the minds of American Jews are the proposed changes to Israel’s judiciary, Fingerhut said, explaining that the Federation was told that there would be “a real debate” on the issue, yet it appears that the proposals will not be changed. “In an American context democracy doesn’t just mean majority rule democracy means majority rule and protection of minority rights,” Fingerhut said to applause from the audience. “A system in which 61 votes is the ultimate arbiter of any issue does not mean the definition––in an American context––of a truly democratic system.” He added that one of the main arguments in favor of American support for Israel is that the Jewish state is the lone democracy in the Middle East and that Israel and the United States shared many of the same values. “If that pillar of the case for Israel is shaken then it will do considerable harm to the forces that supported Israel in America,” Fingerhut said. He urged Israeli Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli “to please take that message back to the government.”
Ruderman followed Fingerhut, relaying to the audience that the philanthropy world is “livid” and “stressed” over the proposals from the new ruling coalition and that Israeli philanthropists are similarly “nervosa” about the matter. But “we cannot change reality,” Ruderman said. “We have to learn to work together.” She cited the fact that polling data shows that 84% of American Jew support Israel, though most are “extremely critical.” “It’s not gonna be automatic,” she said. But the fact is that Israelis and American Jews share a “common destiny,” Ruderman contended. She told Fingerhut that they need to acknowledge that there are “challenges” in American Jewry as well, such as some synagogues removing the Israeli flag and that American Jewish children need to become “knowledgeable” about antisemitism. “When we do work together––even in times that we disagree, in times that are difficult––we are successful,” Ruderman said.
Almog said that the Agency’s shlichim are “radiating optimism” about Israel and Jewish identity and that it’s important to remember the Agency’s mission of “bringing people together by love” even during such “polarizing” times. “We are the voices that continue reading the story of Israel to synagogues in the United States,” he said, adding that their responsibility is “guaranteeing the existence of the Jewish people.” Septimus similarly declared that “this is the most extraordinary time in Jewish history” because there is “strong and vibrant Jewish homeland and a strong and vibrant diaspora here in the United States.” Regarding the issue of minority rights in Israel, Septimus said it was important to acknowledge “that we benefit from having our minority rights protected in the United States” when having this conversation. But on the whole he is “excited” about how the Jewish community is building “something great” in Austin.
Fingerhut turned the conversation back to the 84% figure, asking the audience if they would believe the figure based on what’s being promulgated in the news. Some recent stories included a synagogue saying they would no longer display an Israeli flag and rabbi announcing he would no longer say a certain prayer. “I would say, ‘My friends, remember the 84%,’” Fingerhut said. “That comes from action.” He acknowledged that “we have work to do on the extremes” in Israel but said it’s important to not let Israelis believe “every reform synagogue is taking the [Israeli] flag down.” Fingerhut also pointed out that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is the first time in world history that “every single Jew that needed to be saved was saved; every Jew that needed to come to Israel came to Israel” during a war in Europe. “We have the unified support of the Jewish world behind these things,” Fingerhut said. “I beg of you in Israel and I beg of us in America, let’s start by citing the other side first.” Ruderman cited polls showing a sharp increase in Israeli society over the past 10-15 years in the number of Israelis who care about all world Jewry as opposed to just those who live in Israel. “We need to keep this relationship alive,” she said.
The panel then turned to a rapid fire Q&A session, with the most of the questions concerning the issue of antisemitism––particularly on college campuses––and Jewish identity. One audience member brought up the fact that Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) opposes anti-Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) laws, prompting Fingerhut to reply that JVP “is a tiny, tiny fringe” in the Jewish community and implored students on campus to keep that in mind. Septimus said that the biggest challenge among American Jewry isn’t necessarily resistance to fighting BDS and antisemitism, but “apathy.” This is why it’s important to get American Jews to “love Israel,” Septimus contended. Ruderman similarly said that it’s important to show people that Judaism is “spiritual” and “fun” through “food, music, sports” and other “fun things.” “Less talking, start doing,” she said.
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