No Guts, but Lots of Glory: Prominent Jewish dissenters on Israel aren't showing courage

Jewish World Review ^ | Sept. 17, 2002 | Jonathan Tobin

[Alouette]

It is a familiar pattern.

A well-known Diaspora Jewish figure speaks out in a secular-news outlet denouncing Israeli policies.

While the majority of Jews gasp at the chutzpah of the denunciation, commentators and journalists speak in hushed tones about the trials and tribulations that the dissenter will be subjected to for breaking with Israel. A few pro-Israel stalwarts will voice outrage, but most of the reaction will, however, center on the "courage" that the Israel critic has shown. All of which will be pure bunk.

Far from having to pay a price for bashing Israel, the critic will be showered with praise and spend the rest of his or her public career having unique access to the opinion pages of secular newspapers, and being the favorite source for prominent journalists searching for a Jewish voice to use against the Jewish state.

This routine has just been played again in Britain, where no less a figure than the highly respected chief rabbi of the United Kingdom, Jonathan Sacks, earned applause for telling the Guardian - England's most notoriously anti-Israel newspaper - that Israel's self-defense against a two-year war of Palestinian terror makes him "feel very uncomfortable as a Jew."

Headlined "Israel Set on Tragic Path," Sacks confided to the left-wing paper that "the current situation … is forcing Israel into postures that are incompatible in the long run with our deepest ideals."

Predictably, Sacks expressed support for Israel, and later said his remarks were taken out of context. (Has anyone else noticed that the two groups most likely to complain about being misquoted are professional athletes and rabbis?)

But most of the commentary after the fact centered on how gutsy the stuffy rabbi - who prefers to be called "professor" - had been to call into question the morality of Israeli actions.

[Alouette]

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[2sheep]

KJB:  Jg 5:23 Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty.

JPS:  Shoftim 5:23 'Curse ye Meroz', said the angel of HaShem, 'Curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, because they came not to the help of HaShem, to the help of HaShem against the mighty.'

[SJackson]

A very good article.

The left seems to revel not only in the creating of victims (whom they can “help”) but seem sustained by a sense of individual victimization. It’s fine for Rabbi Sacks to express his opinion, but statements that the secular actions of Israel make Sacks "feel very uncomfortable as a Jew" demonstrates to me a Clinton sized ego rather than a sincere concern for solving the problems on the ground. Maybe I’d understand if he was riding an Egged bus to work every day.

[BenF]

Jonathan Sacks, earned applause for telling the Guardian - England's most notoriously anti-Israel newspaper - that Israel's self-defense against a two-year war of Palestinian terror makes him "feel very uncomfortable as a Jew."

I wonder whether Sacks takes Yom Kippur seriously.....

[Nachum]

A young Jewish man came to an Orthodox Rabbi, Conservative Rabbi and English Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. He asked them each the same question, "Why do we fast on Yom Kipper"?

The Orthodox Rabbi said,"To ask God to forgive us our sins"

The Conservative Rabbi said, "We think it might have something to do with the antiquated belief in sin"

Jonathan Sacks said, "Screw it, want a bite of my ham and cheese?"

[SJackson]

Jonathan Sacks said, "Screw it, want a bite of my ham and cheese?"

Religion can be a "form of conflict resolution". As long as everyone got a ham and cheese sandwich, and no one got more mustard that his neighbor, there'd be nothing to fight about, and Rabbi Sacks would be fine with it.

Can I, a Jew, hear the echoes of God's voice in that of a Hindu, or a Sikh, or a Muslim?

[Nachum]

Interesting. Rabbi sacks said-

We will make peace only when we learn that God loves difference and so, at last, must we. God has created many cultures, civilisations and faiths, but only one world in which to live together - and it is getting smaller all the time.

Imagine that. Judaism says that the world will make peace when Mochiach comes. Rabbi Sacks can't seem to find room for Moshiach in his Judaism. He must be too busy making sure his fellow Jews will be making pork- kosher.

[SJackson]

We will make peace only when we learn that God loves difference and so, at last, must we. God has created many cultures, civilisations and faiths, but only one world in which to live together - and it is getting smaller all the time.
Imagine that. Judaism says that the world will make peace when Mochiach comes. Rabbi Sacks can't seem to find room for Moshiach in his Judaism. He must be too busy making sure his fellow Jews will be making pork- kosher.

There’s no role for Moshiach in Rabí Sack’s vision of a “shrinking world”, and accomodation for those who would rid the world of Jews (faith is a conflict resolver, after all). All beliefs are equal, even to the believer, to think otherwise is extremism, and if you believe it we’ll all get along. I almost think he revels, from a very safe distance, in a sense of impending victimization, he’ll be a victim of his own superior morality, of course. Fine for him, not for me.