“Sorry Rabbi, This Year No Jews Allowed“
On Tuesday we hosted a group of Americans and Canadians on a dual-narrative tour of Israel. That means they go around to hear Israelis and Palestinians sharing their perspective on the war.
Almost all of the tour participants were Jews, including several Reform rabbis.
We were to be this group’s only unequivocally pro-Israel presenters, so our perspective was new for them. And hopefully, it was eye-opening.
But at the meal I came to understand that this isn’t actually a dual narrative tour, it’s a triple narrative tour. The third narrative on the war is presented by the participants themselves, on the discrimination they have been experiencing as Jews in North America.
The wife of a Jewish professor who runs a student exchange between Israel and Canada at an elite university told us that students have frequent demonstrations by her husband’s office. They’ve put up posters of his face and hands dripping with blood that read: “Professor X Supports Genocide! Fire Him!” Her husband’s academic focus, by the way, is defending minority rights.
Another participant at the meal, a female rabbi, told us that for 20 years she’s been invited to speak every Martin Luther King Day at her city’s chapter of a leading organization for Black rights. This year she was disinvited.
Shocked, she asked the organizer, “I don’t understand, what’s the issue? I won’t talk about politics, I won’t mention Israel!”
“You understand, better not come this year,” the organizer responded, “It’s a sensitive time.”
She understood. Jews are no longer welcome.
An even more upsetting event took place this past Chanukah when extremist Jews had a violent demonstration during her shul’s annual party, damaging the event hall and injuring members by throwing rocks while yelling anti-Israel slogans.
I live in Israel, which means I’m living in a war zone. But after hearing so many stories like this from our recent guests, I’m happy I’m here. In Israel there has been a deep feeling of unity since October 7th. Here we know that Israel has the right to exist, and a unforgiveable act of terrorism was committed on October 7th, and the only way to make sure it won’t happen again is to bring Hamas to its knees. Please God, may it be soon.
The veil of protection in Chutz l’Aretz is getting thin.