Editor's Letter
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A Boost For Israel
to a free XtendTM Barre
B
Collection taught by
Class at Somerset
Israelis and the years of Hamas-launched rockets from Gaza
into Negev communities, all of which has turned "daily life
into a lethal game of Russian roulette." SWU also cited Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's denial of the Holocaust
even as he called for the genocide of Jews. The Judeophobic
incitement that permeates the Middle East also came under
SWU fire.
In response to these heartless champions, Rothstein and
Seid wrote: "Their callous indifference and implicit support of
murdering Jews is both morally perverse and anti-Semitic."
The most compelling reason why the boycotters should be
boycotted, the essayists insist, is "because they endorse the
agendas of the dictatorial regimes and radical Islamist groups
who share their hatred of the Jewish state and who are also
enemies of human rights, social justice values, tolerance and
modernity."
SWU's perspective says a lot. It reminds us that states and
groups such as Iran and Hamas oppress women, persecute
minorities and mock the West. Expose BDS supporters to the
winds, SWU says, so they "pay the price for supporting and
enabling the intransigent enemies of humanitarian and lib-
eral values." In this context, "liberal" means "civilized" and is a
critical stage setter of the counter-boycott battle.
oycott the boycotters? Why not? There doesn't seem
to be anything to lose in boycotting public figures,
retailers, institutions or organizations that adopt or
defer to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) move-
ment waged against Israel.
The BDS movement isn't rampant, but it is daunting enough
to be reckoned with. It demands boycotting and divesting
from companies that do business with Israel, and also sanc-
tioning Israel for actions in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Amorphous as it seems, the defen-
sive tactic of counter-boycotting might
actually pay long-term dividends.
StandWithUs, the Los Angeles-
based Israel educational and advocacy
organization, is pitching the boycott-
back initiative. SWU mapped out
its intriguing strategy in an Aug. 25
866,
'
i
commentary published in the Jewish
Journal of Los Angeles.
Robert Sklar
The targets should be boycotted,
Editor
SWU CEO Roz Rothstein, in tandem
with colleague Roberta Seid, wrote,
"because they advocate destructive rather than constructive
measures. BDS is anti-coexistence, undermines peace efforts,
Fighting Back
and does nothing to help Palestinians begin state building,
I'm a strong believer in free speech on our campuses of
improve their lives or move toward reconciliation."
higher education. But I understand SWU's call for donors
Rothstein is CEO of SWU; Seid is the education director. In
withholding gifts in situations where governing
a thoughtful argument, they lay out convincing
boards legitimize campus divestment campaigns
with
purpose
beliefs why it's important to react
against Israel by failing to denounce them.
to anti-Zionists bent on portraying Israel and
Counter-boycotting recording artists who refuse
Israelis "as pariahs that should be excluded from
to
perform in Israel is a no-brainer. So is counter-
all international spheres — diplomatic, political,
boycotting
retailers who refuse to stock Israeli
economic, social and cultural."
products.
The SWU essay underscores how "BDS poli-
We Jews talk a good game in response to clearly
cies are fundamentally anti-Semitic even though
anti-Semitic
acts. StandWithUs is now giving us
some of the movement's advocates are Jews. The
a
means
to
elevate
our game. We can "Buy Israeli
campaign uses the propaganda techniques and
Goods"
(BIG)
and
"Request
Israeli Goods" (RIG),
imagery of classical anti-Semitism now applied
acronyms
for
the
newest
SWU
drive to dimin-
not to individual Jews, but to the world's largest
StandWith Us' Roz
ish
the
effect
of
the
BDS
movement.
A BIG/RIG
Jewish community and its only Jewish state."
Rothstein
website is being developed to list Israeli products
available in North America. SWU hopes Israel supporters ask
Where's The Outrage?
local merchants to carry the listed products and make a con-
The thrust of the message is spot on: BDS proponents overlook
certed effort to shop at stores that oblige.
the terrorism against Israel and the virulent ideology that pro-
SWU deserves high praise for urging that consumers buy
pels it to depict the Jewish state as the murderous aggressor.
both Israeli and Palestinian products as "an investment in
Unfairly but cunningly, they expect Israel to live up to stan-
peaceful coexistence:' Boycotting Israel or the Palestinian
dards expected of no other nation. For example, say Rothstein
Authority may or may not hurt the peace process, but doing
and Seid, "they never call for BDS against nations that do sys-
so would do "nothing to help the Palestinians improve their
tematically commit war crimes and human rights abuses such
lives,"
as SWU stated on its BIG/RIG flyer.
as Ahmadinejad's Iran, Bashir's Sudan, Lebanon's apartheid
As
StandWithUs
so eloquently put it, "It is time to expose the
practices against Palestinians, or Turkey's occupation of north-
distorted
values
that
drive the BDS movement and its alliance
ern Cyprus and violent repression of its Kurdish minority."
Boycotting back may not be as easy as it sounds. But if anti- with the most repressive and dangerous forces in the world
today. It is time to unequivocally say no to this BDS movement
Israel threads can be pinpointed, a prospective target seems
and to all who would consider complying with it." LI
fair game indeed. While there are many possible reasons to
counter-boycott, confronting the hypocrisy of BDS supporters
10 : Should the Jewish world fear
is a major one to consider.
Coming To Grips
I liked how SWU questioned the boycotters, so-called "cham-
pions of social justice and human rights" who have ignored or
dismissed the years of Palestinian suicide bombings aimed at
N W ca
the BDS movement?
Z Z
Will you join StandWithUs'
BIG/RIG campaign?
cs
, 0
l a
Andrea Rogers,
Xtend Barre Workout
Creator, and lululemon
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Friday, October 15th
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September 16 • 2010
5