metro >> analysis Fighting Against BDS I Local Jews try to stop Presbyterian group's condemnation of Israel. am proud of the Metro Detroit Jewish community. Many of you have been wit- ness to the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s General Assembly (PCUSA GA) that took place in Cobo Center June 14-21. During that conference, the PCUSA GA passed an overture (310 for, 303 against) to secede from what many of us understand to be the path for a just Israeli-Palestinian peace. It was a trying week, but for many, this struggle has been months in the making. In the beginning of May, having just graduated from the University of Michigan with a master's degree in Judaic Studies, I was told by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) that the Presbyterian Church was holding a conference in Detroit where they were voting on a handful of BDS and anti-Israel resolutions. The JCPA wanted me to be a representative of the Detroit Jewish community to help stop our Presbyterian friends from joining the BDS campaign. I was elated. I had just finished my sec- ond semester as a teaching assistant for Professor Vic Lieberman's "History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict" course where I taught (and learned) this material. Because of this role, I felt responsible to my students not to be involved in the recent BDS debates on campus that created an incredibly divisive and uncomfortable climate for students and community members. But with the semester over, my self- imposed obligations to be apolitical were over. I started making connections: at the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit with NEXTGen and the Israel and Overseas Department; with the AJC, ADL and Detroit Jewish Community Relations Council; the Ann Arbor Federation, the Jewish Community Center and synagogues, to name a few. I did not want to see our community, like so many other American Jewish communi- ties, threatened again by the vitriolic BDS movement that was seeking to wrench its claws into PCUSA, and thus, many of our neighbors' churches. Preparing For The Conference In advance of the GA, I was put in touch with Presbyterians for Middle East Peace (PFMEP), a community within PCUSA that supports peace efforts in the Middle East. This grassroots group of clergy and laity comes from a broad spectrum of Presbyterian communities, uniting people behind a support for an equitable Palestinian-Israeli peace regardless of their different social and political identities (e.g. people on both sides of the gay marriage debate, the other major issue being voted 8 June 26 • 2014 this. PFMEP has seen how much we care about a real, tenable peace between Israelis and Palestinians. That we, too, recognize this conflict is not about governments but about people — mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters — who are often neglected by the actions of extremists. Preparing For The Future Jewish Metro Detroiters stand up for Israel during the general assembly at Cobo. on). "Another Jew Supports Divestments:' I was, and still am, deeply moved by this I had to suffer through throngs of people committed group of volunteers who genu- who see JVP as a voice for a large swath inely care about the suffering of American Jews. There were of their brothers and sisters in scores of JVP activists, including Israel-Palestine. In this vein, four clerical leaders and a dozen they invited me to join them in young adults who were often seen Detroit as a local resource and as the Jewish voices with a vested Jewish representative. interest in this debate. Almost With all of these organiza- all of them came from outside of tional contacts, I was constant- Detroit. ly reminded of what happened JVP came to my town — our two years ago in Pittsburgh at home — to lambast the Israeli people and vilify Zionism. the most recent PCUSA GA. Avery At this conference, BDS was Fortunately, I was not alone in my Robinson narrowly rejected by a vote of outrage. Many within our com- 333-331. Two votes separated munity came out in support of PCUSA from joining the BDS movement. Israelis, Palestinians and peace. In the past two years, the seeds of anti- Zionism have only strengthened their roots Jewish Community Support within this church. This is most evident I am grateful for the support of the in the publication and sale of Zionism NEXTGen staff and Federation. JFMD, Unsettled, a grossly unsympathetic narrative AJC, JCRC, ADL, NEXTGen and many other organizations helped me organize of Middle East history in the past 100 years that maligns the Jewish people, Zionism Jewish Detroiters to come to Cobo Center and Israel through claims of "ethnic cleans- to witness how JVP activists and many ing" and apartheid. Presbyterians have been disparaging our people. I have been so grateful that our Jewish Voice For Peace community has come together to stand According to the JCPA, AJC and PFMEP, strong behind PFMEP as voices for peace and nuance in Israel. one of the reasons for this close margin was the presence of a large group of Jewish My outreach work with PFMEP has Voice for Peace activists, a very left-wing reminded me how blessed we are in this political group with marginal support from community to have so many strong sup- the (very left) Jewish community that sup- porters of the State of Israel. We have people ports BDS. It was understood that JVP was of all ages, denominational affiliations and invigorated by this effort and was planning backgrounds who have a sincere love for on using all of its resources for Detroit. Israelis. And it did. This past week I was subject- And through this work, I have also recog- ed to daily visions of occasionally kippah nized how deeply we feel for the Palestinian toting individuals wearing shirts that say people. I am not the only one to recognize Jay Hack, the newly appointed president of the NEXTGen Board, has started planning for programs that will add more nuance to our discussions of Israel. The Detroit Jewish community loves Israel, but often finds it difficult to critique. I am excited to be a part of these conversations that will enable us to have a real dialogue about our concerns for Israel and Palestine. And given the incredible support I have seen this past week from people across the pro-Israel community (e.g. ZOA, StandWithUs, AIPAC and J Street), I think these will go a long way in strengthening our commitment to a real peace in Israel- Palestine. There were almost a hundred Jewish community members who came from across Southeastern Michigan to stand up against the maligning of Jews, Israel and Zionism presented in the Zionism Unsettled book and BDS policies being considered by PCUSA. I am sorry that we were unable to stop BDS, to stop Presbyterians from pushing people away from the negotiating table. The final vote was tallied at 310 for BDS, 303 against. I cannot help but see the sig- nificance of this vote. 613 total votes cast. There were more votes cast here than in the two resolutions related to gay mar- riage. There were more Presbyterians vot- ing on this item than seemingly any other item at the conference. I cannot tell you what it means that the number of voters corresponds to the number of commandments we are given in the Torah. I cannot tell you how we are supposed to respond to this. But I do think this is a sign that the status quo is unten- able. I urge you to reach out to your Presbyterian friends and neighbors to talk about Israel and the BDS movement. Be a part of the upcoming community conver- sations on Israel. And, most importantly, do not lose hope in the power of our com- munity to do amazing work. ❑ Avery Robinson is an instructor at University of Michigan who represented the Jewish Council of Public Affairs at the general assembly.