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STONE'S

The Religion Of Social Justice

L

ast Sunday, a large protest was same kind of lifestyle. So really, what
held in front of the AIPAC con- do young Jews have left to identify
ference in Washington, D.C.,
with? This is why American Jewry is
where demonstrators called for an
diminishing in larger numbers year
end to what they referred to as “the
after year, and it’s why many young
Israeli occupation.”
Jews are now turning against Israel.
What shouldn’t come as
It is clear by now that the
a surprise by now is that
social justice movement,
many of the protesters
by and large, has adopted
were Jewish. The protes-
a pro-Palestinian narrative,
tors were members of the
one which views Israel as an
group IfNotNow, a Jewish
apartheid state that must be
organization whose ideol-
boycotted and resisted and
ogy is based on values of
protested against. Here are
“social justice” and whose
some examples:
Kobi Erez
members support the BDS
The National Women’s
(Boycott, Divestment and
Studies Association, the
Sanctions) movement. In
largest mainstream feminist
fact, Yonah Lieberman,
academic women’s asso-
one of the co-founders
ciation in the U.S., voted
of IfNotNow, told the Huffington
in favor of boycotting Israel, while
Post that it was “the biggest ever
many of its prominent leaders main-
tain that Zionism is equivalent to
Jewish-led protest of AIPAC.”
racism and has no place in the social
It’s, of course, upsetting to wit-
justice movement. The leader of the
ness Jews turning against their own
recent Women’s March stated that
homeland and damaging 6.5 million
the March has no place for feminists
of their fellow Jews. But we have to
ask ourselves: Why are more and
who are Zionists.
more young Jews adopting an anti-
Black Lives Matter has also explic-
itly declared its solidarity with the
Israel narrative?
American Jews are at the forefront Palestinian people, calling Israel an
“apartheid state” while endorsing
of the social justice movement, and
this is nothing new. For years, a large Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
of the State of Israel.
part of the Jewish establishment in
JStreet, another Jewish organiza-
America has been teaching young
tion that sees itself as part of the
Jews that Judaism’s core values
social justice movement, lobbied
should be defined by social justice
for the December United Nations
ideals, which are dictated not by
God or by the Torah, but by the lead- resolution condemning Israel for
ers of the current social movements. building in Judea and Samaria.
JStreet also approves the boycott of
They decide what is moral, and the
Jews over the Green Line (including
modern Jew follows suit.
parts of Jerusalem) and even draws a
Because most American Jewish
moral equivalency between murder-
education is so centered around
ous Hamas (the Palestinian terror
social justice, traditional Jewish
beliefs are put aside and, if they are
group) and Israel.
taught, it is only within the context
Young Jews have been taught
of social justice. For example, in
that the leaders of the social justice
some Jewish circles, Passover is no
movement hold the highest author-
longer about God’s relationship with ity on what is moral and just. This is
the Jewish people or why He gave
why Sunday’s demonstration found
them the Torah; it’s only about anti-
so many young Jews willing to pro-
slavery and human rights around
test against Israel.
the world. And that is about social
If the trend doesn’t change, we will
justice — not Judaism.
find more and more Jews at the fore-
This is why many young American front of the fight against the Jewish
Jews don’t really see a reason to
state. •
be Jewishly identified. Young Jews
share an ideology with many of their Kobi Erez is executive director of the Zionist
Organization of America - Michigan Region.
non-Jewish peers, plus they live the

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April 6 • 2017

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