6 January 31 • 2019
jn

T

he 116th Congress has barely 
gotten settled, and already 
BDS and efforts to combat 
it are wreaking havoc across the 
Democratic Party and between 
Democrats and Republicans. Earlier 
this month, there were accusations of 
dual loyalty, allegations 
of secret support for 
BDS, and thinly veiled 
efforts to use Israel 
and BDS, specifically, 
as a wedge issue for 
political gain. 
 This is almost cer-
tainly a preview of 
what is to come rather 
than an aberration, and it adds to the 
urgency that Democrats already feel 
to maintain the party’
s historically 
pro-Israel bent while effectively beat-
ing back attempts to cast support for 
Israel as being the sole province of 
Republicans.
All the rancor sprouted from Senate 
legislation targeting BDS, which had 
been introduced as part of a package 
of four pieces of legislation com-
prising the Strengthening America’
s 
Security in the Middle East Act of 
2019. The first, but less important, 
episode was freshman Michigan 
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib’
s 
charge that by introducing anti-BDS 
legislation in the very first Senate bill 

of the new session rather than pass-
ing the House bill funding the gov-
ernment and ending the shutdown, 
senators “forgot what country they 
represent.” 
There are two ways to read this 
statement; one is that Tlaib is accus-
ing senators of dual loyalty in putting 
Israel’
s interests before those of the 
U.S., the other is that Tlaib is accus-
ing senators of forgetting that the U.S. 
is a country that protects free speech 
through the First Amendment. The 
argument for the first interpretation 
is that this is the plain and most obvi-
ous reading of Tlaib’
s tweet, and that 
her focus on Israel is unsurprising 
given her public support of BDS. The 
argument for the second interpre-
tation is that the four sponsors of 
the legislation are not Jewish, and it 
would be odd to hurl the dual loyalty 
charge at them; additionally, the rest 
of Tlaib’
s tweet reads, “This is the U.S. 
where boycotting is a right and part 
of our historical fight for freedom & 
equality. Maybe a refresher on our 
U.S. Constitution is in order, then get 
back to opening up our government 
instead of taking our rights away.”
Whatever Tlaib’
s intended message 
was, many American Jewish organi-
zations understandably interpreted it 
as being an accusation of dual loyalty, 
and the debate almost immediately 

moved to whether Tlaib is a hypo-
crite on the dual-loyalty issue given 
her outspoken defense of Palestinian 
rights and embrace of her Palestinian 
identity. 
The mistake in this approach 
should be evident; rather than refute 
the dual loyalty canard, it, in effect, 
concedes the point but says that Tlaib 
cannot credibly wield the accusation, 
which is the very definition of cut-
ting off your nose to spite your face. 
It also leads to the bizarre scene of 
American Jewish groups pointing to 
affinity for a foreign country as a core 
component of one’
s identity as being 
problematic, which is an argument 
that will never end well for American 
Jews no matter who is on the other 
side.
The Tlaib episode was alarming, 
but it was only the undercard. The 
real fireworks came from the Senate 
machinations over the bill itself. On 
the heels of procedural criticism 
from Senate Democrats — including 
Jewish senators Chuck Schumer, Ben 
Cardin and Bernie Sanders — that 
the only bills that should be consid-
ered by the Senate during a govern-
ment shutdown are ones that would 
reopen the government, Sen. Marco 
Rubio alleged in a tweet that Senate 
Democrats’
 objection to the Middle 
East security bill was not due to the 

shutdown, but was actually because 
“a significant # of Senate Democrats 
now support #BDS & Dem leaders 
want to avoid a floor vote that reveals 
that.” 
Rubio’
s allegation about Democratic 
support for BDS was curious given 
that not one Democratic senator 
has ever gone on the record with 
such a position and because Cardin 
had tried to have the Senate pass an 
anti-BDS bill just last month as part 
of the spending package to avert a 
shutdown. There was speculation 
on social media that some Senate 
Democrats were telling grassroots 
activists that they support BDS but 
were unwilling to admit so publicly, 
although there is zero evidence for 
such a charge, not to mention that 
it would break every rule of politics 
for BDS activists not to leak such an 
enormous public relations coup were 
it actually true.

DEEPENING POLITICIZATION OF ISRAEL
What is actually going on here is 
the ever-deepening politicization of 
Israel and an early sign of what the 
next two years are going to look like. 
There is absolutely zero evidence for 
the claim that a “significant number 
of Senate Democrats,” let alone any 
Senate Democrats, now support BDS. 
But that does not mean that Senate 

commentary
The Big BDS Bang

The Jewish News aspires to communicate news and opinion that’
s useful, engaging, enjoyable and unique. It strives to refl
 ect the full range of diverse viewpoints while also advocating 

positions that strengthen Jewish unity and continuity. We desire to create and maintain a challenging, caring, enjoyable work environment that encourages creativity and innovation. We 

acknowledge our role as a responsible, responsive member of the community. Being competitive, we must always strive to be the most respected, outstanding Jewish community publication 

in the nation. Our rewards are informed, educated readers, very satisfi
 ed advertisers, contented employees and profi
 table growth.

To make a donation to the 
DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 
FOUNDATION
go to the website
www.djnfoundation.org

The Detroit Jewish News (USPS 275-520) is 

published every Thursday at 29200 Northwestern 

Highway, #110, Southfield, Michigan. Periodical 

postage paid at Southfield, Michigan, and 

additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send 

changes to: Detroit Jewish News, 

29200 Northwestern Hwy., #110, 

Southfield, MI 48034.

OUR JN

MISSION

1942 - 2019

Covering and Connecting 
Jewish Detroit Every Week
jn

views

Arthur M. Horwitz
Publisher / Executive Editor
ahorwitz@renmedia.us

F. Kevin Browett
Chief Operating Officer
kbrowett@renmedia.us

| Editorial
Managing Editor: Jackie Headapohl
jheadapohl@renmedia.us
Story Development Editor: 
Keri Guten Cohen
kcohen@renmedia.us
Digital Editor: Allison Jacobs
ajacobs@renmedia.us
Social Media Coordinator: 
Chelsie Dzbanski
cdzbanski@renmedia.us
Editorial Assistant: Sy Manello
smanello@renmedia.us
Senior Columnist: Danny Raskin
dannyraskin2132@gmail.com
Contributing Editor: Robert Sklar
rsklar@renmedia.us

Senior Arts Consultant: Gail Zimmerman
gzimmerman@renmedia.us

Contributing Writers:
Ruthan Brodsky, Rochel Burstyn, Suzanne 
Chessler, Annabel Cohen, Don Cohen, 
Shari S. Cohen, Julie Edgar, Shelli Liebman 
Dorfman, Adam Finkel, Stacy Gittleman, 
Stacy Goldberg, Judy Greenwald, Ronelle 
Grier, Lauren Hoffman, Esther Allweiss 
Ingber, Allison Jacobs, Barbara Lewis, 
Jennifer Lovy, Rabbi Jason Miller, Alan 
Muskovitz, Daniel Rosenbaum, David 
Sachs, Karen Schwartz, Robin Schwartz, 
Steve Stein, Joyce Wiswell

| Advertising Sales
Vice President of Sales: Keith Farber
kfarber@renmedia.us
Account Executives: 
 Martin Chumiecki, Annette Kizy
Sales Support: 
 Courtney Shea, Ashlee Szabo
 
| Business Offices
Billing Coordinator: Pamela Turner

| Production By 
 FARAGO & ASSOCIATES
Manager: Scott Drzewiecki 
Designers: Kelly Kosek, 
Michelle Sheridan, Susan Walker

| Detroit Jewish News
 Chairman: Michael H. Steinhardt
President/Publisher: 
Arthur M. Horwitz
ahorwitz@renmedia.us
Chief Operating Officer: 
F. Kevin Browett
kbrowett@renmedia.us
Controller: Craig R. Phipps

| Departments
General Offi
 ces: 248-354-6060 
Advertising: 248-351-5107 
Advertising Fax: 248-304-0049
Circulation: subscriptions@renmedia.us
Classifi
 ed Ads: 248-351-5116
Advertising Deadline: Friday, 12 p.m. 
Editorial Fax: 248-304-8885

Deadline: All public and social 
announcements must be typewritten 
and received by noon Tuesday, 
nine days prior to desired date of 
publication.

Subscriptions:
1 year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $85
2 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$153
3 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$204
1 year out-of-state . . . . . . . . . . .$125
2 years out-of-state . . . . . . . . . .$225
Per year foreign 
 . . . . . . . . . . . . .$300

Detroit Jewish News
29200 Northwestern Highway, 
Suite 110
Southfi
 eld, MI 48034

©copyright 2019 Detroit Jewish News

Michael J. 
Koplow

continued on page 10

