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views
“Dangers” continued from page 5
debate about Israel has to begin.
Some of my friends on the right do
not like Jews all that much because
they really like white people. They
say, “Do not call us anti-Semites: We
like Israel.” They tell us that the folks
who chant slogans of the KKK or the
Hungarian Fidesz or even the Nazis
are “nice people.” They say Europeans
need protection against the real
threats, Mexicans, Muslims and blacks
and immigrants, and sometimes our
allies against those threatening peo-
ple also hate Jews, but OK. They say,
we are not anti-Semites because we
hire Jews as lawyers and accountants
because, you know, Jews have talent
with money.
Some of my friends on the left say,
“Don’
t worry about our anti-Semites;
just look at those anti-Semites on the
right.”
Some of my friends on the right say,
“Don’
t worry about our anti-Semites;
just look at those anti-Semites on the
left.”
But really, anti-Semites present dan-
gers to us, whatever explanations their
allies give to excuse the beliefs. ■
Louis Finkelman is a JN contributing writer, a
professor at Lawrence Technological University
and a rabbi at Congregation Or Chadash.
W
hy do American Jews
feel such an attachment
to Israel (though sadly,
not as much as
before)? Contrary to
analogies I’
ve been
reading, it is not
comparable to Irish
Americans longing
for Ireland or Italian
Americans caring
about Italy. For us,
the commitment is
not merely ethnic or ancestral; it
is also spiritual and existential. It
is not a matter of dual loyalty, in
fact, but dual love. It’
s a relationship
that should not cause inner con-
flict or embarrassment, but great
pride. Israel is, without doubt, the
Jewish people’
s most impactful con-
tribution to civilization since the
Talmud was completed 15 centuries
ago.
It seems to me that when people
are looking back at the Jewish con-
tribution to this historical epoch a
thousand years from now, they will
speak of Einstein, Freud and Marx
— and their impact on the world
at large. But our descendants will
point toward Israel as our genera-
tion’
s most original, revolutionary
creation.
Israel is our Book of Psalms and
our Job, our magnum opus.
That is why Israel matters to
Jews, no matter where we live. That
is why things like elections matter,
and religious freedom and planting
trees and ensuring equal rights for
women, LGBTQ and minorities in
Israel. That’
s why free speech mat-
ters, and that people who disagree
with a government policy shouldn’
t
be detained at the airport. These
things matter to Diaspora Jews.
And if they don’
t, they should. And
it should matter to Israelis that it
matters to Diaspora Jews.
For American Jews, America is
our home. But Israel is our can-
vas. The former is where we live
our lives. The latter is where our
lives will have mattered a millen-
nium from now. Whether or not
American Jews actually vote in
Israel’
s elections (and I believe we
should have that right), American
Jews should participate in shaping
Israel’
s destiny.
That is why Israel’
s security also
matters to us and why it needs to
maintain a qualitative military edge
over its neighbors.
Yes, America is a grand experi-
ment, too, one that American Jews
cherish and also view as a great
work of art. The past few years have
reminded us that we can never be
complacent in sustaining American
democracy. As an American Jew,
I love all that America stands for,
even when she struggles to find her
way, in the same way that my love
for Israel remains unconditional,
even when she disappoints and
struggles. It’
s possible to love both
grand experiments, America and
Israel — and chew gum — at the
same time.
It’
s not a matter of dual loyalty,
then, but dual love. ■
Joshua Hammerman is a rabbi at Temple
Beth El in Stamford, Conn.
This essay was
first printed in Times of Israel, reprinted with
permission.
commentary
Dual Loyalty — Or Dual Love?
Joshua
Hammerman