8 April 11 • 2019
jn

T

he virulently anti-Israel 
movement known as Boycott, 
Divestment, and Sanctions 
— BDS — is roiling through cam-
puses, overflowing into city councils, 
encroaching into cor-
porate boardrooms 
and now chomping at 
the essence of Israel’
s 
special niche in the 
world: its travel and 
tourism industry. 
 Everywhere, the 
boycotters have been 
asking to isolate Israel. 
Whereas similar boycotts against 
other countries have inflicted with-
ering effects on national economies, 
in Israel — it simply hasn’
t worked. 
Yes, boycotters are busy demoniz-
ing Israel. Yet despite this, Israel’
s 
tourism industry continues to grow 
and now employs tens of thousands. 
Flights are packed and new non-
stops are being added across the 
globe.
Travel and tourism to Israel 
has dramatically changed. It’
s not 
just synagogue sisterhoods and 
Jewish organizations. Israel is now 
a destination for the entire world. 
Traditional Jewish-American travel-
ers from Miami to Seattle must now 
compete with Silicon Valley techies, 
Chinese students, Indian tourists, 
East European Christian pilgrims 
and diverse businessmen from across 
the planet.
In 2016, 2.9 million people world-
wide visited Israel. By the close of 
2018, that number had blossomed 
to 4.1 million. Within the coming 
decade, Israel expects to employ 
98,000 people in its tourism sector.
When Israeli tourism prospers, 
so does the Palestinian community. 
Christian pilgrims make a beeline 
for Bethlehem. Thus, tourism breeds 
economic interdependence and 
strengthens co-existence.
Today, most North American 
travelers to Israel are not Jewish; 
upwards of 60 percent are Christian. 
And since 2016, travel from North 

America has increased overall by 42 
percent.
In 2009, only 20,000 Indians vis-
ited Israel, reports Israel’
s tourism 
office in New Delhi. Dramatically 
improved diplomatic relations 
between New Delhi and Jerusalem 
combined with thrice-weekly direct 
Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner 
service has created a steady flow 
of Indian visitors. This year, Israel 
expects more than 80,000 Indian 
arrivals.
In 2015, only 30,000 tourists vis-
ited Israel from China. But when 
direct flights between Ben-Gurion 
airport and numerous Chinese cit-
ies were added, the number more 
than trebled to 100,000-plus annu-
ally. Today, China is Israel’
s greatest 
growth market. 
Air connections are the lifeblood 
of Israel’
s tourism as well as its 
international viability. Nowadays 
you can fly nonstop to Israel from 
numerous North American cities. 
From Toronto, Air Canada offers 
daily non-stops. From Montreal, Air 
Canada will fly twice weekly during 
the summer. From San Francisco, 
United flies daily, primarily for the 
surging nexus to Silicon Valley.
North American carriers all com-
pete with El Al, which is the con-
tinent’
s dominant carrier to Israel 
— offering 45 nonstop flights weekly 
that carry more than 50,000 passen-
gers per month. For many Israel-
bound travelers, El Al is the one and 
only carrier. With the exception of 
the Jewish Sabbath and holidays, 
Israel’
s national carrier flies day or 
night, rain or shine, good news or 
bad news. El Al has overcome labor 
problems and addressed on-board 
religious tiffs.
Israel’
s tourism growth has been 
possible, in part, because of El Al’
s 
growth and improvements. ■

Edwin Black is the author of IBM and the 
Holocaust and a syndicated columnist. The 
author can be found at www.edwinblack.

com. 

essay
Israel Tourism Growth
Flies In Face of BDS

views

Edwin Black

O

ne of the most fundamental, 
vital practices in our faith 
tradition of Judaism is the 
act of listening.
As a religious Jew, 
I am called to listen 
each and every day. 
It’
s a calling I am 
reminded of when 
I recite the Shema, 
a central prayer in 
the Jewish tradition. 
We recite it multiple 
times a day. Its 
essence is wonderfully clear: Pay 
attention. Understand. Internalize. 
Listen.
This year, I’
ve been fortunate 
enough to have many opportunities 
to take a step back, listen and learn 
from people across Michigan. 
Recently, I attended a roundtable 
discussion at the Ruth Ellis Center 
in Detroit with Congresswoman 
Rashida Tlaib that centered on 
the experiences of gay, lesbian, 
bisexual, transgender and queer 
young people.
Several youth from the center 
shared their personal experiences 
of harassment, abuse and 
discrimination because of their 
sexual orientation or gender 
identity. They discussed painful 
challenges with their parents 
rejecting their identities and leaving 
them feeling like they had nowhere 
to turn. They recalled being bullied 
and attacked at school or in public 
because of the way they dress or the 
way they speak. Most importantly, 
they shared fears about growing up 
in a world where LGBTQ people 
are evicted, fired or denied service 
simply because of who they are. 
At this discussion the older 
people in the room, including 
Congresswoman Tlaib, me, other 
community members and other 
members of the clergy from 
varying faith traditions received 

a tremendous gift. The gift was 
the opportunity to hear and 
to understand more about the 
challenges and triumphs of being a 
young LGBTQ person in Michigan. 
In Michigan and a majority 
of states in our country, LGBTQ 
people are not explicitly 
protected from discrimination 
in employment, housing, public 
spaces, and so much more. We’
ve 
seen positive steps forward from 
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and a 
growing sense of momentum that 
it’
s well past time for change — but 
the fact is that in our state and 
at the federal level, these young 
people, as well as LGBTQ adults, 
are left vulnerable to mistreatment 
and discrimination.
The question for us, then, comes 
back to the teachings of the Shema. 
Are lawmakers in Lansing listening? 
Are clergy, privileged with access to 
these stories, outraged into action?
At the roundtable gathering, 
I saw people from across faith 
traditions coming together for 
something important. Christian 
leaders wearing clerical clothing 
sitting side by side with me, a 
Jewish leader, and Congresswoman 
Tlaib, who shared her experiences 
as a Muslim woman trying to do 
what’
s best for her constituents.
Our faiths may be different, but 
our calling is the same: To awake to 
the brokenness in our society and 
to do whatever we can to act toward 
wholeness.
We must all commit to changing 
our policies in Michigan and at 
the federal level so that no LGBTQ 
person faces discrimination because 
of their sexual orientation or 
gender identity.
It begins with the sacred practice 
of listening. ■

Rabbi Alpert is spiritual leader for Detroit 
Jews for Justice and Congregation 
T’
chiyah.

commentary
 
The Religious Practice 
of Listening, Acting On 
LGBTQ Discrimination

Rabbi
Alana Alpert

