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