AUGUST 6 • 2020 | 29
A
bout two dozen pro-
testers gathered in
Bloomfield Township
on Friday evening, July 17, to
march to the Max M. Fisher
Federation building and
demand action from local
Jewish leaders in response to the
impending Israeli annexation of
the West Bank.
The protest was organized by
IfNotNow (INN), a progressive
activist group that opposes the
Israeli occupation of the West
Bank and Gaza Strip.
The protest coincided with
a proposal from U.S. Rep.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,
D-N.Y., signed by dozens of
members of Congress, including
Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib, to
respond to Israeli abuses by con-
ditioning military funding.
“We see them as champions
of our cause,
” INN member Zak
Witus said. “We hope that more
progressive Jewish leaders like
Andy Levin here in Michigan
and Jan Schakowsky in Chicago
step up to the plate.
”
Across the country, INN
chapters have been protesting
outside of the offices and homes
of political leaders, promoting
Ocasio-Cortez’
s proposal. Other
“Day of Rage” protests, led by
different pro-Palestinian activist
groups, have targeted campus
Hillel buildings and other
Federation buildings in cities
like New York and San Diego.
The mask-wearing protesters
began in the parking lot of Leo’
s
Coney Island on Telegraph
Road and marched down
to the Jewish Federation of
Metropolitan Detroit headquar-
ters, singing songs and rally cries
for solidarity against annexation.
Once the group arrived at the
Max M. Fisher Federation build-
ing, a Shabbat service was held
with prayers and songs prior to
sundown.
“
Any politician who is willing
to take the risk of incurring the
wrath of the Jewish community
by standing up against annex-
ation and the Israeli military …
I think that’
s great,
” said protest-
er Elissa Driker, 58.
During INN member Lisa
Tencer’
s speech shortly after
arriving, she was interrupted by
a counter-protester. The man,
who said he was Jewish, born in
Israel and served in the “mili-
tary,
” repeatedly shouted, “What
do you know about the state of
Israel?” The man left after about
10 minutes and wouldn’
t give
his name.
Rabbi Asher Lopatin, execu-
tive director of the JCRC/AJC,
an agency of Federation, told the
JN his group “respects the diver-
sity of opinions in the Detroit
Jewish community regarding the
possibility of the Israeli govern-
ment extending its sovereignty
to parts of the West Bank/Judea
and Samaria. Therefore, we seek
to educate and inform, rather
than impose one point of view
… As always, we remain com-
mitted to the safety and security
of the State of Israel, the only
democracy in the Middle East
and the sole Jewish state.
”
IfNotNow Protests at
Federation Building
DANNY SCHWARTZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER
A few dozen protestors
spoke out against
annexation at the
Federation building in
Bloomfield Township.
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