PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania — Hatikvah, as Israel’s national anthem, stirs tender emotions among us whenever it is played, but for others it is a provocation. Likewise, a $225 million expenditure is seen as worth the price to defend Israel, but some newly-minted members of Congress do not readily understand that.
Two episodes surfaced last week that reflected missed opportunities in communication for Jewish organizations that seek to be protective of Israel.
Most prominent was the sharp bickering between Sen. Bernie Sanders and Jewish and political leaders over his attacks against AIPAC and Israel’s prime minister. Despite the offensive attitudes of some Israel critics, some of this acrimony could be grounded in AIPAC’s tactics to lose friends and influence people – the wrong way about Israel.
Particularly intriguing was the Kaepernick-style act of Omar Rezika and Hunnan Butt at a volleyball match at Yeshiva University, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported last Thursday. Rezika and Butt, volleyball players at Brooklyn College, took a knee when Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem, was played before a game at Yeshiva.
“It is unfortunate,” said YU President Ari Berman, “that some members of the opposing team disrespected Israel’s national anthem. We are proud to be the only university who sings both the American and Israeli national anthems before every athletic competition and major event.”
He continued, “Nothing makes me prouder to be an American than living in a country where our religious freedom, our Zionism and our commitment to our people will never be impeded and always be prized.”
Lots of issues are tangled up here. Certainly, I do not care for their anti-Israel attitude, but the time is past for playing national anthems of any country at sporting events. It was a fine tradition until the last few years when they morphed into loyalty oaths. Whatever one’s ideology, these customs now make people feel uncomfortable.
What stands out is an opportunity for representatives of the Jewish community to engage with the two players – allow them a chance to explain their concerns in more detail. If they reveal misconceptions about Jews and Israel, the Jewish representatives will have an opportunity to counter them.
For example, it does not make sense if they believe that most or all Jews were behind the Iraq invasion and support annexation of Israel’s West Bank. Roughly three-quarters of American Jews consistently vote for Democratic presidential candidates and most states and House districts comprised of sizeable Jewish populations are represented by Democrats in the Senate and the House of Representatives.
People have occasionally apologized to me when I challenged their accusations about Israel. Communication will not work with everyone, but it will help if even a small percentage of advocates for Palestinians are willing to stop and think. This could steadily peel off supporters of Israel-bashing networks. Their numbers are needed for these pro-Arab groups to grow and build strength.
Colin Kaepernick, the one-time NFL quarterback, set off a controversial trend when he kneeled during the playing of the American national anthem to protest mistreatment of minorities in the United States.
A rethinking of its approach to communication might be beneficial for AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee which lobbies for Israel. AIPAC’s annual conference opened Sunday in acrimony with Sen. Bernie Sanders, the presidential contender who refused to attend because of AIPAC’s “bigotry.”
Though Sanders himself is widely criticized for his views on Israel, AIPAC has a long reputation for heavy-handed tactics guaranteed to antagonize members of Congress who may not see matters their way. Perhaps a more subdued approach may be useless with some members of Congress, but I wonder if their way might have created enemies when it could have been avoided.
The former print edition of The Forward documented how a freshman congressman from Texas cast one of eight votes in Congress on Aug. 1, 2014, opposing special funding for Israel’s Iron Dome rocket defense system during a war with Gaza.
AIPAC hammered him with a mass email blast dubbing him “an anti-Israel congressman, and one of his own Jewish donors said he “chooses to side with the rocket launchers and terror tunnel builders” of Hamas. One email even called for ousting him during his re-election campaign.
The congressman subsequently reconciled with AIPAC and the Jewish community. It turned out that he did not oppose a $225 million appropriation for Iron Dome, but objected to voting without “debate and…discussion.” Subsequently, a local Jewish leader even credited him for “doing his homework.”
Of course, the congressman’s relationship with AIPAC could have continued to be antagonistic, possibly harming not only him but also Israel’s interests. That was luck – especially since his name is Beto O’Rourke.
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Bruce Ticker is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia. He may be contacted via bruce.ticker@sdjewishworld.com