I am disappointed by what I see as the lack of pro-Israel activism in the Kansas City Jewish community. Israel is facing an existential threat from Iran, the Middle East region is becoming increasingly radicalized, and the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement continues. Yet there seems to be no coherent strategy in our community, or even nationally, for dealing with these threats from an educational and public relations standpoint. In fact, I’d wager that more has been said and written locally about the religious pluralism issue in the last six months than the Iranian threat. I agree that respect for religious differences in Israel is an important issue, but shouldn’t be our first priority in these dangerous times.
American Jews used to look back at the 1930s and 1940s and wonder why more wasn’t done to rescue Jews from the Holocaust. Many Jewish organizations got their start after those terrible years to protect the welfare of Jews around the world. Now, with a plethora of organizations, who is doing what to strengthen Israel? The organizations I’ve observed as very effective advocates for Israel have a limited focus, such as AIPAC, StandWithUs, and CAMERA. Other organizations, while they care about Israel, are multi-faceted in their missions and it seems to me that Israel does not float to the top of their priority list.
Kansas Citians show strong support for Israel through visits and donations. Israel emissary Lilach Nissim, who left her post recently at the Jewish Federation, is a strong advocate for Israel, and used social media, programming and articles in the Jewish Chronicle to make the case. AIPAC is very effective locally and nationally. But in my opinion we need to do more.
What if every synagogue, Jewish organization and youth group in town commits itself to having one serious program on Israel in 2012? What if some of these programs are advertised to the wider community and held in a non-Jewish venue, such as a public library or college campus? What if when rabbis write in the Kansas City Star, they use the opportunity to advocate for Israel? What if more positive letters about Israel are written to the Kansas City Star? What if more individuals put pro-Israel links and messages on their Facebook page? What if the organized community dialogues not only with non-Jews who support Israel, but with those who are ambivalent or uneducated on the subject? What if all of our congregations form Israel Solidarity Committees or Israel Affairs Committees, or make pro-Israel activism a part of the Social Action function? What if we have a letter-writing day to our members of Congress and President Obama urging them to realize the Iran threat is a threat to all?
I think it is time we re-examine our priorities and use our time as a community for serious issues, as well as lighter programming.
Judy Press was executive director of the Mid-Kansas Jewish Federation from 1996-2007 and focused attention on Israel advocacy. She is currently president of Congregation Ohev Sholom Sisterhood, which recently sponsored the film “The Case for Israel: Democracy’s Outpost,” followed by a panel discussion..
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