Fascism and Israel
The May 17 and May 24 issues of The Chronicle with Rabbi Levin’s opinion column and letters to the editor a week later by Mr. Sol Koenigsberg and Mr. Lee Levin deserve further commentary. I will not restate a summary of the rabbi’s opinion nor the letters of response. I assume by now these have been widely circulated, read and have generated widespread comment.
I agree with both letters to the editor. I believe Mr. Lee Levin has accurately stated the rabbi’s longstanding position.
Specifically, my additional comments to the rabbi’s letter regard his insensitive and needless use of the word “fascism” in a paragraph that speaks of Netanyahu, Israel and democracy. I have read and re-read this letter several times and urge you to do the same.
Fascism is defined extensively in political science. Fascism is defined more narrowly among most of our Jewish brethren including survivors of the Shoah. It immediately connotes fear, Nazi Germany, 6 million, gas chambers, camps, medical experimentation and the existential threat to the Jewish people.
Especially as Jews, should we not be extremely sensitive to the use of this word in written and oral composition and dialogue? Does the rabbi truly believe a new existential threat to our people should be feared by the Jewish nation-state of Israel moving toward fascism? Is our Jewish nation-state to become an antithesis of “democracy and love of the Jewish people”? How dangerous, disingenuous and sad is such vitriol.
Jerry F. Stolov
Leawood, Kansas
