Letters
We need Zionism
Zionism seeks the liberation of the Jewish people from centuries of oppression and humiliation. Therefore, here is a response to recent columns questioning the value of Zionism. This includes “It is time to retire the term Zionist” by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach June 12 and “On being a saddened Zionist” by Rabbi Dr. Michael Chernick, July 3.
While I respect these well-known rabbis. I am surprised by their failure to acknowledge the key role of Zionism in ending 2000 years of Jewish exile from Eretz Israel and how Zionist ideals continue to. support the growth, vitality and success of Israel despite the constant attacks seeking to destroy the Jewish state.
My first suggestion for appreciating Zionism is reading the Israeli Declaration of Independence as a capsule version of Jewish history and need for a Jewish state The document shows Israel seeking peace with its neighbors and its pledge of equal rights for non-Jewish residents. This Declaration was signed on May 14, 1948, which demonstrates Jewish courage to achieve national dignity and independence despite Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Egypt and local Arab tribes mobilizing to destroy the new Jewish state.
As regards Rabbi Boteach’s article, I understand his point that antisemites are using the term to divide American Jews into separate factions and undermine support for Israel. However, even if American Jews never utter the Z word again how will this stop antisemites from continuing to brand all Jews as Zionists and baby killers unless they actively support all Palestinian demands including branding themselves as anti-Zionists who accuse Israel of genocide in Gaza One such example is Brad Lander, a Jewish NYC politician repeating Hamas propaganda and promising to vote against weapon sales to Israel as he successfully campaigned to win the Democratic Party primary in a New York Congressional District.
As regards Rabbi Chernick, his article basically blames Israel for lack of peace with the Palestinians. Among many distortions and omissions, the rabbi downplays the almost daily terror attacks which have killed and maimed thousands of Jews since the Oslo Agreement or the official Palestinian Authority policy “Pay to Slay” to reward terrorists for murdering Jews. Similarly, Rabbi Chernick ignores the Hamas Charter declaring holy war against Jews and Israel; the brutal Hamas massacre of October 7th; and pledge by current Hamas leaders to destroy Israel despite any ceasefire or future peace deal.
Finally, I wonder how many other good people like the rabbi have been influenced by media lies about Israel or the misconduct of renegade individuals to express shame about Zionism and demonize Israel. This helps to incite antisemitism and division in the Jewish community. especially when expressed by a rabbi.
Larry Dvores
Livingston
Zionism and dream and nightmare
Thank you for publishing Rabbi Michael Chernick’s cogent and compelling essay (“On Being a Saddened Zionist”). His exasperation over the forlorn state of democracy in Israel has been further exemplified by the de facto annexation of Arab orchards and lands by right-wing zealots tarnishing the core values of our tradition.
The current government of Israel regrettably has sacrificed its integrity by expanding into the West Bank in the name of a Greater Israel. What they have done instead has debased the very principles of chesed v’mishpat, righteousness and justice.
The extremist Netanyahu government has been relying on the anguish, shock, and disgust we feel towards Hamas to behave even more aggressively, inconsistent with our higher values and that can only bring about continued militancy. Now, as we are in the midst of the Three Weeks, extremists are violating the 2014 agreement made by Netanyahu and Jordan’s King Abdullah II affirming that the “Al-Aqsa is for Muslims to pray and for all others to visit.” If those extremists knew the real history of Israel, they would understand that King Solomon’s aggressive expansion 3,000 years ago ultimately led to divisiveness and civil breach.
As it says in sefer VaYikra (Lev. 19): “When strangers reside with you in your land, you shall not wrong them. The strangers who reside with you shall be to you as your citizens; you shall love each one as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”
As Rabbi Chernick wrote so eloquently, “much of the Zionist dream of an Israel that could have been a light unto the nations has become a nightmare.” Peace requires new and better behavior not only of the Palestinians, but frankly of Israel as well.
Norman Levin
Teaneck
The truth about stolen land
You should never have published Curt’s Schleier’s interview of Sara Bash. It is bad enough that Israel’s enemies spread lies like this about Israel’s founding. Your paper should not do so as well.
Here is the truth, in the worlds of middle east expert Daniel Pipes: “Only one country was purchased rather than conquered. Ironically, that country is also the one most accused of having “stolen” the land it now controls… The making of the Jewish state represents perhaps history’s most peaceable in-migration and state creation. Zionist efforts long ago had a near-exclusively mercantile, not military, quality…They purchased the land, acre by acre, in voluntary transactions. Only when the British withdrew from Palestine in 1948, followed immediately by an all-out attempt by Arab states to crush the nascent Israel, did Israelis take up the sword in self-defense and go on to win land through military conquest.”
Mitchell First
Teaneck