Disagreements Between Israelis and U.S. Jews Are Scrutinized

Major causes of disagreement between Israeli Jews and American Jews were scrutinized at the 10th annual Conference on Alternatives in Jewish Education.

A panel of two Israeli political leaders and a representative of the American Jewish community probed a number of issues, including the right to dissent, amnesty for Jewish terrorists, religious pluralism in Israel, Israel’s business dealings with South Africa, Nicaragua and Iran, and whether it is realistic to describe Israeli and American Jews as one people.

Speaking from two different Israeli points of view were Avraham Burg, a member of the Labor Party who is Premier Shimon Peres’ advisor on diaspora affairs, and Dan Meridor, a Likud member of Knesset who is on the Knesset’s Security and Foreign Affairs Committee and was Cabinet Secretary in the Administration of Premier Menachem Begin. The North American viewpoint was presented by Shoshana Cardin, president of the Council of Jewish Federations.

Some 2,000 Jewish educators from all parts of the U.S. and 10 other countries attended the convention on the campus of Northern Illinois University.

MAJOR CONCERNS SHARED

Burg pointed out that although major differences existed between Israelis and Americans — in “language, priorities, values, loyalties, and culture” — they shared major concerns — “the security of Israel, the plight of Soviet Jewry, memories of the Holocaust, and the Jewish spiritual framework of halacha.” “Our aim,” he asserted, “should be to find a common denominator despite the differences.”

Cardin, noting that of the 12 million Jews in the world, only one-quarter live in Israel, maintained that the Zionist tenet which denied any meaningful existence to Jewish life outside of Israel was an unfair claim.

“There has not been in our history a period which has not seen Jewish creativity outside of Eretz Yisroel,” she said. “Much of our liturgy, much of our tradition, many of our greatest sages created far from Jerusalem. It is important, if we are to be one people, that we recognize the diversity, the freedom to choose where we live, and not be denied the opportunity to live a vibrant, creative, Jewish life in the diaspora.”

PRUDENT CRITICISM IS OKAY

Meridor, asserting his belief that “Jews are a nation, and not just an ethical or religious group,” affirmed his conviction that the Jewish people have “an interest, a share, and a right to say what they think should be done, and we should listen.” But, he added, criticism “should be done prudently.”

“I’d rather read it in The Jerusalem Post than in The New York Times, because people who read you read as Jews, not only as Americans,” he explained.

Cardin, taking issue with Meridor, replied:”Even though I think we have the right to dissent, I think we have to dissent on issues where we are not interfering with a sovereign state. But when it affects us as Jews such as the Law of Return, then I think we are obliged to speak.”

The panel was unanimous in its condemnation of amnesty for Israeli terrorists. Both Israelis endorsed Cardin’s statement that “we are a people of justice and Israel is a state of law, and it is critical that we recognize what has been wrong, and that we not grant amnesty and give a terrible message to our people as well as to the rest of the world.”

On the subject of sales of nuclear technology, arms and military parts to such countries as South Africa, Nicaragua and Iran, Meridor asked for understanding of the realities of world trade and world politics. He pointed out that the major powers and many nations in the Western world trade with countries whose politics they don’t agree with, and the world accepts it.

“I don’t mean to justify this,” he said, “but I want you to understand that a very difficult process of decision making was involved here. And please remember that to survive is not simple, and the people you have to deal with in this world are not at all like the thirty-six Lamed Vuvniks.”