A fabulous piece on our people’s history and reason for being G-d’s partner on Earth. Our purpose to demonstrate the possibilities of individual and national potential for good.
May I add some information about the Zionist Movement that many tend to forget:
Ze'ev Jabotinsky
Contrary to the standard mischaracterization of Zionism as a predatory movement bent on dispossessing the Palestinian Arabs (Said 1979), the Jewish national movement has always envisaged the existence of a substantial Arab minority in the future Jewish state on an equal footing “throughout all sectors of the country’s public life” (Jabotinsky 1940: 216), to use the words ofZe’ev Jabotinsky, the founding father of the branch of Zionism that was the forebear oftoday’s Likud party. As early as 1905, Jabotinsky argued that “we must treat the Arabs correctly and affably, without any violence or injustice” (Jabotinsky 1949: 209–10), reiterating this position in his famous 1923 article The Iron Wall:
“I am prepared to take an oath binding ourselves and our descendants that we shall never do anything contrary to the principle of equal rights and that we shall never try to eject anyone” (Jabotinsky 1923). Eleven years later, Jabotinsky presided over the drafting of a constitution for the future Jewish state that envisaged, among other things, Arabs and Jews as sharing all prerogatives and duties of statehood; Hebrew and Arabic as enjoying the same legal standing; and “in every cabinet where the prime minister is a Jew, the vicepremiership shall be offered to an Arab and vice versa” (Jabotinsky 1940: 216–20).
If this was the position of the more “militant” leader of the Jewish national movement, it is hardly surprising that mainstream Zionism, dominated for three-fourths of the twentieth century by the labor movement, had always taken for granted the equality of the Arab minority in the prospective Jewish state.
After the Holocaust, the movement focused on creating a "Jewish State" (A secular state with a Jewish majority) attaining its goal in 1948 with the creation of Israel.
There is no other example in human history of a "nation" being restored after such a long period of existence as a Diaspora including the revival of a language that scholars had long (and to some extent erroneously) considered “dead”.
Interesting about Jabotinsky. But at some point, after some Arab murder sprees, I think he realized that ethnic cleansing of murderous Arabs (not all of them, though it was hard to triage) is preferable to the Jews being genocided. Please correct me if I'm wrong, as I'm no expert on J, and am going by my deteriorating memory of stuff I've read.
Murderous Arab terrorists must be terminated. It has nothing to do with ethnic cleansing. Israel has an Arab population of 2 million citizens and even with the past 77 years of wars and terror campaigns from our neighbors, Israel never considered this drastic measure.
Ethnic cleansing definitely happened during 1948. Israel decided it was preferable to termination of all the arabs (aka genocide), and Israelis being genocided. Let's not pretend otherwise. It is not incompatible with also terminating in as precise way as possible, arab genociders.
—"Ethnic cleansing definitely happened during 1948."
Was it "ethnic cleansing" or simply one side losing a war they started and having to face the consequences of their decisions? Often after a war the losing side has to abandon or surrender territory—is far from unprecedented yet becomes a nefarious scheme and moral atrocity when done by Israel.
In 1948 Israel wanted partition, it was the Arabs who rejected it. Time and again, international bodies proposed partitioning the land into two states: one Jewish, one Arab. Time and again the Jews said yes, and time and again the Arabs refused, choosing violence and war instead.
The 1948 war began with an invasion by five Arab armies in May of that year, immediately after the British withdrawal. This was preceded by appeals from Arab religious and political leaders to “fight for every inch of their country” (from the chairman of the Arab High Commission), to shed “the last drop of their blood for their land” (from the spokesman of the Arab High Commissioner to the UN), and to carry out “a war of extermination,” an “immense massacre” that will be talked about “as much as the massacres of Mongolia and the Crusades” (Azzam Pasha, Secretary-General of the Arab League).
This is from Benny Morris: An order dated 24 March 1948 from Israel Galili, head of the Haganah National Command, explicitly instructed brigades to protect Arab communities within the Jewish state, except in rare military emergencies. Later, brigade leaders had the authority to expel or retain Arab populations based on local circumstances, resulting in different outcomes: in Haifa, Arab leaders requested evacuation despite Jewish appeals to stay; in Tiberias, no expulsions occurred; in Jaffa, flight followed military pressure; and in Safed and Acre, most departures were not due to explicit expulsion orders.
All evidence contradicts your claim here.
—"Israel decided it was preferable to termination of all the arabs (aka genocide).."
If Israel wanted to kill every Palestinian, it could have done so at any time in the past 50 years. Every genocidal statement, urge, fantasy was and still is on the Palestinian side, who have never once accepted the existence of the hated "Zionist entity", who have rejected every peace plan and still do—and if you don't believe me, just read the Hamas Charter.
Winning a war is not "genocide", the "genocide" lie was started by the Soviets in the 1980s and continues to be a slander not designed to explain truth but designed to lead to making Israel a pariah state.
It sounds like you're just accusing Israel of the crime of refusing to be wiped off the map. Either way, your claims are all biased oversimplifications of a very complicated topic.
What an impressive retort to those on the opposite side of the aisle, the antisemites. As I read the essay and got to its conclusion, I felt like a witnessed a TKO. Joshua, you should send this to multiple publications in the US, Europe, etc. This piece is so good I truly believe it would wake up, some anti-Zionists, or at minimum, have them rethinking their beliefs. Well done!
The Jewish People are a unique Brand. We are a Faith, We have Land and we are a People. Faith, Land, Peoplehood is our differentiation and our Brand Essence. You cannot divide it up or attack it for its authenticity. It is who we are and we are the only people in this planet that has to manage all three at the same time. Indvisible.
Extremely well said. Should be standard curriculum in our Day and Hebrew schools. And sadly, also needed in our Synagogue's Adult Education classes. Zionism at its core is about 'building', and not 'destroying' which unfortunately is at the core of many of Israel's neighbors' ideology. We can only hope and pray that will change somehow.
I absolutely loved this essay. "The days of the apologetic Jew are over.". That says it all. Perhaps a rich Jewish philanthropist will endow a "Chair of Critical Zionist Studies" at, let's say, Hillsdale College in Michigan as a start. From there, who knows.
I always read Future of Jewish first in the mornings. Today, I could not stop smiling. Thank you for this brilliant assessment of us! It is a way forward to keep in mind. After 2 years of almost constant reading, I now feel fulfilled and hopeful for a better future, even in America. Resilience is how to characterize those of us living today. I love it! ❤️🇮🇱🇺🇸
You are miraculous! You have absolutely nothing to apologise for. What you have achieved in all fields is momentous. You are an exceptional Country. Always look up and fight for your existence. I pray for you and I love you!
I'd like if post Jews like Jon Stewart and Mandy Patinkin and a host of other post Jews who find nothing much to excite them in the Jewish Israeli experience except shame, as Howard Jacobson, British and Jewish author wrote, would read this. Jews obsessing over how many Arabs died as a result of the hamas /Iran instigated pogrom/genocide of Oct. 7th '23.....as Israel cannot possibly harm the hair of one Arab terrorist.....since that is unconscionable and contrary to the edicts of Polish American senator b. sanders of Vermont.....and "Pocahontas" Warren too.
Jews who evince no outrage over the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust and cannot bring themselves to celebrate the release of the final 20 living hostages. PBS Newshour did a segment on the alleged horrible condition of the Arab murderers and terrorists Israel was obliged to hand over as part of redeeming the living Jews and the remains of murdered Jews...which hamas is not even doing.
A fabulous piece on our people’s history and reason for being G-d’s partner on Earth. Our purpose to demonstrate the possibilities of individual and national potential for good.
May I add some information about the Zionist Movement that many tend to forget:
Ze'ev Jabotinsky
Contrary to the standard mischaracterization of Zionism as a predatory movement bent on dispossessing the Palestinian Arabs (Said 1979), the Jewish national movement has always envisaged the existence of a substantial Arab minority in the future Jewish state on an equal footing “throughout all sectors of the country’s public life” (Jabotinsky 1940: 216), to use the words ofZe’ev Jabotinsky, the founding father of the branch of Zionism that was the forebear oftoday’s Likud party. As early as 1905, Jabotinsky argued that “we must treat the Arabs correctly and affably, without any violence or injustice” (Jabotinsky 1949: 209–10), reiterating this position in his famous 1923 article The Iron Wall:
“I am prepared to take an oath binding ourselves and our descendants that we shall never do anything contrary to the principle of equal rights and that we shall never try to eject anyone” (Jabotinsky 1923). Eleven years later, Jabotinsky presided over the drafting of a constitution for the future Jewish state that envisaged, among other things, Arabs and Jews as sharing all prerogatives and duties of statehood; Hebrew and Arabic as enjoying the same legal standing; and “in every cabinet where the prime minister is a Jew, the vicepremiership shall be offered to an Arab and vice versa” (Jabotinsky 1940: 216–20).
If this was the position of the more “militant” leader of the Jewish national movement, it is hardly surprising that mainstream Zionism, dominated for three-fourths of the twentieth century by the labor movement, had always taken for granted the equality of the Arab minority in the prospective Jewish state.
After the Holocaust, the movement focused on creating a "Jewish State" (A secular state with a Jewish majority) attaining its goal in 1948 with the creation of Israel.
There is no other example in human history of a "nation" being restored after such a long period of existence as a Diaspora including the revival of a language that scholars had long (and to some extent erroneously) considered “dead”.
Interesting about Jabotinsky. But at some point, after some Arab murder sprees, I think he realized that ethnic cleansing of murderous Arabs (not all of them, though it was hard to triage) is preferable to the Jews being genocided. Please correct me if I'm wrong, as I'm no expert on J, and am going by my deteriorating memory of stuff I've read.
Murderous Arab terrorists must be terminated. It has nothing to do with ethnic cleansing. Israel has an Arab population of 2 million citizens and even with the past 77 years of wars and terror campaigns from our neighbors, Israel never considered this drastic measure.
Ethnic cleansing definitely happened during 1948. Israel decided it was preferable to termination of all the arabs (aka genocide), and Israelis being genocided. Let's not pretend otherwise. It is not incompatible with also terminating in as precise way as possible, arab genociders.
—"Ethnic cleansing definitely happened during 1948."
Was it "ethnic cleansing" or simply one side losing a war they started and having to face the consequences of their decisions? Often after a war the losing side has to abandon or surrender territory—is far from unprecedented yet becomes a nefarious scheme and moral atrocity when done by Israel.
In 1948 Israel wanted partition, it was the Arabs who rejected it. Time and again, international bodies proposed partitioning the land into two states: one Jewish, one Arab. Time and again the Jews said yes, and time and again the Arabs refused, choosing violence and war instead.
The 1948 war began with an invasion by five Arab armies in May of that year, immediately after the British withdrawal. This was preceded by appeals from Arab religious and political leaders to “fight for every inch of their country” (from the chairman of the Arab High Commission), to shed “the last drop of their blood for their land” (from the spokesman of the Arab High Commissioner to the UN), and to carry out “a war of extermination,” an “immense massacre” that will be talked about “as much as the massacres of Mongolia and the Crusades” (Azzam Pasha, Secretary-General of the Arab League).
This is from Benny Morris: An order dated 24 March 1948 from Israel Galili, head of the Haganah National Command, explicitly instructed brigades to protect Arab communities within the Jewish state, except in rare military emergencies. Later, brigade leaders had the authority to expel or retain Arab populations based on local circumstances, resulting in different outcomes: in Haifa, Arab leaders requested evacuation despite Jewish appeals to stay; in Tiberias, no expulsions occurred; in Jaffa, flight followed military pressure; and in Safed and Acre, most departures were not due to explicit expulsion orders.
All evidence contradicts your claim here.
—"Israel decided it was preferable to termination of all the arabs (aka genocide).."
If Israel wanted to kill every Palestinian, it could have done so at any time in the past 50 years. Every genocidal statement, urge, fantasy was and still is on the Palestinian side, who have never once accepted the existence of the hated "Zionist entity", who have rejected every peace plan and still do—and if you don't believe me, just read the Hamas Charter.
Winning a war is not "genocide", the "genocide" lie was started by the Soviets in the 1980s and continues to be a slander not designed to explain truth but designed to lead to making Israel a pariah state.
It sounds like you're just accusing Israel of the crime of refusing to be wiped off the map. Either way, your claims are all biased oversimplifications of a very complicated topic.
What an impressive retort to those on the opposite side of the aisle, the antisemites. As I read the essay and got to its conclusion, I felt like a witnessed a TKO. Joshua, you should send this to multiple publications in the US, Europe, etc. This piece is so good I truly believe it would wake up, some anti-Zionists, or at minimum, have them rethinking their beliefs. Well done!
Hi Diane, I have been sending it out to those people who need it most.
Excellent. Thank you. This piece definitely needs to be read by those whose minds are not lucid.
Excellent piece!!!
The Jewish People are a unique Brand. We are a Faith, We have Land and we are a People. Faith, Land, Peoplehood is our differentiation and our Brand Essence. You cannot divide it up or attack it for its authenticity. It is who we are and we are the only people in this planet that has to manage all three at the same time. Indvisible.
Extremely well said. Should be standard curriculum in our Day and Hebrew schools. And sadly, also needed in our Synagogue's Adult Education classes. Zionism at its core is about 'building', and not 'destroying' which unfortunately is at the core of many of Israel's neighbors' ideology. We can only hope and pray that will change somehow.
Phantastic outstanding contribution; thank you so much.
AM ISRAËL CHAI!!!
Another masterpiece, Joshua! Excellent, beautiful, inspiring. עם ישראל חי 💙🇮🇱💙
I absolutely loved this essay. "The days of the apologetic Jew are over.". That says it all. Perhaps a rich Jewish philanthropist will endow a "Chair of Critical Zionist Studies" at, let's say, Hillsdale College in Michigan as a start. From there, who knows.
I always read Future of Jewish first in the mornings. Today, I could not stop smiling. Thank you for this brilliant assessment of us! It is a way forward to keep in mind. After 2 years of almost constant reading, I now feel fulfilled and hopeful for a better future, even in America. Resilience is how to characterize those of us living today. I love it! ❤️🇮🇱🇺🇸
A bit of deconstruction of anti-zionism is ok. Check out Adam Louis-Klein who does a good job of it.
You are miraculous! You have absolutely nothing to apologise for. What you have achieved in all fields is momentous. You are an exceptional Country. Always look up and fight for your existence. I pray for you and I love you!
עם ישראל חי 🇮🇱
A thousand hearts!
I'd like if post Jews like Jon Stewart and Mandy Patinkin and a host of other post Jews who find nothing much to excite them in the Jewish Israeli experience except shame, as Howard Jacobson, British and Jewish author wrote, would read this. Jews obsessing over how many Arabs died as a result of the hamas /Iran instigated pogrom/genocide of Oct. 7th '23.....as Israel cannot possibly harm the hair of one Arab terrorist.....since that is unconscionable and contrary to the edicts of Polish American senator b. sanders of Vermont.....and "Pocahontas" Warren too.
Jews who evince no outrage over the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust and cannot bring themselves to celebrate the release of the final 20 living hostages. PBS Newshour did a segment on the alleged horrible condition of the Arab murderers and terrorists Israel was obliged to hand over as part of redeeming the living Jews and the remains of murdered Jews...which hamas is not even doing.
MAGA!
Does the "A" represent Am Israel? Maybe it should be MAIGA? Or is it Meshigenes Against Goyish Annihilation?