50 Facts (and opinions) of My Own

By now, I am sure most of you have seen and read Mo Husseini’s “50 Completely True Things” post on Medium. It inspired me to write my own list of 50 True Things (with a little educated opinion thrown in).  This list is meant to educate, call to action, and inject some nuance into what has been a debate filled with intellectual dishonesty and binary thinking. 

Zionism 

1. Zionism started in 586 BCE.  Read the full Psalm 137 for documentation on such.  
2. Zionism is a core value of Judaism.  Other values that fall under Zionism are Ahavat Yisrael (loving Israel, its people, and culture), Da’at Yisrael (knowledge of this history and current events) and Kesher l’Yisrael (a connection to Israel).   [Some Jews don’t align with or engage in certain Jewish core values and observances (like Kashrut and Shabbat observances) but it doesn’t negate those as central to Jewish belief/ behavior.)
3. Jews are known as B’nai Yisrael, Am Yisrael and K’lal Yisrael.  (Even the Quran uses Banī Isrāʾīl more than 20 times to refer to the Jewish people.)  It is not possible to “love Jews” and “deny Israel a right to exist.” 
4. Yaacov/Yuqab is seen as a prophet in Islam and the Qur’an specifies that Israel is the homeland of his descendants.  So what are we arguing about?

Israel 

5. Israel – on that land and known as HaEretz – exists as a safe haven for Jews.  (And has a right to exist, period.)
6. If at some point Israel decides to be something else, that’s the right of Israeli citizens and leadership to make that change. But no one else has the right to define them or force a change. 
7. Israel has a right to defend itself. 
8. Because Israel has a right to defend itself, it has a right to push borders when they are attacked.  So the Golan Heights and the West Bank are rightfully Israel unless Israel decides to transfer the land to another country (like the Sinai). 
9. The West Bank (also known as the community of Judea-Samaria) is called the WEST Bank because it’s the West Bank of Jordan. It’s the easternmost part of Israel on that border. It was taken from Jordan when Jordan attacked Israel in 1967.

Palestinians 

10. There are four different conversations around Palestinian “rights” – not just one.  (Outlined in next four statements.) 
11. Gazans living under Hamas since 2005 had their own country, their own government.  That group of Palestinians has/had different needs leading up to 10/7.  They were cheated out of a fully flourishing and safe life by the hands of Hamas.  Israel was forced to put unspeakable protections in place as a result of abuses by Hamas (like restricting the imports of certain materials because Hamas was using them for tunnel and weapon development). 
12. Arab Israelis identifying as Palestinian descendants are full citizens of Israel.  They vote, serve in all levels of government, serve in the IDF, own land, etc.  They experience similar micro-aggressions that Black and Brown people in the US do:  more frequent traffic and security stops, some employment discrimination, an erasure of history and contributions to society, an under-representation in pop culture and symbols of the country (like the flag and national anthem).  This is wrong and needs to be addressed, but it isn’t “apartheid.” 
13. The Palestinian community in the disputed West Bank /Judea-Samaria experience the highest levels of oppression, racism, and violence.  They do not have citizenship, they don’t receive financial supports from the government during periods of lock down (like Covid and war).  They are often placed on curfews or total lock downs which cause undue stress and financial hardship.  They are antagonized by a right wing government and extreme agitators and murderers. They have been offered citizenship over the years to both Jordan and to Israel and have rejected it.
14. Descendants of Arabs living in British Mandate Palestine who were displaced during the transition of power in 1948 and are now settled in other places have a significant tie to the land and should have freedom of movement within the land.  They are not, however, refugees.  
15. Refugee status (as defined by the UN) given to descendants of displaced persons only applies to this one group of people and represents a bias and prejudice against Israel.  No other peoples are granted this inherited status.  
16. If that were the case, then almost every Jew in the world would be a refugee from Judea/Samaria.  And the descendants of the 900k+ Mizrahi Jews expelled from Arab lands would be refugees from those lands, and so on.
17. The UN and the UK have a major responsibility in the displacement of  Palestinians in 1948.  The lack of thoughtful transfer of power created a terrible crisis.  Arabs taken from their homes and businesses deserve reparations. 

UN and The World 

18. Issues with UNWRA and Hamas has been reported to the UN for years (Google Hillel Neuer and read his work on this for years).  If the UN weren’t flooded with JewHatred and had listened, 10/7 wouldn’t have happened. 
19. While the UN is responsible for creating Israel, it is also responsible for helping to try and destroy it. For example, the comparative (outrageously overzealous) UN General Assembly condemnations against Israel (2023 example here) as compared to other nations, but it happens every year.
20. We have been reporting the building of tunnels under civilian populations.  We have been reporting the use of schools, hospitals and mosques as terror bases.  We have been reporting the use of human shields.  And the abhorrent deaths and starvation of innocent Gazans right now is on the hands of Hamas and all those who ignored Israel’s reports of these atrocities the last decade. 

Terrorism against Israel 

21. Thanks to Obama’s actions, the Iron Dome and other security needs  exist and are funded (as is David’s Sling).  
22. As a result of these life-saving technologies and Israel’s investment in warning systems and bomb shelters lives have been saved.  If you want to know just how often Israel is bombed or invaded by drone attack devices, load the Tzofar Red Alert app on your phone and turn on notifications. I have had it on for years. If you are truly brave, keep it on with volume all night long for a few weeks.
23. Without this, 435,855 souls would have been lost in a Tel Aviv genocide, 104,656 women and children murdered in Ashdod, and 354 hospitals obliterated across Israel. Additionally, 1,204 synagogues, 158 churches, and 73 mosques would have been consumed by flames, along with their congregants, due to relentless rocket attacks from Hamas in Gaza and Iranian proxies in Lebanon, Iraq, and Syria. (Credit for stats @amjady25)
24. The attempted genocide of Israeli citizens for YEARS has been ignored.  Iron Dome and David’s Sling and bomb shelters don’t give others the right to try and kill us and walk away “innocent.” Someone who shoots a law enforcement officer wearing a bullet proof vest still goes to jail!
25. Attempted murder and a massacre (complete with sexual violence, mutilation, burned babies, and more unspeakable violence) and hostage taking of anyone isn’t a path forward for any of the aforementioned Palestinian peoples.  It’s terrorism for the sake of killing Jews or those who support Jews. 
26. In addition to over 200 days (as of this writing 213) of hostages and bombs from Hamas, Northern Israel is mostly empty due to attacks from Hezbollah.  Tens of thousands of folks displaced from the North, living in hotels all over Israel and with family and friends. And the world is silent.  
27. The world is silent because instead of the Israeli government and a global Jewry leaving these people homeless in the streets and starving, we are collectively housing them and taking care of all of their needs (from food to medicine to children’s programming).  Thousands of displaced Israeli families from the north and south came to the US over the last six months  and we swiftly immersed them in our Jewish communities.  Ask yourself why the global Arab Muslim world isn’t taking care of Gazans in the same way.  (And before you say they can’t get out, many can but it costs a lot of money their brethren aren’t putting forth to get them out.) 

Peace Work and Solutions

28. There are some truly bold and brave organizations that have been trying to work towards a peaceful solution that provides safety, dignity and freedom for all peoples in HaEretz. Here are a few that I have been engaged with (as a learner, follower of social media and enews, and donor). I may not agree 100% with everything each group says, but I deeply respect their work and their approach.
    • Roots-Shorashim-Judur
    • Standing Together
    • Tag Meir
    
29. There are also many more organizations doing day-to-day programming with Arab Israelis of Palestinian descent and Israeli Jews.  These include everything from children’s soccer programs, to jointly run schools, to women’s cooking groups, to art collaboratives.  One of these organizations is Beit HaGefen, situated in Haifa.  If you ever have a chance do their Coexistence Street Art tour through Wadi Nis-Nas, I strongly recommend it. 
30. One of the things I have learned in engaging with Roots, is that the known proposals for “One State” and “Two State” are deeply flawed and there are groups who have made proposals for a “One State” solution that are very different from what we have all been exposed to over the years.  Here are two proposals that would achieve the goals of a land with equal access for everyone:
    • The Federated Movement 
    • A Land for All 

Media Bias 

31. Media bias is real.  And the inability for otherwise intelligent humans (and some total stupid people) to consume media critically contributes to a global pandemic of JewHatred as a result of antiIsrael sentiment.  
32. People need to take responsibility for their media consumption.  CNN/Fox and TikTok aren’t the sources you should be relying on.  Look to the people who are extremely knowledgeable within communities and see what they are saying.  For example, anti-terror Muslim scholars, Jewish leaders in co-existence work, and fact checking orgs or pluralistic news organizations are better sources.  (For example, when I want to understand the US Black community’s needs, I follow leaders in the NAACP, the 1619 project, presidents of HBCUs, Black journalists and authors.) 

JewHatred 

33. JewHatred (let’s stop with the term antisemitism) has existed for millennia.  In modern times; It comes from the far right in the form of White Nationalism and from the extreme far left in the form of antiIsrael sentiment. 
34. The statements “River to the sea,” “globalize the intifada,” “Zionism is naziism,” “final solution,” “Israel doesn’t have the right to exist,” and so on are pure JewHatred and are spoken to incite violence against Jews.  This is not protected in the US as “free speech.” 
35. Right-wing JewHatred is also still alive – from swastikas to “we will not be replaced” – we are experiencing a threat to our security from this dangerous ideology too. 
36. Groups like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and American Jewish Committee (AJC) track stats on JewHatred.  Their reports (linked with their names) from 2023 are staggering and it’s only gotten worse in the first five months of 2024.
37. Jews around the world are scared.  We are editing our normal routines and behaviors.  Some have refrained from wearing explicitly Jewish clothing/jewelry, others changing their obviously Jewish names on apps like Uber and AirBnb.   Here is an article my frolleague, Howard Blas, recently wrote for the Jerusalem Post.
38. Jews around the world are so scared, some are talking about an “escape plan.”  Conversations are taking place about the Jews who got out before the Holocaust and those who weren’t worried enough which made the difference between life and death – and many of us are talking about where is our “get out now” time and where is the place.  Up until 10/7 most would have said they would move to Israel, and now some are questioning even that.  I have seen people discuss on their social media if they have identified non-Jewish friends to hide them (like Anne Frank’s family in the attic) if the time comes. This is serious fear. 
39. Allyship isn’t transactional.  So just because progressive Jews have traditionally been public allies of other marginalized groups (LGBTQ +, Black community, AAPI, etc) doesn’t mean those folks automatically have to stand with us.  Sure it hurts if they don’t, but we don’t have a right to expect it. 
40. But you can’t call yourself a friend of the Jews or an ally if you don’t publicly stand against JewHatred.  That means expressing it virulently on your social media, putting signs in your yards, calling out friends/family/colleagues for their hatred (or ignorance).  The Jewish community needs to SEE and HEAR your support if you claim to stand with us. 

Education 

41. One of the reasons we have seen such a collapse of respectful discourse on this topic is a breakdown in society’s ability to dialogue and engage with those who hold different opinions.  I addressed this in a recent blog and even since then have been immersed in new trainings on conflict resolution (both secular and Jewish approaches).  One organization providing training (particularly as it relates to Muslim/Jewish dialogue) is NewGround.  Another source for information on teaching how to engage in difficult dialogue is iCivics. While this is intended for educators, it can be adapted for corporate training for employees as well. 
42. Most recently, we have seen the absolutely wrong way for people to advocate for a cause they believe in.  Riots, violent protests, property destruction, blocking freedom of movement, trespassing, graffiti (and more) are not acceptable ways to engage in making change.  Civic education, at every age, has to go beyond “How a Bill Becomes a Law” and needs to be strategically taught in our schools. Young people need to learn a variety of methods for being heard: petitions, lobbying, writing op-eds, and fact-based issue peer education.
43. Modern public school education (and private too, but we don’t have control over that), has failed miserably when it comes to Holocaust education.  Detailed research conducted by Pew indicates that most educated adults have a general understanding of the Holocaust, however, the next generation is vastly different (summary here). Sixty-three percent of those surveyed did not know 6 million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust. Over half of those thought the toll was under 2 million. And while Holocaust education isn’t the only subject ignorance this generation has, it certainly contributes.  Clearly, most also have very little factual information about Middle East history and it’s cleary naive (dead wrong) to say that the history of Israel and it’s regional neighbors is of little importance in the American education system.
44. We have a problem with education censorship in our country, even when it comes to facts, history, and accepted literature. Critical Race Theory has received a lot of attention and general banned books have as well, but censored Holocaust education has generally slid under the radar. I had the opportunity to ask Secretary of Education Cardona this question at a “fireside chat” during National Civics Week:

How do you think editing, watering down, and sometimes eliminating public school Holocaust education (and sometimes banning related library books) in our recent past has led to the overwhelming abundance of JewHatred we have seen on college campuses today?  And how will you and your team look to transform Holocaust and anti-bias education in order to prevent this in the future? How will you respond to governors and state leadership that has ordered this atrocious approach to censoring education in this way?

His answer: “protect the teachers.” Video here of his five minute response. 

45. Media Bias education (as indicated above) is imperative.  iCivics provides substantial content for many grade levels on how to approach this. 
46. We have a problem on college campuses related to tenure, professors with no accountability to the university and therefore they can teach unchecked false content and there is an all-out free-for-all as it relates to weaving personal bias of professors into classroom content. We need a complete overhaul as it relates to this. 
47. We have had a major failure in Jewish education.  We have “white-washed” Israel to our learners.  This has created a multi-prong problem.  One, we have emerging adult Jews who now feel they have been lied to – betrayed by their own Jewish education.  And they are correct. I didn’t learn about the term Naqba or the events of that terrible part of our history until I was engaged in Muslim/Jewish dialogue.  Twelve years in formal and informal Jewish education programs, a Master’s in Jewish Studies and a Doctorate in Jewish Education leadership didn’t teach it to me.  Secondly, Jews cannot have an educated conversation with non-Jews when they only know one deeply biased version of history.  It makes us look like we choose to ignore the full story (and makes us come across as ignorant in our own cause). Third, we don’t have a lot of Jews who can be engaged in problem-solving if they don’t have the information needed to see how we got here. We must address and fix our narrow approach to Israel education.

The Far Left Jews

48. There are two groups of far left extreme Jews that have been vocal the last few months.  Those that are uneducated (other than TikTok), have zero nuance, and lack self-awareness to understand where their radicalized beliefs come from. They are creating a lot of havoc on the Jewish community but they aren’t the biggest concern.  The second group is a much bigger threat to global Jews and these are the rabbis, educators and organizations that use “genocide” language against Israel and are calling for a unilateral ceasefire.  These are the organizations that are giving legitimization to JewHatred veiled in support for “Palestine.”  It is one thing for these groups/people to work behind the scenes and try to influence Israeli leadership and American leadership through private meetings, but literally taking to the streets and broadcasting across social media puts their fellow Jews in danger.  They are giving credence to the JewHaters because “rabbis and Jewish organizations” also agree with “Free Palestine.” The situation has gotten so contentious that recently a group of mainstream Jewish organizations leaders backed out of a planned meeting with Secretary Cardona because these other folks were included. I am a leader in pluralistic education because I strongly believe that we are all better when we have a diversity of ideas, however, the “tent” is only so big. 

The “Day After”

49. Gaza is destroyed (and hopefully Hamas will be when this is over). There are voices in the right-wing of the Israeli government calling for a total resettlement of Gaza as Israel and this cannot be the path forward as it will derail all of the other work to build a safe Israel (or Israel-Palestine) for all citizens.  We need the best and most creative minds to join together to make proposals on the path forward. Proposals on everything from security, to government, to infrastructure, to international relations. (I have my own ideas on some of this, but will leave that for another day). 

Hummus 

50. A few years ago, I had the privilege of seeing the premier of Michael Solomonov “In search of Israeli Cuisine” at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival.  I cannot recommend this documentary more.  (ps if you say hum-mus and not choo-moos, you have less authority on this issue!)