U.S. Jews' Relationship With Israel Evolves

[oberliner]

Growing up at Congregation Olam Tikvah, Michelle Pearlstein remembers how Israel was taught at religious school: "Black and white -- you can't trust anyone, and it was a united front in support of Israel." Today, Pearlstein, 35, is the Israel specialist at the Fairfax synagogue, where she teaches what is now the mainstream approach: "We call it 'Israel, warts and all.' "

The change in curriculum is but one manifestation of the changing relationship between American Jews and the Jewish state, even as the country celebrates its 60th birthday this week.

Multiple new polls show that younger American Jews feel less of a connection to Israel than older Jews. And while there is heated debate about some of the polls' methodologies and conclusions, most Jewish leaders are very concerned about the data. The leaders see them as a long-term byproduct of intermarriage, assimilation and controversial Israeli policies, including settlement expansion in the occupied territories.

"We were a generation when people were hugging Israel and clinging it to their breast, and now it's sort of a stage of wrestling. They haven't thrown it away -- they're wrestling with it -- but it's qualitatively a different situation for younger people," said Micha Balf, who works with the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington to teach youth about Israel. "You're not starting with a visceral connection; you're starting with something that's unclear."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/10/AR2008051002247.html

[rockymountaindem]

1. Speaking personally, I haven't seen that happening

As a young American Jew, it seems to me that the vast majority of my contemporaries are highly supportive of Israel and don't spend too much time on the "warts". While Israel may have been a higher priority for Jews of the past two generations, the fact that my generation may spend less time thinking about Israel doesn't mean that we don't support it.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. Out of curiosity, how far does that support go?

The high school I attended had a lot of Jewish kids, and most all of them either spent their summers in Israel or wanted to. I remember seeing photos of the kids working on one kibbutz or another. At the time, their enthusiasm made me a big fan of Israel, too--this was the Sixties, before the settlements, etc--and before I knew any Palestinians. I was wondering if the Jewish youth of today show the same enthusiasm and also spend their summers in Israel.

[rockymountaindem]

7. Plenty of young Jews go on the free "Birthright Israel" trip

I don't know how many actually go to Israel on their own or in their spare time, especially because college these days is so expensive it takes up most of everybody's money at this time of our lives. I personally would like very much to travel to Israel, as would my dad, but my mom is against it because she's afraid of me being attacked. I guess that's what moms are for though. I will probably take advantage of the free trip before I turn 26, though. I see no reason not to. Everybody I know who has gone, either with Birthright or on their own, has had a great experience.

[oberliner]

4. I haven't really observed this either

Be curious to see what other folks think.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Israel's political policies may have something to do with it

When my husband was younger, he met a Jewish girl who was ready to go work one summer in Israel on a kibbutz--do the whole support Israel thing. She was not allowed to enter the country because she had attended some anti-war protests. Never was arrested or anything, just attended. And yet the Israeli government knew this, and denied her entry. Changed her whole attitude about Israel, and got my husband wondering about their intelligence service.

[DogPoundPup]

5. That is terrifying...but

I seem to remember reading somewhere that Bill Clinton told Monica on one of their clandestined phone conversations that the Israeli govt. would be listening in. Chilling eh?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. Yeah

especially since my husband's story goes back 40 years. One has to wonder how long Israeli intelligence has been checking out the US.

[morningglory]

8. As I understand it, all cell phone calls are switched through Israel.

I may be wrong. Maybe only Nextel calls.

[DogPoundPup]

10. They have a contract with D.C. (not Nextel) but some firm

over there to 'handle' all calls to and from the White House.

[oberliner]

11. Is this satire?

Can't tell anymore.

[DogPoundPup]

12. No it isn't satire...Hello...

This Monica/Bill story is true....I'd take the time to do a google with some words...but this thing is on dial up and sloooooooooooow.

[DogPoundPup]

9. 40 YEARS BACK!?!?!!!!! And to think robot-controlled-killer-tanks

were just an Alfred Hitchcock production fantasy back then, but today they are a reality......and things are getting uglier and deadliar day by day...I do believe we are reverting back to the Neanderthal era instead of progressing.

[Shaktimaan]

13. I don't know...

what kind of protests did she attend?

This isn't so special all things considered. A few years ago a friend of mine was denied entry to the US for going to some Socialist meetings during college. (He was still in college when denied entry as well.)

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

14. From what I understand

the general Viet Nam war protests that were held at every college campus, and I don't mean the ones that erupted into riots. According to my husband, all she did was march--didn't sign up to volunteer to distribute petitions, or even sign a petition against the war. That's what got me. How did they know her name if she just joined a march and left no paper trail? But they told her she was an "undesirable" because she was part of the "peace movement". Hmmm. I guess I'm glad I never tried to go there. I was signing petitions and going door to door to get more signatures back then. Very dangerous and violent work, ya know.

[Vegasaurus]

15. There are plenty of anti-war kids who take Birthright trips nt

[LeftishBrit]

16. I have often heard of such things happening with regard to trips to America...

I knew several people who'd been involved in left-wing activities and had to spend about 6 weeks filling in forms and getting references every time they wanted to attend a conference in America. I have not heard of this with regard to Israel, and wonder if there was something more to it: e.g. that the problem was more that she could have trouble on re-entry to the USA, or that the particular kibbutz didn't want anti-war people. Or that some individual member or employee of the government was being stroppy and exceeding their authority. Who were the government of Israel at that time?