When I was in Israel everyone told me I am the one with the hardest job.
They explained….
In Israel we know we are dealing with this enemy.
In the US people do not realize a ceasefire and “peace” mean totally different things when one is dealing with jihadists.
We need to not be lulled by dreams of peace when hostages remain in captivity and where there is an enemy sworn to our destruction.
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I am happy to report the resolution calling for a ceasefire was not passed by my city council. It is a bittersweet victory to have to even do this in my city. I remain horrified that I found myself in this situation. How can it be that in the US today there are so many initiatives that are incrementally making my country less safe for Jewish life. How can it be in 2024 I find myself like a soldier having to oppose antisemitic and anti Zionist attacks albeit symbolic in my home?
I looked around the public seating gallery and realized I was in an “us” and “them” situation.
On the “us” side I recognized Jewish clergy from all our congregations as well business people, lawyers, doctors , tech people. We were there because we are Jewish and this is incredibly and painfully personal. On the other side, was a diverse group including a few Arabic speaking women but mostly a group of people with no direct connection to Israel or Gaza.
Before the meeting started I thought it was a great opportunity to try to learn about the “them” in the room.
Read carefully what happened….
I spoke to a woman who wore a head covering and asked her if she has family in Gaza. I asked her if she has personally experienced loss because of the war. She said her husband had a cousin but no one close to her. I responded with sympathy because that’s how I tick. I wished her family stays safe and that there can be an end to attacking Israel. I asked her, by the way, why does Hamas want to kill all my people? Why is it in the Hamas charter?
She was understandably caught off guard. She had no answer and said she had never heard this.
Then her”handlers” told her Don’t talk to this woman . Unfortunately my Arabic is very limited so I do not know what they actually called me. I learned so much from this moment.
I learned that the people supporting the ceasefire resolution who were at this meeting have been organized by community organizers. When they spoke their “talking points” were repeated over and over again by each speaker. I learned that part of their strategy is to cut off communication, to keep their “speakers” isolated from complex situations that may shed light on truths other than their own. I learned that “us” and “them” is central to their strategy. By “othering” your opponent you are distancing them from their humanity. “Don’t talk to this woman” was highly personal, the same as the ignorant USF “professor” told Sam, “ we can’t talk about it.”
I spent 8 hours this week in the city council chambers listening to awful vitriolic tirades by an organized group of labor and community organizers. “Folk” who work with the local tenants union, advocates for the homeless, housing advocates who gave very real gripes about inequities in our country.
I was most horrified to learn that these organizers have attached the situation in Gaza to their local advocacy. Speakers talked about their frustrations with their student debt burdens, the lack of “affordable” housing and freely attached antisemitic and anti- Zionist tropes. I heard from ‘progressive’ councilor, Richie Floyd, that he had worked with Jewish groups including Central Florida Progressive Jews. Who are these people I wondered. Who are they? How could they represent Jewish people in Saint Petersburg when every rabbi and Jewish organization in our city was represented at this meeting?
I believe many people only listen to the news they want to hear.
In the council chamber were Yaakov Gelfon and Matthew Levine. They belong to a self proclaimed “progressive” group seeking a twisted sort of “Tikun Olam,l or “repairing the world” by promulgating lies about Israel.
They claim to present an anti Zionist path to be “true Jews” and I truly pity them.
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