Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Here's another little bit of news my trip to the Tufts campus landed me with last night:
I've written before about Jewish and pro-Israel organizations that ignore advocating on behalf of their own mission statements, and I'm sad to report that I've come across yet another example. Tufts Friends of Israel and Tufts Hillel were scheduled to screen "The Case for Israel," on campus at Tufts University, but they ultimately decided it was too pro-Israel to be shown. Here are the emails written to excuse their actions:
[Names, emails, and phone numbers removed. Emphasis mine.]Tonight I have done a considerable amount of thinking and I have some thoughts that I want to share with all of you. Most importantly, the Friends of Israel board has decided to cancel the screening of The Case for Israel that was planned for Thursday night April 2nd. A wide variety of factors have entered into our decision-making process. First and foremost, the timing of the event is less than ideal. While we wanted to make the screening the major leadup event up to Friday's IFEST, many people would have been unable to attend the screening due to conflicts with classes and other important commitments. Secondly, the current political environment on campus has moved towards overall apathy towards this issue. The wide concensus on the Tufts campus is now that both the new Israeli leadership and the Palestinian leadership are too extreme, and with these current governements, peace seems hopeless. Tufts is a very liberal campus, but unlike similar schools Friends of Israel works very well and very often with pro-Palestinian groups on campus and there are no protests or rallies on campus. Everyone is committed to making actions, not just words that no one believes, to achieve peace. Therefore, at this moment, screening this movie, even to a small audience, is counter-productive. In the ever changing world of the Middle East, there may be an appopriate time to screen this film at Tufts (possibly early next fall- mid to late September), but that time is not now.
If we are to ever screen the movie at Tufts, then we will work together in creating an efficent plan so the movie will attract a large attendence on campus. I know that the professional Jewish community has put a lot of effort into this film and I would feel awful if just as many professionals came to this screening as students [Fair enough on that. -S].
There is one more issue that I want to address at this point. I want to emphaize the fact the Friends of Israel Board Members are all volunteering large portions of our time in order to create Israel-programs on campus. I fully understand that for many of you this programming is a profession, but we are all students with a primary focus on academics rather than extracirrcular activties. While we do commit a lot of time to this programming, we must place academics and our friends before these committments and that is not currently happening. I hope that we can reestablish our priorities and continue to work together into the future. [Also fair enough. -S] If you have questions for me and for anyone who recieving this e-mail (which includes the entire FOI board and key members of Tufts Hillel), then feel free to respond via e-mail or give me a call at...
The Hillel Rabbi replies:
I want to stress that I believe that Friends of Israel has been doing an extraordinary job this year. There is absolutely nothing wrong in doing an assessment and changing or even canceling a program, if the general goal is to be effective in one's mission. The commitment that FOI has had to work thoughtfully and effectively with the Muslim Student Association and Arab Student Association is an example for campuses around the country. (So too their commitment to work with FOI). So too, the coalition that has been built with NIMEP, CAFE and Pathways, not to mention the other religious organizations. You should feel good about this important work and together, we will find how to continue while at the same time doing what you need to do as busy students. Best regards...
Of course, I understand that their constraints on time and resources, and ordinarily I wouldn't bother commenting on a situation like this, but this time issue business doesn't strike me as having been the real crux of the case here. Tufts Hillel, through its dubiously titled "Moral Voices" speaking series -- I say dubious because the same program sponsored the New York Times' consistently anti-Israel basher Nick Kristof -- was the primary sponsor of the Stonyfield Farms CEO lecture last night (as I mentioned here). What a corporation whose main product is yogurt has to do with Hillel's mission statement is mystifying. As it says on Hillel's website:
A Jewish renaissance, an awakening of ideas, hope and optimism, is taking place on the Tufts campus. A generation of young Jews is searching for a Jewish community filled with celebration, learning and creativity - a community where they belong. Hillel informs this search for a life of meaning, a Jewish life that is relevant now and for the future...
On the flip side, a movie in defense of the Jewish state in the Land of Israel, such as The Case for Israel, seems perfectly to uphold Hillel's own mission. The film even features liberal activist and attorney Alan Dershowitz.
Things appear to have been a bit "off" at Tufts for some time, what with the Tufts Hillel itself signing on to the protest against Daniel Pipes back in October '07. The Pathways program mentioned above was also involved (See also here and here).
No one expects ordinary students to be heroes, but The Case for Israel is being widely shown, and it's hardly a radical film. If just showing it jeopardizes a pro-Israel group's relationship with an Islamist group like the MSA, and they cave therefor, what does that say? Nothing very good on a number of levels. Whether Hillel and related groups smoke peace pipe on Tufts campus with MSA and ASA or not, this figures very little in to whether or not peace happens in the Middle East. It does allow Israel's foes to keep in check one entire campus worth of people who should be Israel's advocates, and that doesn't help prospects for peace in any way.
You know, I always thought that Tufts was one top-notch school...very difficult to get into. (Hell, I know there was no way I could! But I digress).
This is a perfect demonstration that the smarter one is, the dumber one acts...or refuses to act in this case.
Dhimmis. That's all they are. Dhimmis.
Sad. So very sad. So much for the future of our country. Liberalism will be the death of both America and Israel. The death of Western Civilization for that matter.
Doesn't anyone have any testicular fortitude these days? What the hell do they teach at these places?
Thank God I moved from New England (yes, Boston) to Atlanta. At least down here I have a fighting chance to actually speak and interact with non liberals. I'm going back north for Pesach and I know that when speaking to relatives it'll be challenging to say the least.
I'll admit that I wrote the e-mail that you are describing, and you are clearly twisting my words for your own benefit. The primary reason the event was canceled was due to a lack of general planning. We wanted a large audience to show this important film, and we quickly realized that we would be unable to reach our goals.
This Friday, Tufts' Friends of Israel is hosting our annual IFEST, which celebrates the proud existence of the state of Israel for 61 years. This celebration will attract hundreds of students and will show the best aspects of Israel to the Tufts community. I could not think of a better way to support Israel.
Your post critiques our positive relationship with the Arab Student Association and the Muslim Student Association. First of all, these organizations are small organization on campus (the ASA does not even have campus funding), and they contain very moderate voices that do not fall in line with Hamas or even most of Fatah. While they may occasionally make comments that make us cringe, our relationship is for the better (of course we make similar comments that make them cringe), because we view them as equal partners. For example, at 6 PM tonight (April 1st), FOI will be co-hosting a Middle East 101 program (in Mugar 231 of the Tufts Medford Campus) with the ASA, MSA, Hillel, NIMEP, Pathways-CAFE, and the Office of the University Chaplain. This program will feature dueling powerpoints representing the Israeli and Palestinians narratives of the conflict. I am very proud to be presenting one of the Israeli powerpoints in the presentation. By showing the slides at the same time from both sides, we recognize that both sides have valid points. Everyone at the event will recognize Israel's right to exist, self-defense, and the right to live in peace. In my humble opinion (I know I am to the left of you), the Palestinian people (not necessarily their current leadership), deserve these same rights. Just because people live under a oppressive regime, does not mean that one should punish an entire population. Once we realize that most people just want these basic rights, we will be much closer to peace in the Middle East.
You mention that what happens at Tufts has a very small effect in the world. On one hand, you are entirely correct that having groups work together at Tufts will not change the situation tomorrow in the region. However, if we can expand our successful model to other universities across the country (and the world) and thus train a new generation of thoughtful global leaders, we will be making a difference.
Lastly, I think your attacks against Tufts Hillel are entirely unfair. Bringing a Jewish CEO who is interested in creating a sustainable planet to campus is one of the best programs that a large Jewish organization could be sponsoring. It shows that we, as Jews, understand one of the key principles of our faith, which includes creating a better world for our children to live in. Due to unsustainable practices, we are creating a world that is becoming more dangerous each day, and I am not sure I want to see all of the consequences of our inaction in creating a more sustainable planet. Besides the Moral Voices programs, Hillel runs many other very successful programs and averages 100 students at a school of 5000 each shabbat. Tufts Hillel is a model organization, and while it may be liberal, it is creating another generation of American Jewish leaders. If you have any other questions for me, I am more than happy to have a conversation on this forum.
I realize that I left a few key details out of my last post. If everything works out, Friends of Israel plans on showing the Case for Israel at the beginning of the next school year when we can get a higher attendance on campus. Hopefully, Professor Dershowitz will come to campus, and we will attract a large audience to see this important film.
Also, Friends of Israel has a very strong job at defending Israel in the light of the recent crisis in Southern Israel and Gaza. In addition to working with other groups on campus, FOI brought the Israeli Consulate General to New England, Nadav Tamir, to campus in front of over 100 people to hold a two-hour long press conference style event. Lastly, it should be noted that FOI is officially an apolitical group (we are open to hearing and welcome all viewpoints) and an areligious organization.
First of all, these organizations are small organization on campus (the ASA does not even have campus funding), and they contain very moderate voices that do not fall in line with Hamas or even most of Fatah.
How do you know it is not taquiya?
While they may occasionally make comments that make us cringe, our relationship is for the better (of course we make similar comments that make them cringe), because we view them as equal partners.
The comments are simply dross or factual?
Do you know what Abbas has been saying these passed few days down south at the Arab summit in Qatar?
Cynic - can you provide links to Abbas' statements?
Fans361 -
Actually, no, it's not. A sweet, laudable goal, perhaps, but with the amount of rising antisemitism, anti-Zionism, simple Jew hatred, and the disaffection of so many young Jewish men and women, getting them involved in actual Jewish matters - especially of survival in the onslaught of jihad (stealth or otherwise) - is much more important.