In the Dec. 4 edition of The Northeastern News, a troubling editorial was written by Joe Goldberg, titled “A Different Kind.” While Goldberg’s intentions were good, his usage of inflammatory stereotypes ultimately ruined his interesting point and even further managed to divide the Jewish people, instead of helping to unify them.
Right from the beginning of his editorial, Goldberg utilized generalization to prove his point. He stated that an “alliance between the orthodox and conservative ideologies” exists and that those communities believe that “Israel can do no wrong.” And, to further marginalize his points, he remarks that “on the reformer side” are people like himself who, in his opinion, seem to be the only Jews who are self-critical and view Israel’s policies with any skepticism.
It is wholly unfair to lump the orthodoxy together with the conservative, as if to say that the separate principles they stand for mean nothing. And it is despicable to assume that these movements are not self-critical and do not see that Israel’s policies are imperfect. As Professor Richard Landes (of BU), a key advocate of Israel in the Boston-area, explained in The Boston Globe (12/21/02), “‘Jews are probably the most self-critical people, the most self-critical culture, historically speaking — just go back to the prophets.'”
For Goldberg to assume that only Reform Jews are soul-searching in that manner is absurd, and to speak on behalf of that movement, as if he truly understands their principles (who highly back and stand for Israel), is beyond ridiculous. And further, I cannot even truly bother to condescend to comment upon Goldberg’s inane and inaccurate stereotypical generalizations of Israelis (further propagated by his sister-in-law and social studies teacher). To make a blanket statement about the “uncooperative arrogance” of Israelis is as flagrantly inflammatory as a certain racist Trent Lott comment.
Lastly, I want to explain the inaccuracy of Goldberg’s statement: “The world agrees that the West Bank and Gaza are under occupation, but Sharon stubbornly denies it.”
The only reason that Israel is currently controlling movement within the West Bank and Gaza is because of the terrorist attacks against Israel. Through the beginning steps in the Oslo Peace Accords, the Palestinian Authority had autonomy of those pieces of land, but Yasser Arafat and various terrorist organizations did not halt the attacks on Israel. They do not believe that peaceful discussions are worthy means to the end they desire. They do not accept Israel as a valid entity in that region. They use violence against Israelis and whoever else might be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Because of this brutality and the Palestinian Authority’s non-adherence to the peace accords, Israel had no choice but to enter the territories in order to protect her people. If the PA put a halt to terrorist attacks, then Israel would not have to forcibly restrain these attackers from entering Israel proper.
Goldberg was correct about one thing — the majority of Jews want peace. In fact, I can honestly say that I have never met a Jew who does not want peace. If sometimes we appear stubborn, calloused and even arrogant, it is only because of the hardships we have gone through. We are not so narrow-minded as to think we are perfect. But the majority of us refuse to be self-haters who only find fault in ourselves and cannot open our eyes to see the injustices forced on our people. We do hate some of the decisions we are forced to make in order for our own survival as the lone democratic state surrounded by Arab-Muslim monarchies, but we must make those tough decisions, and we must stand firm as a people, unwavering in our belief in the state of Israel but with our own individual opinions for our survival.
– Laura Held is a senior English major.
