SPME
An apartheid comparison may not necessarily be antisemitic per se as, for example, Nazi comparisons are… It is reasonable to expect Israel (or any democracy respectful of the rule of law) to provide objective and substantive justifications for the imposition…
read moreIn May, while Hamas was firing more than 3000 deadly rockets from Gaza with the express purpose of murdering Jewish Israelis, members of academic communities around the world were falling over themselves to express their solidarity, not with the beleaguered…
read moreDear Colleagues: The recent events in Colleyville Texas at Congregation Beth Israel synagogue are a clear reminder of the growing antisemitism we are witnessing today where Jews are targeted just because they are Jews. Four hostages, including Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, were…
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Donna Robinson Divine is Morningstar Family Professor of Jewish Studies and Emirita Professor of Government at Smith College. The Idea of the Jewish State by Ben Halpern (her teacher at Brandeis) examined how the idea of the Jewish state had…
read moreDear Colleagues: As I am sure you have observed, following the ceasefire that was announced on May 21st after the latest war between Gaza and Israel more than 100 departments, programs, and faculty groups issued condemnations of Israel. Stereotypically the accusations…
read moreThe recent death of top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat has prompted me to revisit an important document in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict, namely UN General Assembly Resolution 194. American educated, the Erekat was a counterweight to hard-core rejectionists…
read moreOver the past few months we have seen an an increase of pushback against the IHRA definition of antisemitism which growing especially in progressive circles. For example, pro BDS groups like ‘IfNotNow’ are now claiming that it’s hurting the progressive…
read moreGreat news! We are told by the Washington Post: “Terrorist attacks are quietly declining around the world.”[1] Citing the University of Maryland’s report on terrorism[2], the WP author points out that there are fewer terrorist attacks since 2016. So, nothing to see here, folks;…
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Donna Robinson Divine was the President of the Association for Israel Studies. In this careful and empathic account of the relationship between the Yishuv and the Diaspora in the years of the Mandate, she rejects the notion that one was simply…
read moreDonna Robinson Divine argues that the Zionist nation-building story, while inspiring, does not reflect the trials, pains and losses of the nameless immigrants who deferred their own happiness to advance the Zionist cause in the years after the Balfour Declaration.…
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