<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr"><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Ari Wohlfeiler</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:ari@jewishvoiceforpeace.org" target="_blank">ari@jewishvoiceforpeace.org</a>></span><br>Date: Tue, Dec 6, 2016 at 2:26 PM<br>Subject: Defending Israeli Apartheid ≠ Fighting Antisemitism<br>To: <a href="mailto:naiman@justforeignpolicy.org" target="_blank">naiman@justforeignpolicy.org</a><br><br><br><u></u>
<div>
<p>
</p>
<p style="max-height:0px;font-size:0;color:#ffffff">Criticizing Israel is not anti-Semitic. How many times do we have to say it?</p>
<div id="m_-4808562579220164433m_1784313780199296522message-body" style="width:100%;font-family:lucida sans,helvetica,arial,sans-serif">
<div style="max-width:650px;margin:0 auto;color:#323232;font-size:16px;line-height:25px;clear:both;padding-bottom:2%">
<div><img src="https://org.salsalabs.com/o/301/images/2015horizontallogo.png" alt="" id="m_-4808562579220164433m_1784313780199296522logo"></div>
<p>Dear Robert,</p>
<p>On Friday, without a single Senator in the Senate Chamber, the Senate unanimously passed the Antisemitism Awareness Act.</p>
<p>Judging by the title, it seems a reasonable enough piece of legislation. And the Anti-Defamation League was one of its main boosters.</p>
<p>But let’s look closer with a short pop quiz about why the ADL is behind this bill:</p>
<p><i>a) To make it clear that actual neo-Nazis like the National Policy Institute, now in close proximity to power, are going to face real scrutiny and condemnation?</i></p>
<p><i>b) To help prevent more violence against synagogues and Jewish poeple, like the dozens of instances of hate crimes and vandalism documented since the election?</i></p>
<p><i>c) To protect the Israeli government from student protesters?</i></p>
<p>Probably the best way to figure out why the ADL supports it is to read what they’re saying themselves:</p>
<p style="text-align:center"><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=CWzUoTwgABbL%2BiBkN4C2vXO6z3wSsjlC" target="_blank"><img src="https://org.salsalabs.com/o/301/images/ADLtweet.png" alt=""></a></p>
<p><b>Sadly, the answer is “C.”</b></p>
<p>At a time when actual violence and bigotry against Jews is on the rise, Jewish institutions like the ADL are seizing the moment to… protect Israel from student protesters. <b>That's not acceptable.</b></p>
<p><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=840Y641t8T4b4EqOtgCvSHO6z3wSsjlC" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(234,104,71)"><u><b>We have to make sure Congressional reps hear from a more equality-focused perspective. Click here to send them a note urging them not to be fooled by the ASAA’s title. Enough pretending that defending Israeli policies is the same as fighting antisemitism. It’s time to get down to the actual business of protecting us all - especially Muslims and people of color - from hate.</b></u></span></a></p>
<p>I shouldn’t be shocked, but I am. "Leading" Jewish institutions have made it clear to they care more about defending Israel’s racist policies than the real slog of fighting antisemitism. Student activists -- Jewish, Palestinian, Muslim, Black, documented, white, and otherwise -- pose no threat to Jews. The only threat they pose is to the culture of silence around Israeli apartheid.</p>
<p><b>Attempts to silence human rights activists are always appalling. But in this time of crisis, when actual antisemitism is seeping from our political discourse and into our streets? That is truly disgusting.</b></p>
<p><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=F5PKHLOVHrLelEuMnICSTXO6z3wSsjlC" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(234,104,71)"><u><b>As Jews and allies we have an outsized voice on this one. Please, click here now and help fight this Orwellian legislation in the House.</b></u></span></a></p>
<p>And here’s another example: Rep. Keith Ellison is running to become Chair of the DNC. As a 501c3, JVP takes no position on any election, but I will say this: I’ve met Rep. Ellison, and he’s a good and honorable man, utterly devoted to fighting antisemitism and all forms of racism. But he’s also dared to offer modest criticisms of Israeli policy, always condemning hatred at the same time.</p>
<p>For that, he’s been railroaded and smeared by far-right Islamophobic front groups. And here again, the ADL is carrying water for these hatemongers by lending their name and their weight to the attacks against him.</p>
<p>The ADL’s support for the “Antisemitism Awareness Act” and their attacks on Keith Ellison are both proof that their commitment to fighting hatred is an empty shirt. They’re not interested in really taking on antisemitism and islamophobia. They’re only interested in shilling for Israeli apartheid.</p>
<p><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=guSSPbXUP7wSH%2Fzy2S4NwnO6z3wSsjlC" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(234,104,71)"><u><b>But their attacks get listened to, because Congress thinks they speak for the whole Jewish community. Show that they don't -- click here to email your Representative.</b></u></span></a></p>
<p>If “leading” Jewish organizations want to place their loyalty to shameful Israeli policies above the urgent fight against islamophobia and antisemitism, we’re going to have to step up.</p>
<p>Our Muslim brothers and sisters have made it quite clear that the fight against islamophobia and antisemitism go hand-in-hand. But the ADL isn’t stepping up to the plate -- they’re too busy condemning students who dare to criticise Israeli apartheid.</p>
<p>That leaves space for JVP. We can be the Jewish organization that takes on our fair share of that work -- the hard but vital work of fighting antisemitism and Islamophobia, wherever it exists.</p>
<p>Onwards,</p>
<p>Ari</p>
<div style="float:left;margin-right:3%"><img src="https://org.salsalabs.com/o/301/images/HEADSHOTS/Ari2014headshot.jpg" alt=""></div>
<br>
<div style="font-style:italic;font-size:14px">Ari Wohlfeiler<br>
Deputy Director</div>
<div style="width:100%"><a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=gDJMVLOHI9lbbaXJdElR1XO6z3wSsjlC" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank">
<div style="width:180px;background-color:#ea6847;padding:12px 0;margin:30px auto;text-align:center;color:#fff;font-weight:bold;font-size:16.5px;letter-spacing:.5px;font-family:century gothic,lucida sans,helvetica,arial,sans-serif">Take Action</div>
</a></div>
</div>
<div style="max-width:650px;margin:0 auto;background-color:#f1f2f2;border:1px solid #ededed;font-family:lucida sans,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-weight:normal;color:#808285;font-size:13px;letter-spacing:.1px">
<p style="padding:2% 7%">Jewish Voice for Peace is a national membership organization inspired by Jewish tradition to work for the freedom, equality, and dignity of all the people of Israel and Palestine. <a href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=WNxQ0ouaW%2BEFQlX%2FuSl6InO6z3wSsjlC" style="color:#ea6847" target="_blank">Become a JVP Member today</a>.</p>
<ul style="text-align:center;padding-left:0" id="m_-4808562579220164433m_1784313780199296522footer_links">
<li style="display:inline;border-right:1px solid;padding:0 3% 0 0"><a style="color:#808285;text-decoration:underline;font-size:11px;line-height:15px;letter-spacing:1px" href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=yaN9X7ZiMOdRsnBPmlPZYw%2BoOz7FZbGR" target="_blank">Donate</a></li>
<li style="display:inline;border-right:1px solid;padding:0 3%"><a style="color:#808285;text-decoration:underline;font-size:11px;line-height:15px;letter-spacing:1px" href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=UcP%2FUHZwQRIV4fByqJjnQHO6z3wSsjlC" target="_blank">Facebook</a></li>
<li style="display:inline;border-right:1px solid;padding:0 3%"><a style="color:#808285;text-decoration:underline;font-size:11px;line-height:15px;letter-spacing:1px" href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=grSiiPMdKvNH5cpqEnYwOHO6z3wSsjlC" target="_blank">Twitter</a></li>
<li style="display:inline;padding:0 0 0 3%"><u></u><a style="color:#808285;text-decoration:underline;font-size:11px;line-height:15px;letter-spacing:1px" href="mailto:Enter+email+address+here?subject=FWD%3A+Check+This+Out&body=I+thought+you+might+be+interested+in+this+message+https%3A%2F%2Fhq-org.salsalabs.com%2FblastContent.jsp%3Femail_blast_KEY%3D1356497" target="_blank">Forward to a friend</a><u></u></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="color:#adadad;padding-top:22px;font-family:lucida sans,helvetica,arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;text-align:center">
<p><a style="color:#bbb" href="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2BBr4zDjctyw42qTAANu59HO6z3wSsjlC" target="_blank">www.Jewishvoiceforpeace.org</a></p>
<p>1611 Telegraph Ave. Suite 1020 Oakland, CA 94612</p>
<p><a href="tel:(510)%20465-1777" value="+15104651777" target="_blank">(510) 465 1777</a></p>
<p><br></p></div></div></div>
<img width="1" height="1" src="http://org.salsalabs.com/dia/TrackImage?key=3757146864"><u></u></div><br></div>
</div><br></div>