The Antisemitism Awareness Act is Our Latest Self-Inflicted Existential Threat | |
It is very significant that the leaders of Americans for Peace Now and Ameinu decided to call our new combined organization "The New Jewish Narrative". The basic fundamental definitions of what it means to be Jewish or a Zionist or pro-Israel or what constitutes antisemitism have never been less clear or more the source of passionate disagreement and confusion among caring Jews. There has never been a time when Jews were more in need of a New Narrative to provide a framework for enabling fact-based, civil, and respectful conversations regarding the meanings of those terms and how to support Israel and move forward as a Jewish community-- assuming that is even possible. Throughout Jewish history, there have been several decent periods and many more very challenging periods. The most common storyline is that Jews have repeatedly faced vicious and brutal discrimination from powerful gentile neighbors who have sought to literally or figuratively humiliate, hurt, or destroy us. We are familiar with legitimate feelings of victimhood and until recently we have had no experience at all regarding how to deal with the power and control over our own destiny that the State of Israel and American Jews enjoy today. In short, we developed narratives and organizations to help us deal with our victimhood but we have no cultural norms regarding how to deal with victory and success. | |
Larry Gellman currently serves on the board of NJN, J Street, and CLAL. Over the last 40 years he served as a founding member of the AIPAC board in Tucson and was a national leader and honoree of Israel Bonds, a founder of the Milwaukee Jewish Day School, and named Jewish Man of the Year in both Milwaukee and Tucson after chairing Federation annual campaigns in both cities. He spent his career as a widely recognized financial advisor and won awards as a television news reporter in Ohio and Wisconsin. Views and positions expressed here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily represent NJN's views and policy positions. | |
1. Bills & Resolutions TARGETING FREE SPEECH/RIGHT TO PROTEST ISRAEL/ZIONISM (**UPDATE*** LEGISLATING THE IHRA CONFLATION OF CRITICISM OF ISRAEL & ANTISEMITISM) S. 558: Introduced 2/13/25 by Scott (R-SC) and 35 cosponsors (17 Republicans and 18 Democrats), “A bill to provide for the consideration of a definition of antisemitism set forth by the International Holocaust Rembrance Alliance for the enforcement of Federal antidiscrimination laws concerning education programs or activities, and for other purposes,” aka the “Antisemitism Awareness Act.” Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Also see: | |
