HAUNTED BY THE ISRAELI QUESTION

The Israeli question still haunts me. The treatment of the Palestinians by the Israelis is absolutely awful. Recent comments from Jewish friends force me to see a lot of the anti Palestinian feelings of some Jews are purely racist. The term rag-head comes to mind. Some see Palestinians as less than human. One has said anti-Semitism killing Jews is rooted in the Koran and the Muslim religion. I suggested that the worship of Israel has replaced the God in the minds and hearts of secular Jews. So may Jews have given up their religious beliefs and customs. They have replaced it with an uncritical worship of Israel.

I am not gong to be held hostage to the idea that Israel must be seen as a reward for the terrible suffering of the holocaust.

Secularists of all kinds have given up ideas of God and religion and have adopted the pursuit of money as a replacement. When Money and toys run out of real meaning, some secular Jews turn to blind adherence to Israel. It is an issue in which they place ultimate trust. Some religious Jews also have a spectacular devotion to Israel and it approve of the government policies toward the Palestinians.

I also know there are plenty of American and Israeli Jews who are very critical of the policies of the Israeli government. Here are the websites or email addresses.

Jews for Justice for Palestinians

http://jfjfp.com/

http://www.tikkun.org - Rabbi Michael Lerner

http://www.womeninblack.org/en/about

"Cecilie Surasky, Jewish Voice for Peace" <info@jewishvoiceforpeace.org>