Jewish Voice for Peace (the "Proud to be ashamed to be Jewish" ) group seems upset at the new policy guidelines endorsed by the San Francisco Jewish Community Federation, judging by the whining at their Muzzlewatch blog.
A local activist responds:
"This policy statement is a turning point-- not in its restatement of the existing values of the Federation, but in standing up against the creeping subversion of our community institutions by those who do not share and support those values. Jewish Voice for BDS is right about one thing, though--these guidelines are indeed aimed at them. After all, though they are a small fringe group, they have been vocally spitting in the face of this Jewish community's institutions for years. And the community, as embodied in its Federation, has finally said "Enough. We will not fund this agenda." No excommunication, no auto-da-fe, no fatwa, just a statement that those who wish to attack one of our central values shouldn't expect us to pay for it."
"The Federation is under no obligation to fund a group just because they happen to put the word "Jewish" in their name-- whether that's the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, Jewish Voice for Peace, or a "Messianic Jewish" congregation.
Organizations stand for a set of principles. The Federation's mission statement declares:
"The Federation gives continuity to Jewish values: [including]The supporting of Israel, the democratic homeland for the Jewish people". Why, then, should it support, even indirectly, organizations or programs whose mission or content runs counter to that? Doing so would actually violate the fiduciary responsibility that its board has to its donors. Since the founding principles of BDS include the fictitious "right" of return for descendants of refugees from the Arab war against the Jews in 1947-8, the BDS movement has clearly stated that its goal is not merely the end of Israel's occupation of the West Bank, nor the establishment of a Palestinian state living in peace next to a Jewish state of Israel; its goal is a Palestinian state in place of Israel. "
Read it all at Bluetruth
Ah, yes. Jewish Voice for Peace.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I have in common with JVP is that we are both ashamed that they are Jewish
Oh, Jeez! Did you read the JVP post? What a joke! its titled
ReplyDelete"San Francisco Jewish Federation officially excommunicates large swath of Jewish population"
by Cecilie Surasky
From her blog: And don't forget, comments are NEVER allowed at the JVP site
"The San Francisco Bay Area’s Jewish Federation has made it official.
Here in one of the most cosmopolitan, diversity-friendly and culture-loving places on earth, there is a new litmus test for Jewish identity and it has absolutely nothing to do with religious practice, cultural expression, personal history or the values you embrace. "
No Cecile. Its precisely about the values we embrace. And we embrace Israel. While you were standing with your jihadi friends chanting "Christ Killers" in front of the Waldorf Astoria, the rest of the Jewish community was contributing 20 million dollars to the Friends of the IDF.
We know whats important to us. And it ain't you, and it ain't JVP and it will never be.