A Tale of Two Cities: A Photo Essay

Living in the San Francisco Bay area, you are lead to believe that Israel is the root of all evil. With over 60 groups dedicated to Israel's destruction locally, and hatefests almost daily, it's not surprising many people have a skewed world view.  There is an Anti Israel group for haters of all political beliefs in the bay area. Whatever flavor your pathology takes, there's an anti Israel group to fit your needs.  Hate Israel because you feel it has betrayed it's socialist roots.?  Try International Answer.  Hate Israel because you want to see the entire Middle east as an Islamic caliphate?  Al Awda's your ticket.  Hate Israel because you felt mom and dad never loved you.?  Try  the international Jewish Anti Zionist network. Hate Israel because you're queer and reject Jewish patriarchy (but somehow embrace Islamic patriarchy?). Try QUIT. Hate Israel because  all your friends do?  Try Jewish voice for peace.  

Are you smart enough to know you have nothing smart to say ?  Then Mimes for Gaza is waiting for you!
Too dumb to know you have nothing smart to say?  Code Pink  just might be the right match.  There is a veritable buffet of anti Israel hate clubs out there.   For the rest of us, it  should be reassuring to know that the Bay area is exceptional in America in it's red/green obsession with the destruction of the only democracy in the middle east

New York City might very well be the reverse of the spectrum.  Even the ordinary grocery stores are full of Israeli products.  You can buy your Dorot garlic without fear that it has been vandalized by some Kate Raphael  wannabe.  And you can buy it in both Key Food and the Supersol.

Why, yes, that is "Zohan" brand hummus in the handy squeeze bottle! Harry Potter in Hebrew? No problem.  The NYC cable TV lineup includes JLTV, channel 120- a Jewish station with a strong Zionist bent. And Freedom Square Park in Queens is dedicated to Israeli Independence.


The base of this Flagpole in Freedom Square park in New York City reads "Theodore Herzl: Fighter for freedom". It is located in the Kew Gardens Hills Zionist District. And it has been there for years, without graffiti, without vandalism, without uproar.     Ahavat Yisrael is so strong in some neighborhoods, that its increasingly common to find buildings faced with  gleaming white Jerusalem stone.

Its easy to be a Jew, and a Zionist in New York. Much easier than here in the San Francisco Bay area, considered one of the 5 hubs of delegitimization of Israel by the Reut Institute.