Press

On Monday, after years of hard work, sacrifice, and visionary leadership, the Movement for Black Lives released the #Vision4BlackLives — a historic, 6 point platform that details their demands of federal, state, and local governments. The platform lays bare the numerous systems that deny black people in this country and abroad freedom and dignity, and specifies a broad vision for change.

While many of us in the Jewish community – Jews of color and white Jews – have marched and taken leadership in the Movement for Black Lives, our communal institutions lag far behind.

On Wednesday, the Boston Jewish Communal Relations Council (JCRC), which purports to “advance the values, interests and priorities of the organized Jewish community,” condemned the platform and the movement behind it because, in the midst of the the dozens of policy proposals calling us to become part of the global solution for black lives, it references Israel critically 11 times.

Oregon’s JCRC later released a statement using Boston’s language, with more cities expected to follow.

Instead of embracing the core values of the Movement for Black Lives – dignity and freedom for all people – the JCRC has chosen to prioritize its support for Israel and endless occupation. They have even gone so far as to declare their unwillingness to work with any of the 50+ organizations that have endorsed the broad-ranging platform.

We refuse to be distracted or lose sight of the real threat facing our community today. It’s not 11 words in the Movement for Black Lives platform – it’s the occupation and our community’s support for it that compromises our values and integrity.

We refuse to follow leaders that force us to choose between Jewish community and one of the most powerful movements of our time. We recognize the explicit links between Black, Palestinian, and Jewish liberation. We support relationships of solidarity and mutual support among marginalized peoples, understanding that anti-semitism and the fear that comes with it so often get in the way. While it is our task to battle anti-semitism, we cannot do so without battling injustice wherever it lives, in the United States and in Israel-Palestine.

We’re living in a historic moment: will we rise to the challenge and heed the call of the Movement for Black Lives? Or will we turn our backs, forsaking our values as a people who stand on the side of the oppressed?

We call on the Boston JCRC to retract its statement condemning the Movement for Black Lives and its Platform.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APRIL 22, 2016

Contact: Ethan Miller, [email protected]

On April 20, 2016, 17 members of IfNotNow were arrested while leading a nonviolent #LiberationSeder in the lobby of the Anti-Defamation League’s New York offices. The event was part of a national week of action, calling on American Jewish institutions to end their support for the ongoing Israeli occupation, a daily nightmare for the Palestinians who live under it and a moral crisis for those who support and administer it.

In response, the ADL invited IfNotNow to a meeting to discuss “our shared goals.” We appreciate the ADL’s offer for a meeting and recognition that we are, in fact, part of the Jewish community. However, we are looking for meaningful action and real moral leadership from our communal institutions – not just opportunities for dialogue or empty rhetoric. We are committed to building a Jewish community that acts in accordance with the fundamental values of freedom and equality we were taught to admire. We can no longer stomach endless negotiations with establishment leaders about what we are allowed to say about Israel’s denial of Palestinian civil, economic, and political rights. We will continue taking action until the leaders of the American Jewish establishment admit what we know to be true: the occupation is a moral crisis for our community and we must take steps to address it.

As a Jewish movement that is deeply committed to the future of the Jewish people, we recognize the contributions that groups like the ADL have made to our advancement in the U.S. and the role they have played in defending the civil rights of Jews and other peoples throughout history.

However, their record, as is the case with many Jewish organizations, shows something entirely different when it comes to the freedom and dignity of the Palestinian people. The ADL may say they share our goals, but their actions have not reflected as much. In the past two years alone, the ADL has justified the excessive force used against Palestinian civilians in Gaza, defended the expansion of settlements in the West Bank, and remained silent while its former CEO and other Jewish community leaders launched a vicious attack against IfNotNow leader Simone Zimmerman over her political views.

And the ADL isn’t the only Jewish organization to suggest its commitment to domestic civil and human rights absolves themselves of addressing the oppression of Palestinians. Similarly, other organizations we protested this week – including AIPAC, Hillel International, and the Jewish Federations – take great pains to tell the community that they support peace, that they believe in two states for two peoples, all while refusing to take a public stance against the occupation. Collectively, they’ve spent many millions of dollars to create an environment in the Jewish community that vilifies anyone who doesn’t meet their litmus test of what it means to be a member of the Jewish community.

This week IfNotNow took to the streets to say Dayenu, enough. Enough fear-mongering, enough misinformation, enough silencing, and enough intimidation. Every year during Passover we are commanded to celebrate our liberation and dedicate ourselves to the liberation of others. This means we will act together until organizations that claim to represent American Jewry accept our invitation to join us in fighting for the freedom and dignity of Palestinians as hard as we do for ourselves. The liberation of the Jewish people will not be complete without the liberation of the Palestinian people as well.

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IfNotNow is a movement to end the American Jewish community’s support for the occupation and gain freedom and dignity for all Israelis and Palestinians. IfNotNow has chapters in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.

CONTACT:

Yonah Lieberman, 202-277-6602, yonah.lieberman(at)gmail.com (primary)
Rebecca Hornstein, 612-508-2385, rebecca.z.hornstein(at)gmail.com (secondary)

WHAT: Young Jews across the country will hold liberation seders outside various American Jewish institutions the week before Passover, saying “Dayenu – enough!” They will demand that the institutions they are protesting: 1) join us in demanding an end to the occupation 2) commit to working toward freedom and dignity for all Palestinians and Israelis, and 3) recognize that the occupation does not protect the Jewish community nor reflect its values.

WHO: IfNotNow is a diverse movement of American Jews working to end the American Jewish community’s support for the occupation and gain freedom and dignity for all Israelis and Palestinians.

WHEN and WHERE: Washington, DC (April 19th, 8am EST), Boston (April 19, 4pm EST), NYC (April 20, 4pm EST), Chicago (April 20, 4pm CST), Bay Area (April 21, 4pm PST). Please reach out to [email protected] for specific locations.

WHY: Every year, Jewish tradition teaches us to remember both the bitterness of slavery and the joy of liberation during the holiday of Passover. For too long, many Jews around the world have celebrated their own freedom at Passover while actively denying freedom and dignity to the Palestinian people.This year, IfNotNow says dayenu, enough — you cannot silence a generation that knows its liberation cannot be based on an occupation.

The smear campaign waged against Bernie Sanders’ Jewish Outreach Coordinator and IfNotNow leader Simone Zimmerman is just the most recent example of the American Jewish establishment trying to intimidate and silence young people acting on the very Jewish values we were taught by our community. Despite this intimidation, but we will continue speaking out about freedom and dignity for Palestinians until the institutional jewish community upholds our values and opposes the occupation. The occupation is a daily nightmare for Palestinians who live it and a moral disaster for Jews who support and administer it. We are determined to reclaim a Judaism of justice and liberation that does not rely on the oppression of Palestinians. IfNotNow is gaining momentum across the country. Our community must choose a side: endless occupation or freedom and dignity for all. IfNotNow, When?

PHOTO/VIDEO: Groups of young American Jews marching through downtowns, holding signs and gathering outside local Jewish institutions, engaging in civil disobedience.

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For more information, visit www.ifnotnowmovement.org

As we bring in Shabbat, many of us in the Jewish community will pause what we’re doing and rest to separate from the mundane of the week. This Shabbat, we invite the the American Jewish establishment to rest and refrain from the cycle of demonization that has played out against one of our own this week.

Yesterday the Bernie Sanders’ Campaign suspended its Jewish Outreach Coordinator, Simone Zimmerman. Simone is a powerful, respected leader in IfNotNow. The smear campaign waged against her is just the most blatant example of the American Jewish establishment trying to intimidate and silence young people acting on the very same Jewish values of Tzedek (Justice) and Tikkun Olam (reparing the world) that were taught to us by our community.

The suspension came in response to public statements from various out-touch-leaders of the American Jewish Establishment including Abe Foxman, former director of the Anti-Defamation League and Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations.

For years we’ve known that there was a crisis of leadership within the American Jewish establishment – that when young Jews call for freedom and dignity for Palestinians and Israelis, the establishment can only respond with intimidation and fear. The past few days have simply forced that crisis into the public eye.

Last night, in the 9th Democratic Debate in Brooklyn, Senator Sanders forcefully stood for the humanity of the Palestinian people. He talked about the economic and civil rights being denied to the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and said, “in the long run, if we’re ever to bring peace…we have to treat Palestinian people with respect and dignity.”

IfNotNow was founded on the principles of fighting for the freedom and dignity of all Palestinians and Israelis. We applaud any and all political leaders willing to speak about the realities of the occupation and recognize the humanity of Palestinians. We wish they would also have the courage to stand up to those in our community who use fear tactics to silence those stand up for justice.

We are calling on members of the Jewish community and allies to stand with Simone and reject the intimidation of an entire generation acting on the very Jewish values we were taught by our community.

You can’t silence a generation.

When we say what we know is true about the realities of the occupation, we’re told to sit down, shut up, and get in line. The American Jewish establishment says they are doing everything to bring young Jews into the community – but ends up driving us away by shutting out anyone who dares to speak up about the occupation.

We have hope for a different path for this community. And we are dedicated to building it.

On Monday we will be taking action to call our community to action after their smear campaign against Simone. Then, throughout the week, IfNotNow activists in 5 cities will host a series of liberation seders to say “Dayenu! Enough,” and call our community to join us in our commitment to freedom and dignity for all Israelis and Palestinians.

This week was deeply disappointing. Let’s organize to make next week more hopeful and inspiring.

Shabbat Shalom.

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR MONDAY, MARCH 21, 2016

Press Contact: Sharon Rose Goldtzvik, 202.500.6362 / sharon(at)uprisecommunications.com

Who: Jewish activists from IfNotNow, a movement of American Jews working for freedom and dignity for all Israelis and Palestinians and an end to Jewish community support for the occupation, together with progressive allies urging all Americans to #DumpTrump. More details at IfNotNowMovement.org

When: Monday, March 21, 2016 at 5:00pm, to coincide with Donald Trump’s speech at the AIPAC Policy Conference.

Where: 7th St. NW and F St. NW, outside the Verizon Center, Washington, D.C. (Protesters will assemble at 5th and F St, NW starting at 4:00 pm.)

What:

Hundreds of Jewish activists will protest AIPAC and its tacit approval of Trump’s politics of hate with a civil, nonviolent action outside the speech. IfNotNow activists call on everyone attending the AIPAC conference to walk out when Trump stands up to speak. Protesters will be waiting outside with signs, songs, and Jewish ritual to welcome conference attendees to the side of freedom and dignity for all.

Why:

Donald Trump has terrified Americans across the political spectrum who recognize he is a threat to democracy. He’s been condemned for his refusal to disavow white supremacists, his willingness to threaten violence against the press and political opponents, his open racism towards Mexicans and Muslims, and his admiration for authoritarians abroad. He has evenrepeatedly made anti-Semitic remarks, going so far as to compare Jewish Federations to white supremacist groups.

By inviting Donald Trump to address its conference, AIPAC tacitly condones Trump’s beliefs. Trump is a peddler of hate, racism, and violence who doesn’t deserve another platform.

For years, AIPAC has asked American Jews to check their values at the door to the Israel conversation. For years, AIPAC has bullied anyone in the community and in Congress who refuses to toe the Israeli government line, or who believe Jewish values demand that we speak out against Israel’s immoral occupation. By welcoming Trump, AIPAC has proven the danger of a narrow, single-issue “pro-Israel at any cost” ideology. Donald Trump is running a campaign rooted in the politics of hate; now AIPAC’s invitation reveals that it is more invested in the politics of hate than in a vision of a peaceful Middle East.

Donald Trump and AIPAC deserve each other. The American Jewish community deserves better.

IfNotNow calls on all Jews attending the AIPAC conference who believe our community should stand up against all forms of hatred and walk out when Trump gets up to speak.

Trump’s abhorrent values — the rampant Islamophobia, support of building big walls, indifference to human rights, bullying of opponents — are the same values that have been celebrated for years at AIPAC. It’s time to walk out on AIPAC for good.

IfNotNow invites conference attendees to join the protest outside and help build a new Jewish community, one that unequivocally stands for the dignity of all people, in the United States, Israel and Palestine.

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