Against the fears of a lot of others in the Jews for Peace and Palestinian
Community, my friend and I put out a call to action to
attend a pro-Israel rally at the state capitol which I learned about from my
synagogue. we brought signs, banners and literature explaining our position.
Pro-Israel but anti-occupation, anti the actions of the IDF and pro-Palestinian
rights. I argued on the telephone with the police for sometime before hand who
heard about our plans and wanted to give us a space elsewhere for a counter
rally. I tried to explain that it was not a counter protest but our desire as
Jews to present our point of view and cry for peace at the main rally. They
didn’t understand but when my friend and I showed up in the midst of the
rally alone they were professional enough not to arrest us and instead stood
between us and the people in the crowd who immediately approached us with anger
and some violence.
Soon twenty more people showed up and though many were frightened and saddened
by the hostility of many other Jews at the rally who were apparently angered by
the fact that we said that Palestinians have equal rights, I however, was very
heartened that many people some that I new from my community and some who were
strangers approached us and told us that they were glad that we were there.
They said that they knew others with our view points who therefore refused to
attend the rally. Which I might add was titled “America and Israel together
against terror.” they took back information to their synagogues.
My friend has put out a statement about his perceptions of the rally and
has been overloaded with emails locally and from the world, from Jews
and non Jews in alike in support. Also he has received several nasty letters
from his rabbi who was a speaker at the event. My family, who attended the
rally on “other side of the police line” from my group, has not spoken to me
since. My mother jumped across the police lines to tell me that I should listen
to what the speakers had to say.
I did listen because among other reasons it hurts me to feel that I am
not “honoring my mother and father” but in honesty it was my parents that
taught me to have the chutzpah that I use to be an organizer and fight for
justice and it is more respectful I believe to think critically about others
points of view and also to come to an understanding of why they believe
differently. The speech however contained very little specifics other then a
declaration that America and Israel should fight terror together. There was a
lot of talk of not having double standards. My friend suggested that we try to use that language to talk about if we realize the necessity for people to live in equality with dignity respect and without poverty and fear then we ought not to make a double standard regarding that.
Anyways, we are looking for ways to continue working for peace and justice and
are welcome to suggestions. Thank you for being a voice (or a email address at
least:-) that I can share this with.