Poll: Israelis feel their government wrongly disrespectful of U.S. Jews
The Ruderman Family Foundation, a leading organization committed to bridging the gap between Israelis and US Jewry, released a poll on Monday morning revealing that the Israeli public feels their government disrespects US Jews.
As part of the poll results, 72 percent of Israelis believe Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should have condemned recent anti-Semitic events in the United States, while close to half of the public feels Netanyahu has not done enough to strengthen relations with the American Jewish community.
The poll, released as thousands of US Jews gather in Tel Aviv for the Jewish Federations of North America 2018 General Assembly, also found that a vast majority of the Israeli public oppose disdainful statements about Diaspora Jews by Members of Knesset, while the Orthodox public shows almost double support for such statements than the nonobservant public.
Respondents were asked about statements made by various members of Knesset regarding Israel-Diaspora relations, including the one made by Member of Knesset David Amsalem, who said that “It’s not the end of the world if American Jews are offended by the decisions of the Israeli government” and Member of Knesset Bezalel Smotrich’s statement that American Jews need Israel more than Israel needs American Jews. It was found that 60% of the Israeli public does not agree with what Amsalem said, compared to 31% which agrees. When asked about Smotrich’s statement, 60% of the public responded that it does not agree, compared to 32% of the public that did, in fact, agree with the statement.
The survey was conducted by Midgam (Mano Geva and Mina Zemach) and polled 500 respondents. – From Ruderman Family Foundation
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Bend the Arc condemns Trump administration on transgender issue
Following reports that the Trump Administration is proposing to define gender as a “biological, immutable condition,” which would drastically roll back protections of transgender people under federal civil rights law, Stosh Cotler, CEO of Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, released the following statement:
“The Trump administration’s plan to roll back protections and threaten the rights of nearly two million transgender Americans is a devastating and disgusting punch in the gut. Like so many other of Trump’s policies, this is nothing but cruelty fueled by ignorance, misinformation, and fear. Transgender and gender expansive people are fully deserving of the fair and equal treatment guaranteed to them by our Constitution.
“Jews cannot and must not stand by as our government attempts to erase people it doesn’t like. Science, medicine, the law, and basic values of decency and dignity are on our side. Classical Jewish texts going back thousands of years recognized gender diversity in their families and communities. In the United States of the 21st century, we should expect no less. We will continue to fight for a society that recognizes that all people are created equal.” – From Bend the Arc
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Im Tirzu distributes anti Alqasem flyers at Hebrew University
Dozens of anti-BDS anti-terror posters directed at Lara Alqasem were hung and distributed today (Sunday) on Hebrew University’s Mount Scopus campus ahead of Alqasem’s arrival.
The posters, distributed by activists of the Zionist organization Im Tirtzu in English and Hebrew, included messages like “Lara, have you no shame?” and “Keep your BDS off my campus.”
The posters also called attention to Alqasem’s support of Rasmea Odeh, a convicted terrorist who played a key role in a 1969 bombing attack that murdered two Hebrew University students.
“You support a terrorist who murdered two Hebrew University students and now you want to study here? We don’t want you here!” read the posters.
The posters also suggest for Alqasem to study in Gaza, Syria or Iran: “Lara, if you despise Israel so much, you are welcome to go to Gaza, Syria or Iran. They will welcome BDS and terrorist supporters like yourself with open arms.” — From Im Tirzu
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Preceding items culled from news releases. Send yours to editor@sdjewishworld.com