By H. Applebaum
SAN DIEGO — Christmas was just a blip on my calendar this past year. It didn’t coincide with Chanukah, so there were no candles or latkes. There were no Chinese restaurants nearby, and my Christian friends’ celebration was too far away. I missed Chanukah.
I sat and googled Jewish websites, and was surprised at seeing Santa Claus on every one! There were articles about the Orthodox rabbi who has a job playing Santa each year, the Jewish children who believe in Santa, and the Jewish actress who got a Christmas tree. It was depressing.
Then I saw an article that depressed me even more. The biggest ever Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) gathering had just been held at UCLA. I was incredulous that one of the most Jewish universities, in one of the most Jewish areas of the country would host such an anti-Semitic, anti-Israel event.
A petition with 35,000 signatures was ignored, as the president of the school and the president of the student council (both Jewish) refused to do anything, citing freedom of speech. Yet, if the target were African Americans or LGBT, such a conference would never be allowed.
There should have been a huge outcry, and hundreds of thousands of signatures.
We Jews are only 2% of the population, and when we speak, we must shout to be heard.
The lessons of Chanukah, which seem to have been forgotten in America, need to be remembered now more than ever. As in the time of Judas Maccabeus, when the Jewish community was split along the lines of culture and politics, so too, the American Jewish community today is so divided that it’s hard, and sometimes impossible, for Jews who differ to communicate. The enemies of Israel, and those who harbor hatred for Jews, join together despite their differences, yet we, so small in number already, cannot speak with one voice.
The SJP event would have been even more depressing, but for the large turnout of Jewish protesters. Two Jewish students managed to get into the event, despite the efforts of organizers to restrict the entrance of protesters. They jumped onto the stage and unfurled the flag of Israel. As they were forcibly ejected, the crowd chanted, “Intifada, intifada!” But there were scores of others, draped in Israeli flags, marching in front of the building, singing ‘Am Yisrael Chai.’
After years of fruitless complaints, petitions and even lawsuits, those Jews demanded to be heard. After years of incremental persecution, like the Maccabees, they decided to take action and fight back in whatever way they could. That gave me hope. It filled me with pride, and made me feel good again that Christmas day.
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Applebaum is a freelance writer based in San Diego.
To the editor,
H. Appelbaum, in her article, A reason for Jewish pride this last Christmas day,
is outraged that at UCLA, “one of the most Jewish universities, in one of the most Jewish areas of the country would host … an anti-Semitic, anti-Israel event.” I assume that this event was sponsored by a student organization at UCLA.
Perhaps the writer believes that to criticize any policies of the Netanyahu government would make one an antisemite, or perhaps the rally was blatantly antisemitic. I don’t know, because the writer doesn’t provide any basis to know.
The writer called it anti-Israel and antisemitic, but if it was a protest about politics in the Middle East, about the policies of the Israeli government, about how Palestinians are treated – all of which are the subject of criticism by liberal / progressive Israelis – why shouldn’t it be allowed at UCLA, because a public university is obligated to respect First Amendment rights.
The supporters of Israel, which would include me (though I don’t support all the government’s actions any more than I support all the actions of the American government), would be allowed to have their own rally.
And why would it be laudable for someone to jump on the stage at this pro-Palestinian meeting, and disrupt it by unfurling an Israeli flag?
Would it be viewed positively were Palestinians to force their way on stage during a meeting of student supporters of Israel?
Richard W. Merel, M.D.
Hermosa Beach, CA