“For many Jewish students, Zionism is an integral part of their identity and their ethnic and ancestral heritage. These students have the right to openly express identification with Israel. The university will safeguard the abilities of these students, as well as all students, to participate in university-sponsored activities free from discrimination and harassment.
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Each week as Shabbat approaches, the My Machberet blog presents a collection of links, drawn primarily from the world of Jewish books and writing.
(more…)“A senior Israeli diplomat once told me that Zionism was his religion. It is the sort of comment that would instantly be misconstrued as amounting to worship of settlements or prayers at the altar of Bibi. But I immediately understood what he meant. He was immersed in the story of Zionism, believed with perfect conviction in its justness and necessity, was inspired by it, and compelled to act civically, positively and humanely by his interpretation of its teachings. He wished to convey the wondrous stories of Zionism to his children – Weizmann’s experiments with acetone, Herzl’s awakening at the Dreyfus Trial, the raid on Entebbe, the capture of Eichmann, the magical moment on 29 November, 1947 when Jews worldwide realised they would get their state. This diplomat wanted his children to imbibe these stories as he had, so that they too would grow up connected to their Jewishness, know who they are, remain strong in the face of aggressors, and proud in the knowledge that they belong to a people of vision and fortitude.”
Source: Alex Ryvchin, “The Poverty of ‘Anti-Zionism’ and the Renewal of Zionism” (Fathom)
“There’s a whole world of tragedies, ironies, hypocrisies so foul and blatant they really don’t need spelling out, and, potentially, lessons in this story — about what genuine coexistence between Israel and the Palestinians could achieve, about failed leadership, about what ultimately matters most to us all.”
Source: David Horovitz, “Treating Saeb Erekat” (Times of Israel)
Each week as Shabbat approaches, the My Machberet blog presents a collection of links, drawn primarily from the world of Jewish books and writing.
(more…)“Choosing to learn and write deeply about Israel, to become its translators and storytellers, can feel like volunteering to face the firing squad. But we need your courage now. “
Source: Abigail Pogrebin, “Defending Israel Thoughtfully Means Doing the Work” (The Jewish Week)