Opinion 'One Jewish Life Is Worth More Than 10,000 non-Jews': Why More U.S. Jews Will Walk Off Birthright This Summer

My Birthright guide's supremacist stance was extreme. But the program's claim to be 'apolitical' is not only demonstrably untrue; it frames every critical, inquisitive Jewish millennial who wants to meet Palestinians as Israel-haters

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As the 405 bus comes over the Jerusalem hills, my phone chirps with another email. "I’m excited to go to Israel on Birthright next month," it reads, "but I don’t want to leave without also speaking to...
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  1. 1

  1. 8
    Darth Zaider

    1. MichaelNJ

      I did not say or imply that Nazism is the governing ideology of Israel. It has not gotten that bad yet. My point was that the statement of the "one nutter," as you characterize him, summarized the essence of Nazi ideology in that one group of people is deemed to have great inherent value and others are deemed worthless.

    2. Darth Zaider

    3. MichaelNJ

      Substitute the word "German" for "Jewish" and you will have a concise statement of of the core idea of Nazi ideology.

  2. 7
    ruedi bosshart

    1. ruedi bosshart

    2. ErikT

      No need to enter into discussion with Joel Stein. In his distorted worldview he can't see any other viewpoint than his own.

    3. Joel Stein

      Get lost you barbaric-racist-genocidal Islamic Supremacist! Go back to 7th century Arabian nomadic savage life where you really belong. You are not part of the Civilized Word and hence have no right to benefit from our freedoms.

    4. Sam Spade

      the calumy is bigots like you offering uncritical support to the virulently racist, supremacist Israeli ethnocracy

    5. Joel Stein

  3. 6
    Joel Stein

    Hamas Covenant: ................... http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hamas.asp ............................. PLO Charter: ........................... http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/plocov.asp

    1. Joel Stein

      The PLO's 1974 Phased Plan for the Destruction of Israel: https://iris.org.il/plophase.htm

    2. A lot to unravel.

      1. Using Hamas as a reason is a canard. Hamas exist because of Israel. Not mention Hamas is in Haza, while the more moderate PA is not only sharing security cooperation with Israel but also get screwed by land theft for settlements, administrative detention for Palestinian minors and adults. 2. Israel is the 8th most powerful army, backed by the number one army. Doubt anyone is going to threatened the start up nation. Last I checked, Israel was flying to other countries on covert bombings or cyber warfare. 3.Whose calling for its destruction? 4. When was the last time you met a Palestinian under occupation? Why not take a visit to Hebron or East Jerusalem and see how good they have it?

  4. 5
    Alex

    "If I had to choose between 10,000 non-Jews and one Jewish life, I would choose the Jewish life." And that is exactly what Israel has been doing since its founding. In every war, it carelessly and sometimes deliberately killed civilians. The rest of the time, it does not care if civilians get killed (see the latest Israeli book on the Mossad and its assassination of 27,000 Palestinians and its views towards civilians).

    1. David

      This guide's sentence about the value of life is disgusting and shameful. But there's no reason for you to distort reality. "In every war, Israel carelessly and sometimes deliberately killed civilians" ? This is just the opposite. In Israel there's a deep study before every strike to know if some civilians will be killed or not. I don't mean every soldier is perfect - when you are in a war, whatever the war is, some soldiers are bad guys, and some soldiers are very good guys. In the same way, some officers can choose not to obey orders. And I don't even speak about errors which can happen in wars. But there are rules in Israel. You should read about that. From the beginning, Israel ranked among countries respecting the international rules of war. Oh, yes, you can find some examples where it didn't, for example during the 6 day war some Egyptian soldiers were killed after they were taken prisoners and the government concealed the story. But such events are exceptions seen as scandals when they are revealed in Israel. You should know these last years, Israel was more and more careful to respect the rules of war - just because it knows its enemies will always try to send it before trials if they can. For example, in the United Kingdom, lawyers and advisers are in each division. In Israel, during the Cast Lead Operation for example, they were in each division, but they were in the general staff too, and in the regional command as well. You can find flaws in Israel, but your caricature is dishonest. What's more, you should read. Thus you should know that the fact that some Palestinian civilians are killed does not mean Israel is a criminal state. The international laws of war say civilians must NEVER been targeted, and says a state can strike only a military target, and do everything to make civilians safe. But the laws of war say this state is not criminal when it came to the conclusion that some civilians could be killed if the strike was necessary to reach benefits that are superiors to the costs. Such questions are very difficult, they can make people awake at night but this is what every democratic state's army in the world has to deal with. Moreover, let me remember you Israel fights enemies never respecting any law of war - Hamas targeted and killed hundreds and hundreds of civilians in Israel. Syrians tortured and killed its prisoners of war. Fatah and OLP targeted schools and killed Israeli children, etc, etc. Your view is simple and full of anti-Israel prejudices. You should search for more complexity.

  5. 4
    Liz

    Hopefully this will encourage more mainstream Jewish visitors to step away from the tourist treadmill that Israel wants them to see and search out the organisations that conduct tours in the West Bank and facilitate meetings with Palestinians.

  6. 3
    Marlem

    There is hope when people " speak with courage and conviction of their Jewish values: freedom for all people from the oppression that has plagued Jewish history; equality for all people irrespective of religion, nationality or race; and the obligation of each person to help repair the world". As the Birthright leader so clearly expresses, it will be difficult and it will take time before above values, also enshrined in the human rights charta, are internalized by supremacy groups and become a natural part of practiced humanity taking care of all people and not only of the interests of one's own tribe. If our intellectual abilities would be used to search for truth and fairness in this world then peace is within reach. So far, however, most Israeli politicians behave like Birthright leaders with their limited mindset.

  7. 2
    Matt USA

    Bravo for co-founding Extend and for your courage to question. #coexistence

  8. 1
    david ben mark

    Clearly Israel is completely unable to indoctrinate young American Jews into its endemic bigotry fear bigotry and hatred of Palestinian and and Arabs. Propaganda only works in Israel.

    1. MichaelNJ

      It can also work with people who have been indoctrinated with hasbara for years in their "religious" education and in Jewish summer camps.