Zionism doesn’t only harm Palestinians

/ Tracy Abell

Although I am not Jewish, I wanted to share two recent pieces focused on the generational and political fractures forming in the Jewish community (specifically, institutions such as synagogues and schools). It makes me sad on multiple levels to see the damage being done to longstanding communities and those with lifelong commitments to Jewish professional life because of the clash between Zionism and anti-Zionism.

The first article, “U.S. Jewish Institutions Are Purging Their Staffs of Anti-Zionists: A months-long investigation found even the smallest hints of dissent are often met with unemployment” was published by Shane Burley on

On October 18, 2023, protesters with the anti-Zionist organization Jewish Voice for Peace and other progressive Jewish groups staged a sit-in in the Cannon House Office Building at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., to protest the Israeli assault on Gaza.
Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images

Countless Jewish progressives and youth have answered the call for solidarity with Palestine, and the community’s entrenched political, religious, and cultural institutions are determined to punish them for it.

This attitude has long-term consequences for Jewish institutions. Per Shane Burley (emphasis mine): “… this is happening across the Jewish world at the same time that there’s a leadership vacuum, or people are retiring from these jobs and they can’t get them refilled. It’s harder to hire rabbis, less people are becoming rabbis. It’s harder to hire Jewish educators. It’s harder to hire these people. And so at the same time as they’re having trouble reproducing these organizations, they’re kicking out the people that are often the most tied in, the people that are most involved in it.“

Burley goes on to say: I think history is very clear that Jewish life flourishes when Jewish diversity and Jewish freedom of conscience flourishes as well. And also in a cosmopolitan, multicultural society where difference is respected and all communities are protected. Historically, Jewish communities are often safest when partnering with other communities who have been threatened by the far right or by the state or things like that.

So we’re undermining exactly that history with this very isolationist, nationalist narrative. And we’re cutting out the very forces, activists, community organizers, anti-fascists, that have protected us in the past. So we’re breaking that continuity really distinctly.

Near the end, host Marc Steiner says this:
Well, I think that the voices that you allowed us to hear in your article are the voices that need to be heard. [   ]  Because their stories are important for the world to hear. And I really do look forward to more conversations with you, but also with some of the folks that you interviewed in your article that we can do together to bring their voices out because they need to be heard. They’re the ones who were attacked. They’re the ones who are fighting for their beliefs. They’re the ones who are going to be the engine that pushes the revolution of change inside the Jewish world, I think.

I stand on the side of those speaking truth to power. Solidarity with the courageous people risking their livelihoods to speak out against apartheid, settler colonialism, and genocide!

17 thoughts on “Zionism doesn’t only harm Palestinians”

    • Thank you so much for sharing that link. I just read (and followed his blog). So much of what was there hit me hard. The following gives me tremendous hope for what may come:

      In the 21st century, I believe this is the sacred calculus the Jewish people have to offer the world: Creation + Exodus = Solidarity. More than ever, the Jewish communities we create simply must value solidarity as our most sacrosanct mitzvah. In an age in which we are witnessing the increased scapegoating, yes of Jews, but also of Muslims, LGBTQ+ people, people of color, disabled people, immigrants, indigenous people and so many others, our sacred tradition must promote collective liberation first and foremost.

      Liked by 1 person

      • You have said it very well. As our society becomes increasingly polarized, the dominant culture uses the fear element to gain a stronger hold on people. Scapegoating visible or ethnic minorities is the easiest way to instill fear. A zero sum game for our society as a whole.

        It reminds me of an elementary school child who was being bullied, and her mother was very concerned about it, calling on the school staff to help resolve the bullying issue.

        Somehow, the child managed to get in with the dominant crowd and started bullying other students. When the mother was asked to help resolve the bullying issue, she was not interested in helping. At least my child isn’t being bullied was her excuse, not seeing that her child was now part of the problem.

        Liked by 2 people

        • Hello, Jasper. YES to this: “Scapegoating visible or ethnic minorities is the easiest way to instill fear. A zero sum game for our society as a whole.” And YES to your point about bullying and how the bullied can easily transform into bullies themselves. Thank you for reading and engaging on this.

          Liked by 1 person

  2. Tracy, thanks for sharing this development. Being fired for “liking” a social media post is the kind of things done by autocratic regimes. I can now understand the insistence of a Jewish American blogging friend to change my closing comments on my latest blog post about Hindi’s poem “Palestine.”

    Liked by 1 person

    • It does reek of autocracy, Rosaliene. I feel bad for everyone struggling within the confines of those institutions and also admiration for their courage for refusing to remain silent.

      I’m not sure about the specifics regarding comments on your post on the poem “Palestine,” but did see mention of Oct 7. Thank you for continuing to share important insights about how events that day didn’t occur in a vacuum.

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Thanks for sharing this, Tracy. I’m not Jewish and can only imagine how hard it must be to go against the grain in such a tight community. I’m grateful there are many within the Jewish community that are standing up against Zionism because there’s just nothing good about it for anyone.

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  4. Pingback: Literary institutions to authors: don’t speak of Gaza | Tracy Abell

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