American Jews Unite

The title is not a rallying cry--its a fact.

• There have been articles and posts about Israelis (right and left) are united in the war against Hezbollah.
• There have been polls about US opinion being behind Israel.
• And now we read that American Jews are united as well

According to Haaretz, despite attacks on Jews in the US, they are united behind Israel:

Morton Klein, National President of the right-wing Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), spoke a few days ago at Sha'ar Shemayim, a Conservative synagogue in Philadelphia. The audience clapped enthusiastically each time he urged Israel to hit back hard at Hezbollah. On Friday Klein told Haaretz he sensed that his political position was being embraced anew.

That is not necessarily so, but it is clear that even America's Jews are aware that something significant is happening in Israel. The Lebanon War - in which the disagreements over occupation, oppression and settlements are irrelevant - has united the community for the first time in years, more than even during the period of numerous suicide bombings, according to Klein.

Rowland, who was on a visit to Israel when the fighting broke out, says that this time it is clear to everyone that Israel has been pushed in such a way that it must push back. Kleiner says that he sees no political differences among Jews regarding this war, and that everyone is worried and supportive.

The lone cries of the left

On the left side of the Jewish political map are only a few lone voices that take issue with Israel's actions. Last Friday Gary Wexler, a former board member of Americans for Peace Now, published a very critical opinion piece in the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Leftist groups who continue to see Israel as responsible for violence in the Middle East, Wexler writes, are out of touch with reality and with the Jewish community and its sensibilities. He reaches the conclusion that he can no longer support them.

Am Yisrael Chai!

Technorati Tag: Israel and Jews.