Fight intensifies over what can, can't be said about Israel in the U.S.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

Events are being cancelled and Jews are being ‘blacklisted’ at a troubling rate, even by pluralistic and non-denominational organizations.

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The JCC had invited me to speak about my memoir, What Do You Buy the Children of the Terrorist Who Tried to Kill Your Wife?, which recounts my reconciliation with the family of the man who perpetrated the 2002 Hebrew University bombing, an attack which injured my wife and killed two of her friends. The JCC explicitly invited me due to the book’s focus on the power of dialogue to bridge difficult gaps.

But when the organizers learned of my view that Palestinians’ use of economic sanctions is a legitimate form of nonviolent opposition to Israel, suddenly they no longer seemed interested in championing the power of dialogue. It turned out the JCC had quietly canceled the event because of this political opinion.

As a Jewish studies teacher and progressive Zionist who has dedicated his professional life to the Jewish community, I was naturally disappointed. But soon afterwards, Sharon Jacobs wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post critiquing the JCC’s decision. My inbox filled with messages of support from people and organizations, and some of the most moving notes were from people with political views much different than my own. The MLK Jr. Memorial Library, J Street and Peace Now got together to hold a book event of their own later that month so that I could tell my story of reconciliation in the District.

[HeiressofBickworth]

1. My movie buddy and I watched

a 4-part TV series called The Promise checked out of the library. A British production. It's about a young woman who starts to read her grandfather's diary of his time in the British Army stationed in Palestine in 1944. She decided to go to Israel to visit friends and see for herself. It's a very good series and I recommend it. One thing my buddy and I discussed was that it is the type of production that probably would never be shown on American TV because it doesn't paint the Israeli settlers in the West Bank and Gaza in a very good light. Can't think of one station that would risk it.