Jewish Journal
Notice to Trump: Don't distort my religion | Opinion
By Rabbi Bruce Warshal
Sun Sentinel Correspondent |
Rabbi Bruce Warshal (File photo)
Last month, the headline on a front page article in the New York Times declared: "Broader Definition of Jewishness Arms U.S. in College Crackdown." By executive order President Trump, in the words of theTimes, "essentially defined Judaism as a race or national origin, not just a religion, under the Civil Rights Act…His order also expanded the definition of anti-Semitism to include some anti-Israel sentiment."
Who the hell asked him to define my religion? (I'm angry…) We will discuss that in a minute. The origin of this executive order is Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which extends protections based on race, color or national origin. What it does not protect is criticism of religion.
First, let's talk about what Jewishness is. During the 19th century many people classified Jews as a race, which was obviously false. There are black Jews, Asian Jews and a variety of other colors as well. Others have classified us as a nationality, which is also patently false.
By nationality, I am a proud American. My "national origin" status would have to be somewhere in Eastern Europe, where my grandparents barely survived persecution from a government that excluded them from belonging to the national identity of the land.
Certainly, my "national origin" is not Israel. Sad to say, the vast majority of American Jews have not even visited Israel. Yes, I have a love of that land, but so do millions of committed Christians, based on the origins of their religion – but that does not define their "national origin."
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Let's get this straight: Judaism is a set of beliefs (a variety of beliefs, since Judaism is not monolithic). That is the essence of my religion. Jewishness is also a peoplehood, a cultural community, a tribe in its broadest sense, a heritage of customs and mentality that allow a Jew to grope for guidelines to a better life and a better world. But that does not make a nation by any standards.
So how did we get here? Believe it or not, this is all part of the anti-BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions against Israel because of its refusal to allow an independent Palestinian government on the West Bank and Gaza). This issue is being fought out on college campuses between Jewish and Palestinian students.
The head of the Education Department's Office of Civil Rights Kenneth Marcus, whose job it is to enforce Trump's executive order, commented on the use of Title VI that, "the U.S. will hold (universities) accountable for allowing campus anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism, and/or physical or emotional harassment of Jewish students." Every American, Jew or Gentile, should be alarmed, as this is a direct attack on the First Amendment and free speech, whether one is pro or anti BDS. (For the record, I do not support BDS, but I do boycott West Bank products.)
Marcus included "emotional harassment" within his purview. This takes me back to an incident at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton in 2012. The Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) circulated a flyer to protest Israel having demolished 25,000 homes of Arabs in the West Bank. They posted fake eviction notices on the dorm room doors of more than 200 students to show them how it would feel to be evicted (a prerequisite to demolition).
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The flyer was randomly distributed. Jews were not targeted. In capital letters it read: "NOT A REAL EVICTION NOTICE." Jewish students claimed harassment. Community response: Jewish Journal headline – "Eviction notices scare students." ZOA – the notice "was anti-Semitic in nature" and "contained a modern blood libel." Anti-Defamation League – the flyer utilized "intimidation tactics." Sun-Sentinel – the flyer created "a manifestly hostile environment for Jewish fellow students." This reflected the power of the Jewish community to distort reality (shades of what is happening with Trump today).
My comment at the time in the Jewish Journal: "Let me be blunt. If students actually thought that they were being evicted, I would check their IQ scores and wonder how they were accepted in FAU in the first place. If you can't read, you shouldn't be in college."
Thanks to Trump, now my religion is being re-defined and being dragged into a political battle over Israeli government policies. I personally resent the use of American Civil Rights legislation manipulated as a tool in the arsenal of right-wing Jews and Gentiles (including Trump) in support of the Israeli government.
Rabbi Bruce Warshal resides in West Palm Beach. He can be reached at brucewarshal@gmail.com.