I Fear Israelis and Jews of the World Colliding

Of the many fears that keep me up at night, one that I’ve been afraid to say out loud is this: I feel like Israeli Jews and Jews of the world may be on a collision course. 

I say this as a Jew with a foot in both worlds. Originally from religious-Zionist Brooklyn, married to an Australian Bnei-Akivanik, we’ve been living in Israel for 30+ years, where we raised our children and now grandchildren in the entire Zionist package. We pay Israeli taxes, we serve in the Israeli army, and we pray the same prayers as did generations of our Ashkenazi ancestors. These things have always been connected —our Diaspora identities and our Israeliness, twining together like a double-helix of our spiritual and cultural DNA.

But right now, after a year of hell, I fear that these two communities of Israel and Diaspora Jews are headed in opposite directions, and I worry that it will not end well.

In Israel, our daily, visceral experiences confront us with death at our doorstep. A missile from Yemen recently exploded overhead while I was in the park with my son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter who had come to stay with me to get away from Hizballoh rockets in the north. The same park has a new name to memorialize a 21-year-old from down the street who was killed in Gaza during the first weeks of the war. Last week there was a terror attack in my daughter’s town. The hostages are friends of neighbors of relatives, always close. My kids and their spouses are all army reservists and have been going in and out of army duty all year. Our October 7 experiences were real — displacement, army service, and countless connections to insufferable losses. Endless losses. Endless grief. And daily fear of the unknown. The very real unknown. And who will be mourning today.

Meanwhile, Diaspora Jews keep coming to visit and to talk about antisemitism. They come here for “hizuk“. To feel stronger. Safer. Safer? Apparently. 

It makes no sense to me. We’re not in a game of hide-and-seek where you can come here, touch home base, and be “safe.” 

And even though I’m concerned about the hate, it’s too abstract for me to deal with. Someone is holding a “Free Palestine” poster on campus? That is not in the category of “immediate danger” for me.  

I’m not saying that antisemitism for Diaspora Jews isn’t alarming. I read the stories about Jews being screamed at or excluded, or hearing chants like “Go back to Poland” or “Zionists don’t deserve to live.” That is jarring and scary. But I’m not sure that fighting pro-Palestinian campus groups is on my agenda. In fact, that fight is in some ways the opposite of what I need to be doing right now. 

I’m also not trying to dismiss Diaspora Jews’ need to visit Israel right now. Sure, visit! Volunteer! Do your thing! Amazing! Get your hizuk! That’s not really the source of my angst. My deeper concern as I sit with visitors comes from the conversations we have when they’re here. 

For me, the biggest threat to my existence is not the “Free Palestine” sign in the quad but rather the actions of the current Israeli government.  Not Hamas. Not Iran. Not Hizbollah. Us. 

I believe our problem is Bibi Netanyahu, that the greatest threat to the future of Israel is Bibi and his posse of dictatorial wannabes— with their insatiable bloodlust and complete failure to protect us. 

It’s true, as hard as it is for us to wrap our heads around. And it’s not just me saying this but hundreds of thousands of Israelis if not millions who have been protesting for nearly two years now about the insufferable corruption and self-interest guiding our so-called leadership. I’ve also been chronicling this all year—as have many other important reporters and social media activists.

Bibi has actively sabotaged hostage release and avoided ceasefire at all cost in order to retain his seat. His narcissistic, almost psychotic megalomania has also not only cost the lives of 40,000+ Gazans—at least two thirds of whom are completely innocent, according to the IDF’s own admission— but has also destroyed the lives of thousands of reserve soldiers and their families, who are used as cannon fodder, “sacrifices”, like the hostages, in Bibi’s long plan to keep this war going forever. He has no intention of ever ending the bloodshed. The worse the war gets the better it is for him. He gets to avoid elections, jail, accountability. And as countless studies show, the more people are afraid, the more they will stand by their brutal leaders. 

And also, by the way, had Bibi agreed to a cease fire ten months ago, all of those “Free Palestine” protests that scare American Jews so much would have died down. Bibi doesn’t care about Jews at all either. The more afraid you all are, the more he smiles and enjoys his cigar and sleeps well.

Your terror is his protection. 

I don’t understand why American Jews are not facing the elephant in the room. These diaspora confrontations have erupted as a direct result of Israel’s actions in Gaza. Why isn’t American Jewry putting pressure on Israel to come to a ceasefire/hostage agreement, which would stop the root cause of this conflict over antisemitism? 

What we need more than anything is to change this government so that we can change the fate of Israel. And the more diaspora Jews make antisemitism the story, the more you are blocking us from doing that work. Instead of helping us, you are doing the opposite. You are spreading the right-wing spin, effectively covering up the grave sins of the Netanyahu government, you are participating in silencing dissent, and you are ultimately working at cross-purposes with those of us living the current horror of Israel’s reality.

I would like to decenter the antisemitism discussion that is so intently focused on silencing Palestinian voices. It is splitting us into two peoples. Instead, I would like Jews to be able to distinguish between actual hatred of Jews and otherwise legitimate and I believe vital vocal criticism of Israel. If we aren’t able to do that, I am not sure what will happen with us, the Jewish people.     

Elana Sztokman is a longtime Lilith contributor whose new book is: In My Jewish State: How I was trained in pro-Israel advocacy and learned to talk back to my culture, find my own humanity, and fight for peace.

Art Credit: Lynne Avedanka