Unlike your mother, who came from a Jewish father and a Palestinian mother, you were born a Jew. Unlike your mother, who seldom experienced antisemitism, you have experienced it from birth.
By Yael Rozenman-Ismael, Reprints from The Jerusalem Post, December 22, 2023
This article was first published in the Jerusalem Post special-magazine: Anti-Zionism as the new antisemitism, alongside articles by Amb. Nikki Haley, Col. Richard Kemp, Judaism 3.0 author Gol Kalev, German minister Felix Klein and others. Full Magazine.
Dear Alma,
Your life had exactly 11 days of peace before you heard your first siren.
From the day I decided to become a single mother until the day of your birth, I’ve written you hundreds of letters. Some are about the happiness of bringing you – a new life – into this world, but one too many are about fear and guilt: the guilt of raising you alone, the grief of letting go of an idyllic family, and the fear of not being enough.
The aftermath of October 7 slapped me in the face and shattered the luxury of dwelling on doubt. Romanticism regarding your upbringing was replaced with realism. The world I thought I would be raising you in was a lie, I told myself.
But with all the difficult things that might be coming your way, on October 8 I knew I had already done something right in your life: bringing you into the world in Israel.
Following the most horrific attack on Judaism since the Holocaust, I have witnessed Israel exploding in fervor for life instead of nationalism. At this time, when our government completely failed us, it was civilians who took the initiative to donate blood, fund raise, and procure supplies for the displaced families of the South and the responding reserve units. The whole country mourned as if each person we had lost was blood-related. Indeed, it felt like they were.
Alma, while the sirens sounded and we were all locked inside our homes as terrorists roamed the streets, we had close friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances, some of whom I had met only once, offering to help us and make sure we were okay. They had the empathy to understand how this might feel with a newborn.
At that time, when we were all in distress, people were not fending for themselves, they were looking after each other. I felt at ease and proud that the vast majority blamed Hamas and not the Palestinians.
To Israelis, it was obvious that the response to hostilities would be to live, not to conquer. To rescue our family. To secure our existence. Not to annihilate Gaza. If this war had been one of revenge and/or conquest, it would have ended on October 8.
The tenet of Judaism “When you save a life, you save a world” was palpable. These are values that very few outsiders have graspedALMA, THIS war awakened centuries of hatred toward my people, both Jewish and Palestinian. I will make sure you are well educated in history and philosophy so you will not fall for false narratives. I will be doing this with you as you grow. But knowledge should transform into wisdom.
While wisdom brings depth and direction to life, unfortunately you cannot always win an argument with facts; sometimes learning when to yield brings about a better resolution. This conflict lasted 75 years too many, inflicting indescribable mutual pain. It no longer matters who threw the first stone. From the river to the sea, several peoples live and they’re not going anywhere.
Choosing one side means the extermination of the other, and I refuse to do that or normalize that thought. But for peace, there’s no space for fundamentalism. Not Jewish. Not Muslim. Not Christian.
I see the destruction and death and am mortified. Wisdom, however, prevents me from calling for a ceasefire, even if every cell in my body screams for one.
Why? Because when you have to choose between ceasefire or existence, there’s something unequivocally wrong.
I believe Hamas – every word they have stated. I believe them when they say they won’t stop until Israel and the Jews have been wiped off the face of the Earth. If someone threatens to kill you, should you not fight for your survival?
Hamas is not fighting for peace or land. Hamas is fighting for the extermination of all Israelis regardless of ethnicity or religion, as well as the extermination of all Diaspora Jews – and they always have.
HOWEVER, MY love, even though Israelis are panicked about polls suggesting that over 70% of Palestinians support Hamas, it is wisdom that helps me understand that polls are merely a snapshot in time; that Palestinians too are a people under total distress, a product of Israeli defense and decades of corrupt oppressive leadership and abusive indoctrination.
One of the worst abuses I can think of is sentencing a child to a life of hate and violence.
Alma, unlike your half-Jewish, half-Palestinian mother, you don’t come from a mixed household. You probably won’t experience the nuances of two different cultures. But all your ancestors were good, moral, and loving human beings.
I want you to remember that Germany did not remain under the grip of the Nazis. Remember also that the Arab nations are rapidly advancing the Abraham Accords, when 75 years ago they swore to destroy Israel. Nothing is static in this world.
I want peace. Our survival depends on the success of Palestine in thriving and building a future, not one fixated on destroying a country. Whether or not the Palestinians find it just, as of 1948 Israel has existed and has won all the wars that were waged against it.
At some point, Palestinians will have to accept that Israel is the lesser woe compared to their 75 years of horrible leadership. At some point, Israel will have to acknowledge that allowing tensions with Islamists to continue, instead of finding a way to assist moderate/secular Palestinians, is a dangerous policy. Israel must also acknowledge that allowing the expansion of settlements only puts us in more danger and perpetuates this conflict.
And when I say “us,” I mean the Jewish and Palestinian people.
And finally, the rest of the world has to acknowledge they failed Israelis and Palestinians. October 7 clearly showed us a world that overestimates Israeli intelligence and underestimates Palestinian capabilities.
They failed Palestinians by allowing international organizations to fund education based on hate and misinformation and to enable the perpetuation of their refugee status. They failed Israel by adopting narratives that single them out as the source of Palestinian pain and by maintaining an obvious bias, keeping the “us vs them” paradox, blocking the possibility of intercultural bridges and conflict resolution.
ALMA, ON October 5, we had a beautiful naming ceremony, and on October 7 a war exploded.
On October 16, one of my closest friends wrote on her Instagram, “What Hamas did is terrorism, what Israel is doing is genocide.” It was then that I realized that your path would be very different from mine. Unlike your mother, who came from a Jewish father and a Palestinian mother, your religion was set at birth. You were born a Jew.
Unlike your mother who rarely experienced antisemitism, you are experiencing it from birth.
Alma, my friend’s outrage is real and justified, but it is misguided to think it is genocide. My dear friend is a beautiful soul whom I admire. The deaths of the innocent, whether intended or not, are tragic. Though “collateral damage,” each number is a life that ceases and leaves behind immeasurable pain among their loved ones. Each body that is hurt is a life that won’t have a chance for normalcy in the future; each scar is a lifelong sentence to remember the war.
It’s unbearable. I share the outrage, but I do not share my friend’s language and the analysis that is formed from such language. Even though she would never justify the acts of Hamas, the trendy analysis and language du jour she has adopted are designed to subconsciously do so. Even though she is not an antisemite, the language and analysis adopted will make her one.
Her post triggered so much fear because by design, even though she was unaware, it was set to create irreparable and dangerous hatred.
Genocide. Colonialists. Apartheid. Oppressors. This narrative and language are not only inaccurate but also deepen the breach between Palestine and Israel and increase hatred toward Jews. This language is perfectly tailored to dehumanize, demonize, and delegitimize Israel and the Jewish people’s trauma, while not making the Palestinians in any way responsible for finding common ground and a solution to the ongoing conflict.
Moreover, such inflammatory dialect analyzes the conflict through the eyes of the West – white vs brown, oppressor vs oppressed, and the dangerous us vs them paradox – all absolutisms with no space for reconciliation and resolution.
YOU SEE, Alma, it is impossible for me to envision peace with Hamas, as their rhetoric is evil and their aim is real.
The pro-Palestinian side that has adopted such language and narrative feels the same way toward Israel. It is impossible to negotiate with evil. It’s morally deplorable to make a deal with the devil. So it’s even more reprehensible to defend the devil. And those who eliminate evil from the Earth are heroes.
The propaganda was convincing enough for my friend to think of the country I chose to call home as genocidal. With this logic, my actions as a Zionist, including your birth, became an act of genocide, apartheid, and colonialism.
My love, the sad truth is that the antisemitic element of the anti-Zionist movement couldn’t be more apparent. Instead of experiencing a yearning for peace, we’ve experienced an outburst of antisemitism, proving once again that there is no differentiation between anti-Zionism and antisemitism.
Otherwise, why did the tiny Jewish community of Santa Cruz, Bolivia – 11,771 kilometers away from Israel – fear an attack to the point they had to cancel their Shabbat services? Why are protesters chanting “Gas the Jews’’ in front of the Sydney Opera House? Why did British Airways delay showing the Jewish comedy series Hapless on flights?
The world did not rise and ask Hamas to surrender and return hostages to avoid Israel’s right to defense. Instead, educated people justified indefensible acts of rape, mutilation, infanticide, kidnapping, and burning people alive. As one can properly distinguish Hamas from Palestinians, many are unable to distinguish Israelis from what they have determined as evil.
In their eyes, Israel has no right to defend itself and should allow its citizens to be killed. There is no peace without being pro-Israel and pro-Palestine, unless the goal is to achieve peace by committing the genocide of one or the other.
I’ve written you hundreds of letters, and this one has been the hardest to write. As I write, I finally accept the emotional toll this war has taken on my psyche. It has been as much a psychological war as it has been a physical one.
The writer is an entrepreneur and corporate strategist who has served as CEO of a number of companies in Latin America and Israel. She is a member of the Judaism 3.0 Think Tank. Her views are her own.
This article was published in the Jerusalem Post special-magazine: Anti-Zionism as the new antisemitism, alongside articles by Amb. Nikki Haley, Col. Richard Kemp, Judaism 3.0 author Gol Kalev, German minister Felix Klein and others. Full Magazine.
Summary of the Judaism 3.0 event: Anti-Zionism as the new anti-Semitism
Watch the full event (Youtube)
Judaism 3.0 Think Tank
The Judaism 3.0 Think Tank (formally the AIFL Think Tank) deliberates the ideas introduced in the book Judaism 3.0 – Judaism’s Transformation to Zionism
DISCUSSION
Discussion 1 (ideas): Are we in Judaism 3.0?
The bulk of the book, and much of the discussions focus on exploring Gol Kalev’s thesis: Judaism is going through a historic transformation and Zionism is becoming its anchor.
Jerusalem Post Magazine: Is Zionism becoming the anchor of Judaism?
Brazil Jewish Academy: Applying Herzl’s vision through Judaism 3.0
The Thesis: i24 TV, Daniel Gordis podcast
The Debate: Prof. Gil Troy debates Gol Kalev: Are we in Judaism 3.0?
Discussion 2 (impact): What does it mean?
Recogonizing that we are in Judaism 3.0 has far-reaching implications, both in addressing today’s existential threats to Judaism, and in unleashing once unimaginable opportunities to advance humanity through Zionism
Jerusalem Report cover: A new framework to counter Israel-Bashing
Newsweek article: It’s time for Judaism 3.0
Jerusalem Post series: Applying Judaism 3.0
Jerusalem Leaders Summit: Judaism 3.0 and the threat of Israel-bashing
History: From AIFL Think Tank (2011) to Judaism 3.0 Think Tank (2023)
The AIFL Think Tank was inaugurated in 2011 under the leadership of Gol Kalev to explore the current state of Zionism and of Judaism.
Based in New York, think tank members represent a wide variety of professional and personal backgrounds. Most not involved with Jewish causes, and many non-Jews, members brought valuable outside perspectives and fresh thinking that helped the author fine-tune the ideas of Judaism 3.0.
Once Judaism 3.0 – Judaism’s transformation to Zionism was published, the think tank, housed in the America-Israel Friendship League for 11 years, has “made Aliya” and is now the Judaism 3.0 think tank
Methodology – AIFL Think Tank
Members: Experienced professionals from various fields such as Investment Banking, Private Equity, Law, Media, Fashion, Art, Philanthropy, and Technology, think tank members come from various political and religious backgrounds.
Applying their experience and track record of success in their respective fields to issues related to Israel and the Jewish world, think tank members bring valuable outside perspective to issues relating to Israel, Zionism and the Jewish world.
Opinion Leaders: Through deliberating the ideas of Judaism 3.0, think tank members become better familiar with issues relating to Israel and Zionism. They then can share their experience and knowledge with their respective circles, including those critical of Israel.
Position Papers: The think tank’s position papers authored by Gol Kalev, were deliberated by think tank members, who also served as valuable sounding-board for the author as he was writing his book
Zionism — a Successor to Rabbinical Judaism? (2012)
120 Years Later: A Look at the State of Zionism and the American Jewish Community (2014)
Book: With the book completed and published, the think tank is now expanding to broader audiences of readers and thinkers, who wish to continue the conversation and deliberate the ideas of Judaism 3.0.
EVENTS
Our Judaism 3.0 events combine interactive conversations (typically over Israeli wine), with in-depth discussions about Judaism 3.0. Some event focus on the question if Zionism is indeed becoming the anchor of Judaism, while others on the impact such broad recognition would have.
Whether a panel in a crowded auditorium, such as ones held at the Begin Center, a webinar, such as the one held by the AIFL, attended by 14,000 people, a reception, such as the ones in the gardens of the the Israel Broadcasting Association mansion, or on-stage conversation, such as the one held by the Tel Aviv International Salon along with Amb. Michael Oren, our discussions delve into the intricacies of Judaism 3.0.
ABOUT THE BOOK
About Judaism 3.0: In this landmark book, Gol Kalev demonstrates how Zionism has turned into the organizing principle of Judaism. Analyzing long-term shifts in Israel, Diaspora Judaism as well as global trends that impact the state of Judaism, Kalev shows how Zionism has become the primary conduit through which both Jews and non-Jews relate to Judaism – in the positive and negative alike. More
Purchase Judaism 3.0 on Amazon
Purchase Judaism 3.0 in Israel
“A courageous, compelling, and thoughtful thesis that must be part of any serious discussion of the future of Israel and the Jewish people.”
Michael Oren, historian, former Ambassador of Israel to the United States
“This book should play an important role in the discussions about the future of world Jewry and its relations with Israel.”
Natan Sharansky, former Chairman of The Jewish Agency, former Deputy Prime Minister of Israel
Gol Kalev does not just know Theodor Herzl – he lives and breathes Theodor Herzl…This book should trigger the conversation the Jewish community needs about Israel, Zionism, Judaism and Identity. Bravo!
Professor Gil Troy, author -The Zionist Ideas
“Gol Kalev’s book has the merit to transform the very essence of the State of Israel to becoming an objective expression of Jewish identity.”
Dr. Georges Yitzhak Weisz, author – Theodor Herzl: A New Reading
“This book has sparked as much conversation as it has because the premise is so interesting, so counter-intuitive and demand of us that we think many thing anew. That is perhaps the greatest gift a book can give.”
Dr. Daniel Gordis, author – We Stand Divided
ייA remarkable ideas book that is about much more than the state of Judaism….One of the most important books about Judaism, Zionism and global trends of our times.”
Catherine Carlton, former Mayor of Menlo Park, Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur
“Gol Kalev has a deep understanding of Herzl and of processes happening in the Jewish world and non-Jewish world. He puts these two together and describes in his book how both Jews and non-Jews relate to Judaism now through Zionism – exactly as Herzl described in his vision.“
Yaakov Hagoel, Chairman – World Zionist Organization, acting Chairman – Jewish Agency
“Kalev picks up where Herzl left off……A must read for people of all religious and political backgrounds who want to get a deeper understanding of the state of Zionism and Judaism today.”
Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem
Clip from most recent Judaism 3.0 Think Tank event. Full video
Press-release of previous Judaism 3.0 Think Tank events:
Applying Herzl’s frameworks to today’s strategic issues
Zionism and the Nationalism-Universalism debate
From Tel Aviv to Jerusalem – Zionism’s religious revival
Prof. Gil Troy and Gol Kalev debate Judaism 3.0
Amb Michael Oren and Gol Kalev discuss impact of Judaism 3.0
#1 Amazon Best-Seller in its category for New Releases, the book was chosen by the Jerusalem Report as the cover of its 2022 New Year Magazine even before published. In October 2022 the Jerusalem Post issued a Special Magazine about the book’s message
“Gol Kalev picks up where Herzl left off”
Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem
Talking about Judaism 3.0:
Watch Gol Kalev apply the principles of Judaism 3.0 to his strategic analysis of the Gaza war: American Sunrise
Watch Gol Kalev discuss how Judaism 3.0 counters the threat of anti-Zionism (2022 Jerusalem Leaders Summit):
JUDAISM 3.0 ADDRESSES EXISTENTIAL THREATS TO JUDAISM:
Read summaries of the Jerusalem Post series showing how a broad recognition that we are in Judaism 3.0 could help counter the existential threat of Israel-bashing and anti-Zionsim:
Watch media coverage of the fifth Judaism 3.0 Begin Center event:
Watch Gol Kalev discuss Judaism 3.0 in an i24 interview with Emily Frances:
A revolutionary approach to countering Israel-bashing and anti-Zionism unveiled at the Judaism 3.0 book launch:
Watch video-clips, read a recap of the book launch party
Sign-up to get updates on the book’s launch events:
For comments and inquiries: info@Judaism-Zionism.com
JUDAISM 3.0 