I suppose there may be ways to harmonize Larry Gellman’s two statements at the conclusion of Sheila Wilensky’s March 24 article reporting on Hadar Susskind’s recent visit to Tucson (“On visit to Tucson, J Street policy director explains group’s mission”).
Mr. Gellman “find[s] Jewish Voice for Peace despicable” while at the same time expressing his concern that “people who describe themselves as Jewish leaders” are “turning against Jewish values such as ‘love the stranger.’” This may be akin to “loving the sinner, hating the sin” but I would like to have heard Mr. Gellman explain himself further or, barring that, have heard Ms. Wilensky better contextualize how a group that calls itself Jewish Voice for Peace can evoke such casual vilification.
Citing the Anti-Defamation League’s recent listing of JVP amongst the top 10 anti-Israel groups in the United States does little to clarify — especially against the backdrop of the ADL’s own difficulties in living up to its name as reflected in its decision to not support the building of Cordoba House/Park51. Likewise, JVP’s support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign could have been elucidated beyond Ms. Wilensky’s terse description that it is “targeting Israel” by referring to JVP’s statement from its own website, “We support divestment from and boycotts of companies that profit from Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem.”
—Marc Goodman
