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I wanted to thank Haaretz for publishing in its English edition my first piece in that newspaper, In Praise of Jewish Blogging. It’s a radically edited version of a piece I submitted which was way over their word limit. I’ve tried numerous times to elicit interest on the part of Haaretz editors in my work. But thanks to Ira Moskowitz, who suggested I contact the new managing editor, Charlotte Halle, it’s finally happened.
I’ve proposed writing precisely this article to numerous Jewish publications, none of whom were interested. It deals with what it’s been like personally to write a Jewish political blog about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over the past five years. And how, to my mind, Jewish life and Israel have been effected by blogs.
You simply have no idea when you read a newspaper every day and then see your own name in a byline there what a charge that is. When I was a grad student at the Hebrew University in 1979-80 I read Haaretz in Hebrew from cover to cover every day both to keep a finger on the pulse of the country and to teach myself contemporary literary/newspaper Hebrew. I once published a letter to the editor in Hebrew. But to now publish an article there is very gratifying.
I am glad that they haven’t included a Talkback with the article as I know precisely which Kahanist shmos would be commenting there and precisely what they would write. UPDATE: Reader Mary Hughes Thompson notes that I was mistaken and there is a Talkback link which will give the trolls a field day I’m afraid. If any readers here are so moved to keep ‘em honest by adding some balance I’d be grateful.
Tags: haaretz, political-blogs
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Dear AG,
Thanks for your insight.
I definitely agree that the whole Israel-Palestine issue has become a navel-gazing exercise for American Jews. Most of them really don’t count non-Jewish opinion. Again, I’m trying to strike a different path.
Actually, on DK there are at least a couple of non-Jewish progressives consistently blogging on the subject. See for example heathlander, who has both her (I think it’s a she) own blog http://heathlander.wordpress.com/ and a mirror on DK.
Also, don’t let the loud noise made by a handful of “pro-Israeli” commenters there fool you. The rank and file – even if you only look at those who bother reading I-P diaries – are split at least 3 to 1, our favor. Anytime there’s a poll put out on a diary this becomes evident.
All that being said, the political blogosphere…. the Jewish-American enclosed self-referencing “debate”…. what is the use of them? I’d be surprised if anything good comes out of it.
If I understand you correctly, Assaf, I disagree. We’ve got to fight the good fight to move the American Jewish community in the right direction & oppose the machinations of AIPAC. It’s one of the primary raisons d’etre of this blog.
Just for accuracy’s sake: I am Jewish and I am a ‘he’ (and I’m also an Israeli citizen, at least technically).
Congrats on the Ha’aretz article, Richard. You’ve done a lot of good work trying to encourage people to debate and get involved in the issue – this article, the I/P Forum, etc. – and it is very commendable. And I’d certainly add my endorsement of Assaf’s and Yeela’s diaries at Daily Kos. Together with http://jon-the-antizionist-jew.dailykos.com/, litho.dailykos.com (although he has written less about I/P lately) and a few others (mainly commenters as opposed to diarists), they are one of the few points of light in what is otherwise a thoroughly depressing experience.
Mr Silverstein – of course a blog about the Palestinian-Israeli issues, of the progressive slant, run by a Jew, read by Jews, made famous by an Israeli (dare I say Jewish) newspaper is a good thing. It is a great thing.
But, it is still, like DKos, a (pardon the language) circle jerk, an echo chamber if you will.
The trick is to confront the millions and millions of Americans, of the goyim variety, who have never heard of AIPAC, who have all the news they need from FOX and CNN, who know what the world outside US borders looks like from the Simpsons’ series, and present them with just the facts.
Here is the story of AIPAC and its influence, here is how much money is going to Israel as opposed to, say, Africa or Latin America, here is how things in the West Bank really are, here is the (almost) humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
That is the trick…
No offense Mr. Silverstein, nor any dig at your wonderful blog, of which I am a great fan.
JamieSW: I remember you as one of the reasonable commenters on some of my DK posts. I’m adding a link to yr site in my blogroll & will subscribe to your IP blog feed.
My blog is read by Jews and non-Jews. It is read by Arabs & even some Palestinians. I’d like it to be read by more. If you know of any non Jews you think should be reading this blog pls. introduce them to it. It is true that I don’t have as much impact as I would like among both Jews & non-Jews. But hopefully that can change over time.
My work has also been published by The Guardian’s Comment is Free blog which reaches a mixed Jewish & non-Jewish audience. I’ve been interviewed by publications that reach both Jewish & non-Jewish audiences.
My strategy here is to aim my work at a Jewish audience but to assume that it will have relevance to a non Jewish audience esp. one interested in the IP conflict.
Richard,
Sorry if a different impression was created: I greatly appreciate your work. The more people do, write, etc., the better. You focus on Jewish audience but also get others to read you. I focus on general audiences (except when writing in Hebrew of course), but do not mind if Jews read and are affected as well. The different efforts complement each other. I wish I had your perseverance and daily commitment.
Hopefully, at some point these little seeds we plant in different places of this political desert, will bloom.
JamieSW,
So you are the Heathlander? Cool. What does the name mean?
Do you agree with me that in princple 3 out of 4 DK readers have their heart in the right place, but the handful of AIPACists there are turning any I-P debate into such a mudfight that the reasonable people get turned off?
Cheers, Assaf
By the way Richard,
You asked about other sources to read in Hebrew. On the website hagada.org.il, there is Haim Bar’am, who’s been writing an influential column in Jerusalem’s alt-weekly Kol Ha’ir for over 25 years. I remember reading him in the 80′s and thinking “what a crazy leftist”, in the 90′s thinking “he’s got a good grasp of things, but why is he so pessimistic about the Oslo process?”. In short, he’s got it. What is amazing is that this alt-weekly is ready by EVERYONE in Jerusalem, not just secular-leftists, and Jerusalemites have respect towards Bar’am even though most of them are worlds apart in their opinions. Hagada.org.il brings an e-copy of his columns every week. Also featured there is veteran human-rights activist Gideon Spiro, who writes a similar column in Tel-Aviv’s Ha’ir weekly.
Assaf
Assaf: I wasn’t responding to your comments at all. I was responding to American Goy. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
I too think it’s important to address non-Jews and agree that it’s often hopeless expecting American Jews, especially our dinosaur leaders, to change their spots & become advocates for real change regarding the IP issue.
I remember Haim Bar’am from my days in Israel in 1980. I think he was then on the left of the Labor party & we had a friend or two in common though I don’t think I ever met him.
Hagada’s site is also in English & I tried to feature it at my blog aggregator but their feed was hinky if I recall. But I didn’t know Baram was featured at the site. Thanks for that news.
Richard: cheers!
Assaf:
Well, the poll results seem to support that view. So for example, this recent diary ended with a poll asking whether the U.S. “should end its support for Israel”. 65% of 89 respondents said “yes”. It was badly worded (‘support for Israel’ can mean anything) but it gives an indication of where the broad feelings of the community lie. Other polls with more respondents usually turn out even more strongly in favour of our side.
So yes, that’s an important point – despite the vocal clique of “pro-Israel” commenters, the silent majority is actually quite supportive of the ‘pro-Palestinian’ viewpoint. The problem is that this support doesn’t seem to translate into anything useful, or any political action at all.
Hi Richard,
I think you refer to Haim Bar’am’s older brother, Uzi, who was even a minister in Rabin’s second government. Haim never went to politics. He is a journalist who has two columns – one political and one about football (he has a similar “radical” approach, very amusing one, to that sport).
He was always quite to the left of Uzi and more outspoken, but Uzi too probably had his heart more to the left than his party affiliation could allow. He was an OK politician all in all. They were also our neighbors for a while. Their father Moshe Bar’am was an old Labor Zionist leader who was minister for many years (under Golda, etc.).
The Hagada.org.il English site is not worth much yet, they just started it and don’t do a good job of consistently translating articles. Try http://www.kibush.co.il for a more steady stream of English-language news and articles form the Israeli anti-Occupation community. The site both brings articles from places like Ha’aretz English, and translates or even posts English originals. Of course, they also have a Hebrew site (and Arabic and Russian!).
Assaf
Your efforts to help inform us on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are especially important to Americans as we so seldom hear anything critical of Israel. Many of us see that there are two sides to the problem but are afraid to criticize Israel for fear of being labeled an anti-Semite. I see by the comments at Haarratz that Jews are also vilified. Thanks for your courage — each voice helps to break the silence.
Richard,
I’ve been meaning to congratulate you for some time now. Just get buried in email, though. I know it may be discouraging sometimes, between the paradigm shift we would like and the vile personal attacks, but you’re doing a good ad useful thing. I’m glad I reconnected with you. (And hope that this post gets through your spam filter)