Perhaps this is a paranoid view, but I cannot understand how J Street can consistently criticize Israel’s critics (examples: Berkeley divestment, Toronto declaration, and most disgustingly, Richard Goldstone) without criticizing Israel itself.

I would ask everyone to question the validity of J Street and to proceed with caution. Do not be fooled.

Feelings about J St. were mixed. Some had high hopes. SOme were skeptical. I tended to be more on the “high hopes” side though I quickly tempered some of that enthusiasm with realistic understanding that there would be divergences bet. my views & J St.’s. I hoped at the time that the differences would be tactical rather than strategic. But as time goes by my differences tend to be more basic & less cosmetic.

Yes, I think the J St. rank & file is more progressive than the leadership. After all, when Eric Yoffie attacked Richard Goldstone at the conference the Reform leader was roundly booed. Other liberal speakers were treated w. similar disquiet when they made similarly unprogressive statements.

I should add that there are Israeli Jews living in settlements who I would be willing to meet with such as Menachem Froman and a reader of this blog, Myron Joseph. But I doubt they would be the ones J Street would choose to meet with if it met w. settlers.

I have corrected this error in the post.