5 Ways American Jews Can Help Israel—by Helping Ourselves

Dear Friend of Israel, Friend of FLAME:

Many American Jewish leaders have recently delivered scathing—even hysterical—criticism of Israel, particularly targeting the Israeli government’s efforts to reform its judiciary and strengthen the country’s security.

Surely, it’s understandable for American Jews to care about Israel’s future, to feel protective about the world’s only Jewish state. It’s our heritage. It’s our refuge in case of disaster.

By the same token, we must forgive Israelis if they are unimpressed with the recent American criticism. After all, it is they who deal with almost daily terror attacks and suffer the real experience of unjust, undemocratic treatment in their courts.

Nonetheless, Israelis welcome—and critically need—the help and support of American Jews. When dealing with international issues—such as antisemitism globally—we are stronger when both Israeli and American Jews stand together. Israel also values the American support in the United Nations and its investment in Israel’s military might, which makes the Jewish state—and Jews everywhere—safer.

Tragically, however, the ability of American Jews to substantially assist Israel is rapidly fading. That’s because the influence of Jews in the United States—our political and social clout—is diminishing due to our weakening institutions, identity and solidarity.

While Israel has many challenges and flaws, a sober look at the dissipating state of American Jewry should evoke even greater alarm.

Five major problems —all steadily increasing—threaten the very fabric of American Jewry, let alone our ability to support Israel. Until we address these critical issues in our own backyard, our opinions about Israel’s new government should perhaps remain muted.

1) Antisemitism and anti-Zionism are surging.

BDS on college campuses, anti-Israel lawmakers in Congress, critical race theory and intersectionality in our public schools, street attacks on Orthodox Jews—all threaten the well-being of Jews in the U.S. and Israel.

The Pew Research survey, Jewish Americans in 2020, found that three quarters of American Jews believe there is more antisemitism in the country than five years ago, and just over half (53%) say they feel less safe than they did five years prior.

Campus antisemitism and anti-Zionism in particular have increased sharply. Late last year, a report by the AMCHA Initiative found that bullying and intimidation of Jewish students tripled.

So far, we are failing to halt this trend, even as many American Jews focus instead on general social issues less critical to Jewish survival.

2) American Jewish community and religious institutions are declining.

Waning Jewish institutional—and therefore political—strength in the U.S. endangers the ability of American Jews to influence government policy, media coverage and support for Israel.

In the past 20 years, more than one third of Conservative synagogues have closed, as have one fifth of Reform synagogues.

Active participants in Jewish Community Federations—regional organizations that represent the interests of American Jewry—are shrinking. Some local Jewish federations have either had to merge with other Jewish organizations to stay afloat . . . or shut down altogether.

What’s more, according to professor Chaim Waxman of the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute, “Diaspora Jewry tend more and more to donate to non-Jewish philanthropies than Jewish ones.”

3) Number of Jewish-identified Americans is dwindling.

Skyrocketing rates of Jewish intermarriage are shrinking the number of self-identified, committed Jews—which reduces the influence American Jews can exert on cultural phenomena, such as antisemitism, critical race theory in schools, financial support for Israel, and the election of pro-Israel politicians.

While intermarriage among the Orthodox Jews in the U.S. is only 2%, intermarriage among non-Orthodox Jews is estimated at 75%. Intermarried Jewish parents are also much less likely to raise their children Jewish.

Only 28% of Jews married to non-Jewish spouses raise their children to be Jewish by religion. Another 29% of intermarried couples raise their children to be Jewish but not by religion. A whopping 30% of intermarried couples don’t raise their children to be Jewish at all.

4) Interest of young Jews in Judaism and Israel plummets.

Young Jews are losing their connection to Judaism, the Jewish people and Israel. Yet future American support for Israel will depend on them.

The 2020 Pew survey reports that 40% of Jewish adults between 18 and 29 consider themselves to be “Jews of no religion”—a rate higher than all other age groups.

This lack of affiliation to Judaism is reflected in young Jews’ support for Israel—or lack thereof. As of 2020, only 48% of Jews under 30 consider themselves very or somewhat attached to Israel, compared to two thirds of people 65 and older. In addition, just 35% of American Jews under 30 consider supporting Israel essential, while 27% say supporting Israel is “not at all” important.

5) American Jews fail to support pro-Israel politicians—or oppose Israel’s enemies.

Rather than making support of Israel a focal point of our political action, American Jews often back the Democratic Party in lockstep. Rather than consistently judging politicians by their support of Israel, we instead favor party affiliation.

According to the 2020 Pew survey, 71% of Jews in the U.S. consider themselves Democrats—yet that party harbors known antisemites like Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and a growing number of politicians who attack Israel.

Conversely, American Jewish Democrats are generally loathe to support any Republicans, despite their pro-Israel loyalty.

How Israel can help American Jews. Even as our Jewish population in the United States is losing many of its connections to Judaism and Jewish identity, Israel’s Zionist culture, influence and population are robust and expanding.

Indeed, Israel is one of the world’s most successful nations on earth. It is one of the most economically successful countries, one of the most influential, one of the strongest militarily, and one of the happiest. Israel was even recently ranked the world’s 23^rd most successful democracy—ahead of the United States and 140 other nations.

Rather than counseling Israelis on their internal politics and society, American Jews would surely profit more by engaging and supporting the Zionist spirit to inspire us and strengthen our own community.

Please observe to friends, family, colleagues and elected representatives that American Jewry faces daunting challenges. If we want to help Israel, we need to help ourselves—by focusing on the main issues threatening the health of the American Jewish community. Our Israeli brothers and sisters would no doubt welcome that kind of support.

I hope you’ll also take a minute, while you have this material front and center, to forward this message to friends, visit FLAME’s lively Facebook page and review the P.S. immediately below. It describes FLAME’s new hasbarah campaign—”Demand Justice for Jewish Students”—which exposes rising attacks on Jewish college students’ identity and how these acts of antisemitism can be defeated.

Best regards,

James Sinkinson, Publisher
Facts and Logic About the Middle East (FLAME)

P.S.

You’ve surely seen headlines describing increasing attacks on Jewish students—in the classroom and in the public square—by radical anti-Zionist students, as well as faculty members. So far, university administrators have failed to prevent this kind of antisemitism on campus. At the heart of this discrimination, Israel’s enemies outrageously claim that Zionism is not part of being Jewish. No wonder more and more Jewish students are hiding their Jewish identities on campus. I think you’ll agree that we supporters of Israel need to speak out. FLAME’s new hasbarah—explanatory message—“Demand Justice for Jewish Students” tells how new law suits based on Title VI anti-discrimination laws are putting pressure on college administrators to protect Jewish students from such attacks. I hope you’ll review this convincing, fact-based editorial, which FLAME intends to publish in the New York Times, Washington Post, New York Post, Miami Herald, Chicago Tribune, Houston Chronicle, Los Angeles Times and San Jose Mercury News. This piece will also be sent to all members of Congress, Vice President Harris and President Biden. If you agree that this kind of public relations effort on Israel’s behalf is critical, I urge you to support us. As of today, more than 15,000 Israel supporters receive the FLAME Hotline at no charge every week. If you’re not yet a subscriber, won’t you join us in receiving these timely updates, so you can more effectively tell the truth about Israel? Just go to free subscription.