By Charles Jacobs
February 18, 2007
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Half the world's Jews are in the crosshairs of a Persian anti-Semite soon to have a nuke. Like his German predecessor, Ahmadinejad has a plan to annihilate millions. This time every Jew on the planet knows it.
American Jews, far less powerful in the 1930's than today, were late to use what little power they had to scream the world awake. Looking back, world Jewry adopted a motto that in part defines them against that failure: "Never Again."
But "Again" now looms, and Jews here are about to relearn a lesson: to speak up has a cost. Experts say Americans are concerned about Iran, but when they hear about Iran from Jews, they become suspicious.
Anti-Zionist intellectuals have revived the "dual loyalty" accusation with a vengeance. The infamous Walt-Mearsheimer paper, soon to become a lucrative book, claims that there is a disproportionate Jewish influence over American foreign policy being used to benefit of Israel to the detriment of "real" American interests.
The accusation that Jews tricked America into the Iraq war for Israel's sake is not new. "The Jews," it will be now added, are driving America to attack nuclear Iran. "The Jewish community is divided, but there is so much pressure?from the New York money people to the office seekers," is how former general Wesley Clark put it.
The problem faced 65 years ago repeats: will Jewry here risk its position to help Jews targeted for death overseas?
On moral grounds there is no question: Jews dare not be silent about the Iranian threat. But there is a practical issue that cannot be ignored. What if by raising their voices, Jews hurt this cause? Suppose people would become less convinced about Iran because it's Jews who are protesting? This is a real predicament Jews that will have to overcome.
Can the Jewish community find allies? Surely there are non-Jews equally concerned about nuclearized Muslim messianics; Iran poses a threat not just to Israel but to all the West. But Bush-hatred and anger over the Iraq war drive so much of American politics. Never mind that Israelis, focused for a decade on Iran, warned America about the negative consequences of attacking Iraq. Facts don't matter. Everything Bush believes will be contested whether it's "Iran is lethal" or "the Earth is round."
Irrationality reigns: the only folks likely to scream along with the Jews about Iran are Republicans, neo-cons, Evangelicals and conservatives: the same groups that evoke hatred in Americašs opinion elite. Even if Jews join a coalition of the rationally fearful, the cry will not fade that "the Jews" push for war with Iran.
Meanwhile in Boston, "The Emergency Committee on the Iranian Threat," launched a web campaign: "Shabbat on the Iranian Threat," (hosted at http://www.davidproject.org). They and following them, we at the David Project -- call on American rabbis to speak about Iran to their congregations on the days before Purim (March 2-3), the Jewish holiday celebrating the escape by Persian Jewry from annihilation by another Persian leader centuries ago. This Purim, bring two gregors (noise makers).
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