Solidarity Is the Political Version of Love: Lessons from Jewish Anti-Zionist Organizing

by Rebecca Vilkomerson, Alissa Weiss, Omar Barghouti (Foreword)

What does the politics of solidarity look like in practice, and how can left-wing organizations grow—in numbers and power—while remaining accountable to the broader movements of which they are a part?

Against enormous odds and in the face of fierce pushback, the Palestine solidarity movement in the United States has succeeded in transforming the landscape of American politics. The movement has catapulted Palestine from being an untouchable topic in even liberal political circles to a central rallying cry in grassroots progressive organizing, one that is championed by some of the highest profile and beloved members of Congress.

In this book, two key leaders—Rebecca Vilkomerson and Rabbi Alissa Wise—focus on the important role of anti-Zionist Jewish organizing within this broader movement, reflecting on their decade of leadership of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and drawing lessons especially relevant to those organizing from a position of solidarity. Against the backdrop of rapid and often devastating political developments, they explore how JVP grew larger as the organization shifted to the left and helped to alter the public narrative about Palestinian liberation, while also navigating the tensions of organization-building and creating a space for Judaism liberated from Zionism.

In addressing their shortcomings and failures no less than their inspiring successes, Vilkomerson and Wise deliver an account of JVP’s organizing during the 2010s that offers crucial strategic lessons for anyone engaging in the collective work of building organizations and fighting for justice.

Genres: Judaism, Nonfiction, Jewish, Audiobook, Social Justice, Politics, Activism

344 pages, Paperback

Published September 3, 2024

Reviews

[Marcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really important book written with a great deal of care and love and a healthy dose of introspection. I appreciate all of the self-challenging work that Vilkomerson and Wise put into this volume. I expect it can have some important resonance for many activists and organizers who want to engage in radical politics within and without their particular organizations. Kudos to the authors for not shying away from any of the difficult topics.

[Randall Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Well into the 1930s, the majority of American Jews were anti-Zionist.” They rejected “the idea that Jewish safety and prosperity relied on the establishment of a Jewish supremacist nation-state in historic Palestine.” Today’s Question: “How can it be antisemitic to hold a state – any state, including Israel – accountable for its human rights violations, for enforcing inequality and for its system of oppression?” “Zionism fans the flames of antisemitism by insisting on speaking for ALL Jews” which erases “Jewish diversity, debate, difference” and reduces “Jews to a monolith.” The task at hand is “liberating Judaism from Zionism.” Things propping up US Israel support are AIPAC funded US politicians, Christian Zionism, Islamophobia, the military-industrial complex, and of course closeted fans of settler-colonialism, ethnic cleansing, genocide, and the deliberate sniper targeting of children.

The job of the Left is to seek “a radical transformation of our social system toward democracy and justice” which requires moral courage to go further Left of right-center than both Rachel Maddow and MSNBC. The job of US liberals, on the other hand, is accept ANY politician the DNC finances, while “fighting” for only approved safe subjects like wanting to see a black face or a woman’s face (Obama and Kamala) on US empire, demanding Israel’s right to always defend itself (even against unarmed civilians and children whom it illegally occupies) or “fighting” in some nebulous way for women or LGBTQ+.

Progressive Jews today within the Jewish community know they have to either risk confrontation, or stay mute within the community about their values. The Jewish elder community today is realizing that, just like getting over their earlier furor over Jewish gays coming out the closet (where some elders said, “well, at least he’s circumcised!”), it will be difficult to also force progressive Jews back in the closet. In the meantime, for many, Jewish Voice for Peace has become a proxy for Jewish family.

Embedded in Zionism is the notion that Zionist safety only comes from Palestinian “isolation and violent domination.” The author says, “false accusations of antisemitism are themselves a threat to Jewish safety, as they can muddy one’s understanding of what is or is not antisemitism, leaving Jews vulnerable” and that Zionism is “harmful to Jewish values of justice.” Rabbi Miriam Grossman says, “the only way to safety is together.” “Jewish Voice for Peace is guided by a vision of justice, equality and freedom for all people. We oppose Zionism because it is counter to those ideals.”

Partly behind demanding the Zionism=Antisemitism conflation (aside from Hasbara and Zionist armchair imbeciles) is CUFI (Christians United for Israel); CUFI thinks Jewish emigration to Israel is necessary for Christ’s return, at which point all Jews must convert to Christianity or burn in hell; seems a touch antisemitic to me. Unless you are narcissist and racist, “Never Again” should mean never again for ANYONE. The authors of this book see the answer worldwide as “dismantling ALL forms of oppression” which of course would include dismantling all oppression of Palestinians.

Assorted Facts: Yes, Neturei Karta is anti-Zionist, but it is also “deeply patriarchal and homophobic.” If you are Jewish, but not Ashkenazi, then you are either Mizrahi, Sephardi, Black Jews, or Jews of color. Israel’s Cyber unit exists to work hard to remove any Facebook/Meta social media posts documenting Israel’s crimes and human rights abuses.

This was a good book, which I’m glad I read; I’m always looking for more Jewish critiques of Zionism and this new 2024 Haymarket book did not disappoint.

[Kendall Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

So glad to have read this book, and I was so lucky to have had such an amazing conversation with the authors through my work at Vashti!! Really recommend it for all organisers - there is so much to learn here. Written with humility and grace that I deeply respect. Much love xx

[Benjamin Solidarity · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read for anyone in the Palestinian solidarity movement covering the organizing history of the fastest growing Jewish organization in the US, JVP.

[Mya]

“We refuse to have our histories distorted or erased, or appropriated by a corporate war machine. We will not call this liberation. We refuse to knowingly oppress others, and we refuse to oppress each other. We will not carry the legacy of terror. We refuse to allow our identities to be cut, cleaned, packaged nicely, and sold back to us.

We are better than this. We have ancestors to honor. We have allies to honor. We have ourselves to honor.

We will stand up with our words, our pens, our songs, our paintbrushes, our open hands.

We are young Jews, and we get to decide what that means”.

[Michael Sasson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book and very well written. For me, the deepest contribution the authors’ provide -–more general than the important movement-specific information they share -- is that they publicly share self-critique not only of things they’ve done wrong but also even when they stand by what they did. They are able to note the costs that others weighed more heavily. It struck me as the kind of thing that usually paid organizers keep in-house so as not to "confuse" members. The implicit respect they show for the ability of grassroots people (i.e., for human beings) to think well is refreshing. Even when I would have leaned another way, I could appreciate the calls they made and the lessons they drew. And they've clearly participated in and helped lead amazing organizing work.

280. We remember how to build our homes, and our holiness, out of time and thin air, and so do not need other people’s land to do so. We remember solidarity as a means of survival and an act of affirmation, and we are proud.
[…] We refuse to become the mother who did not scream when wise King Solomon resolved to split her baby in two. We are better than this.
266. What will it take to build a world where this nightmare is unthinkable, where every single life is precious, where all children run safely into their parent’s arms at the end of the school day?
It’s unbearable to not have the answers.





174. It’s important to remember that growth is not for its own sake; it’s to build power to keep pushing. Sharpening your politics, including by moving them leftward and more in line with the demands and aspirations of directly impacted communities, is a manifestation of political courage. In our world, it turned out that endorsing the BDS call in full was actually what made us stand out and attracted more members to us.
[…] We learned that making this type of decision [..] requires an infrastructure and approach that can design systems to accommodate a range of positions and positionalities while remembering core values. And it requires a constant self-discipline, an awareness that what is true in the present will not necessarily be true in the future, and that your organizing can be the vehicle for the visionary expansiveness that is key to building new worlds.
190. JVP took on an anti-Zionist position the same year we launched JVPAction. […] We understood that being correct was insufficient if we weren’t also building a base and amassing real political power.
253. It is about organizing toward an end of forced exile for Palestinians even as we embrace a diaspora for ourselves. Through our organizing, we have found meaning and satisfaction in this work but also tapped into painful levels of despair.
Solidarity requires we know who we are, what we believe, where we come from, and where we want to see ourselves go, all while not being so rigid that we can’t be influenced and even transformed by those we struggle alongside. Building enough power to force change starts from this commitment.
Our time at JVP taught us that the daily work of solidarity is a practice. You’re learning as you go, you make mistakes, fall short, get distracted, reflect, learn, repair, reassess, make strides, level up.


---------------------
13-16 history of JVP early years
79-80 urgency “white culture” re Tema Okun’s piece or accountable to Palestinian suffering
87-8, 107 values/Cecilie Surasky CUE
99, 103-4, 299 video clips
110 BDS debate w/J Street
112 Big Tent: If Not Now once JVP takes on BDS support and then anti-zionism position but that Big Tent was how JVP grew to scale before having social weight to grow when moving left
123 US white supremacists applaud Israeli laws limiting national rights to Jews
127 CUFI on anti-semitism
132 faith in people, dynamism
154 cutting ties with If America Only Knew : principles matter
176 JVP open tent vs anti-zionism

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an important book; bold, brave, challenging, vulnerable, and deeply inspiring. The authors don't shy away from difficult topics, including their own challenges and failures, and I found myself deeply moved by their willingness to lay themselves bare for the benefit of others. This is an essential book for anyone involved in social activism, or even just hoping to build stronger, engaged community.

Our anti-Zionist Jewish siblings provide a powerful example of the ways in which we must show up for the people of P**stine, both during the current violence and long before. It feels a blessing to read a book in which spirituality and activism are intertwined, especially when the religion involved is so ancient and meaningful. May we all be so rooted in the traditions of our ancestors, and so willing to carry them forward as coals to light the fires of justice for all people everywhere.

There are so many things that I will take away from this book and use in my own life. I am ever grateful.

(Book was listened to via Audible)

[Kalina Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I just expected more from this book. It was quite repetitive at times where it would have been lovely to have more depth. The final few sections were better than the first few, but it was hard to get past the repetition. If you’re going to talk about reparations, I want to hear what that would actually look like. It’s great that you are reflecting on your biases and the fact that it can and does cause harm, it’s great that you know that reparations are needed, but what reparations did you implement? How are you moving forward in a new way to avoid making similar mistakes? One thing I did really like were the reflection questions at the end of each chapter.

[Sarah Schulman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two of the most effective solidarity workers in American politics offer a tough-love, how-to- get-it-done gift to those ready to confront oppressive power while building deep relationships with our political partners. Focused, realistic, and above all impactful. A book of practical and emotional insights that are so, so helpful.

[Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was humbling to see that not only did Becca (my aunt!!) change my personal politics, her and JVP’s work changed the entire landscape of Jewish solidarity with Palestine. It was fascinating reflecting on how JVP’s national strategy came to play in my own experience of a 2019 student-led divestment campaign. Inspiring and worthwhile read!!