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The Threshold of Dissent: A History of American Jewish Critics of Zionism
Explores the long history of anti-Zionist and non-Zionist American Jews
Throughout the twentieth century, American Jewish communal leaders projected a unified position of unconditional support for Israel, cementing it as a cornerstone of American Jewish identity. This unwavering position served to marginalize and label dissenters as antisemitic, systematically limiting the threshold of acceptable criticism. In pursuit of this forced consensus, these leaders entered Cold War alliances, distanced themselves from progressive civil rights and anti-colonial movements, and turned a blind eye to human rights abuses in Israel. In The Threshold of Dissent , Marjorie N. Feld instead shows that today’s vociferous arguments among American Jews over Israel and Zionism are but the newest chapter in a fraught history that stretches to the nineteenth century.
Drawing on rich archival research and examining wide-ranging intellectual currents―from the Reform movement and the Yiddish left to anti-colonialism and Jewish feminism―Feld explores American Jewish critics of Zionism and Israel from the 1880s to the 1980s. The book argues that the tireless policing of contrary perspectives led each generation of dissenters to believe that it was the first to question unqualified support for Israel. The Threshold of Dissent positions contemporary critics within a century-long debate about the priorities of the American Jewish community, one which holds profound implications for inclusion in American Jewish communal life and for American Jews’ participation in coalitions working for justice.
At a time when American Jewish support for Israel has been diminishing, The Threshold of Dissent uncovers a deeper―and deeply contested―history of intracommunal debate over Zionism among American Jews.
Throughout the twentieth century, American Jewish communal leaders projected a unified position of unconditional support for Israel, cementing it as a cornerstone of American Jewish identity. This unwavering position served to marginalize and label dissenters as antisemitic, systematically limiting the threshold of acceptable criticism. In pursuit of this forced consensus, these leaders entered Cold War alliances, distanced themselves from progressive civil rights and anti-colonial movements, and turned a blind eye to human rights abuses in Israel. In The Threshold of Dissent , Marjorie N. Feld instead shows that today’s vociferous arguments among American Jews over Israel and Zionism are but the newest chapter in a fraught history that stretches to the nineteenth century.
Drawing on rich archival research and examining wide-ranging intellectual currents―from the Reform movement and the Yiddish left to anti-colonialism and Jewish feminism―Feld explores American Jewish critics of Zionism and Israel from the 1880s to the 1980s. The book argues that the tireless policing of contrary perspectives led each generation of dissenters to believe that it was the first to question unqualified support for Israel. The Threshold of Dissent positions contemporary critics within a century-long debate about the priorities of the American Jewish community, one which holds profound implications for inclusion in American Jewish communal life and for American Jews’ participation in coalitions working for justice.
At a time when American Jewish support for Israel has been diminishing, The Threshold of Dissent uncovers a deeper―and deeply contested―history of intracommunal debate over Zionism among American Jews.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published May 7, 2024
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986 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 19 reviews
May 20, 2024
In the 1920’s, Zionists feared Zionism would be seen as defying American principles “because it was inherently undemocratic” and “if Palestine were to develop into a violent and undemocratic nation, American Jews …would face antisemitism at home.” Funny how no Zionist will mention Deuteronomy 16:20 from the Torah which clearly says, “justice, justice, thou shalt pursue” – the opposite of what Zionists have been doing to Palestinians. [Ruth Bader Ginzberg actually kept this Deuteronomy 16:20 quote on her Supreme Court office wall: Tzedek, tzedek tirdof - Justice, justice, you shall pursue. Deut 16:19-20 also adds more that no Zionist will tell you: “You must not distort justice; you must not show partiality” like partiality only to Ashkenazi Jews while wildly distorting “justice” to Palestinians. - Randall]
William Zukerman called Begin a “terrorist” whose Irgun “introduced into Israel the most brutal of Nazi tactics – the killing of innocent hostages.” Zukerman was deeply troubled at the time by Israel’s obvious alliance with both France (then nastily subduing the colonized people of Algeria) and South Africa’s apartheid (against the black population). Zukerman wrote that France’s “current bloody repression of the Algerian independence movement makes her the most hated of European powers.”
In 1965 some Jewish activists argued that in both Vietnam and Israel, “Western colonialism had destroyed the lives of indigenous populations and created conditions for long-standing military conflicts.” In 1973, Greg Perkins asked something that could have been written in 2024: “How free is a university dependent on money from men whose attitude is Israel can do no wrong, or worse, that Israel’s wrongs are to be justified, rationalized, excused?” Phyllis Pomerantz wrote, “The answer to two thousand years of persecution of the Jews cannot be a nation based on militarism and the upholding of a privileged position for one segment of the population only – the Jewish segment …What happened to the Jews cannot be used to justify what is happening to the Palestinians. …Anti-Zionism is not a veil for antisemitism. It is its direct opposite …We have recognized the danger of the slogan ‘America- right or wrong!’ it is time for American Jews to stop giving blind support to Israel. ‘Israel – right or wrong’ is just as dangerous.”
In 1977, Moshe Dayan said the US Army was inferior because it relied on volunteers. Then, reminding his audience of his racism, added that “most of the soldiers are Blacks who have a lower education and intelligence.” In response Shirley Chisholm said, “sounds like a warmed over Hitlerian comment on racial supremacy.” Zionism does not apply its ethic and values universally, instead Zionism rests on the “domination of Palestinian-Arab people.” “The state of Israel is sustained by a blank check from Washington (p.193)”.
“In 1945, I.F. Stone described a Jewish state with no Palestinian rights as a “blind alley.” A 1946 Comment on the Insanity of the US Supporting Israel: Americans “believe in equal rights for all citizens without regard to race or creed. They believe in the separation of church and government. They believe one group shall not dominate the others. They believe in the right of self-determination. The Jewish state cannot be reconciled with these principles.”
“What would happen to a community that does not allow for meaningful dissent.” Jewish Voice for Peace issued a statement in 2018, saying their members “unequivocally oppose Zionism because it is counter” to a “vision of justice, freedom and equality for all people.” It added, “The forced consensus on Zionism has made the world safer for antisemitism and racism and, consequently, less safe for us all.” Amnesty International in 2022 categorized Israel’s treatment of Palestinians as Apartheid.
The central thesis of this book is that unquestioning loyalty to Israel requires Jews to have to turn away from the clear part of the Jewish faith that demands commitment “to social justice, democracy, pluralism, and liberation.” The last century was about “marginalizing progressive American Jews who were able to see Palestinian suffering.” Saree Makdisi says we should put the “appalling violence” of Hamas within the “wider historical context of absolute violence, domination, suffocation and control” that produce “appalling violence in return.” Saree sensibly added “if you want the violence to stop, you must stop the violence that produced it.” Great book, although I’d recommend others I’ve reviewed over this first because I only learned a page and third of info. But I love reading books written from the perspective of why you clearly can’t reconcile the intentionally settler-colonial and divisive racial crimes of Zionism with the universal teachings of Judaism.
William Zukerman called Begin a “terrorist” whose Irgun “introduced into Israel the most brutal of Nazi tactics – the killing of innocent hostages.” Zukerman was deeply troubled at the time by Israel’s obvious alliance with both France (then nastily subduing the colonized people of Algeria) and South Africa’s apartheid (against the black population). Zukerman wrote that France’s “current bloody repression of the Algerian independence movement makes her the most hated of European powers.”
In 1965 some Jewish activists argued that in both Vietnam and Israel, “Western colonialism had destroyed the lives of indigenous populations and created conditions for long-standing military conflicts.” In 1973, Greg Perkins asked something that could have been written in 2024: “How free is a university dependent on money from men whose attitude is Israel can do no wrong, or worse, that Israel’s wrongs are to be justified, rationalized, excused?” Phyllis Pomerantz wrote, “The answer to two thousand years of persecution of the Jews cannot be a nation based on militarism and the upholding of a privileged position for one segment of the population only – the Jewish segment …What happened to the Jews cannot be used to justify what is happening to the Palestinians. …Anti-Zionism is not a veil for antisemitism. It is its direct opposite …We have recognized the danger of the slogan ‘America- right or wrong!’ it is time for American Jews to stop giving blind support to Israel. ‘Israel – right or wrong’ is just as dangerous.”
In 1977, Moshe Dayan said the US Army was inferior because it relied on volunteers. Then, reminding his audience of his racism, added that “most of the soldiers are Blacks who have a lower education and intelligence.” In response Shirley Chisholm said, “sounds like a warmed over Hitlerian comment on racial supremacy.” Zionism does not apply its ethic and values universally, instead Zionism rests on the “domination of Palestinian-Arab people.” “The state of Israel is sustained by a blank check from Washington (p.193)”.
“In 1945, I.F. Stone described a Jewish state with no Palestinian rights as a “blind alley.” A 1946 Comment on the Insanity of the US Supporting Israel: Americans “believe in equal rights for all citizens without regard to race or creed. They believe in the separation of church and government. They believe one group shall not dominate the others. They believe in the right of self-determination. The Jewish state cannot be reconciled with these principles.”
“What would happen to a community that does not allow for meaningful dissent.” Jewish Voice for Peace issued a statement in 2018, saying their members “unequivocally oppose Zionism because it is counter” to a “vision of justice, freedom and equality for all people.” It added, “The forced consensus on Zionism has made the world safer for antisemitism and racism and, consequently, less safe for us all.” Amnesty International in 2022 categorized Israel’s treatment of Palestinians as Apartheid.
The central thesis of this book is that unquestioning loyalty to Israel requires Jews to have to turn away from the clear part of the Jewish faith that demands commitment “to social justice, democracy, pluralism, and liberation.” The last century was about “marginalizing progressive American Jews who were able to see Palestinian suffering.” Saree Makdisi says we should put the “appalling violence” of Hamas within the “wider historical context of absolute violence, domination, suffocation and control” that produce “appalling violence in return.” Saree sensibly added “if you want the violence to stop, you must stop the violence that produced it.” Great book, although I’d recommend others I’ve reviewed over this first because I only learned a page and third of info. But I love reading books written from the perspective of why you clearly can’t reconcile the intentionally settler-colonial and divisive racial crimes of Zionism with the universal teachings of Judaism.
April 28, 2025
This took me a while to read since I veer to fiction novels, preferably fantasy, to escape reality. That said, my good friend wrote this book and dedicated years of her life to it so I was determined to read it all. It really struck home what it was like growing up in the American Jewish community in the 80s concerning Israel. We were inundated with messaging that Israel could do no wrong and was justified in all actions. To critique Israel was just not done. This book made me think a lot about what and how I was raised to believe.
January 8, 2024
[I WAS CHOSEN TO READ THIS ARC BEFORE THE PUBLICATION DATE]
"the threshold of dissent" by marjorie feld is a thought-provoking exploration of the complex history of anti-zionist american jews. feld skillfully traces the roots of dissent from the 19th to the 20th century, revealing a nuanced narrative that challenges the prevailing notion of unwavering support for israel within the american jewish community. with rich archival research, feld examines intellectual currents, from the yiddish left to jewish feminism, providing a comprehensive understanding of dissenters' struggles and the broader implications for american jewish communal life. in a time of shifting perspectives on israel, this book offers a vital perspective on the deep-seated debates shaping the american jewish community. i'd recommend buying this book when it's released july 16th 2024.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
"the threshold of dissent" by marjorie feld is a thought-provoking exploration of the complex history of anti-zionist american jews. feld skillfully traces the roots of dissent from the 19th to the 20th century, revealing a nuanced narrative that challenges the prevailing notion of unwavering support for israel within the american jewish community. with rich archival research, feld examines intellectual currents, from the yiddish left to jewish feminism, providing a comprehensive understanding of dissenters' struggles and the broader implications for american jewish communal life. in a time of shifting perspectives on israel, this book offers a vital perspective on the deep-seated debates shaping the american jewish community. i'd recommend buying this book when it's released july 16th 2024.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
December 29, 2024
a brave and clear-eyed dissent of Zionism as it has come to be practiced. An antidote to Israeli justifications for horrendous behavior.
August 21, 2024
The research Feld has done here is important. The text is overly academic, which is unfortunate because I think she could reach a wider audience if it weren't. It's quite nice to read a history laid out of American Jews who were committed to resisting Zionism. Its unfortunately, though, that she published this book in the midst of a genocide and chose to write a coda connecting that history with the present moment. It's unfortunate because Feld doesn't rise to the occasion; her politics and her language reveal a positionality that, quite frankly, undermines the political significance of her work in earlier chapters.
May 7, 2024
*3.75
The Threshold of Dissent shows an interesting critique of Zionism from American Jewish groups between the 1880s to 1980s. It did tend to be dry in some places but overall I still recommend reading this.
The Threshold of Dissent shows an interesting critique of Zionism from American Jewish groups between the 1880s to 1980s. It did tend to be dry in some places but overall I still recommend reading this.
May 6, 2024
ARC received through NetGalley.
Something I've tried hard to impart upon my students throughout my years of teaching is the value of not allowing yourself to limit your understanding of any given situation, no matter your personal opinions or biases.
This rather short book book feeds into that ever-present throughline of my lessons by putting the limelight on Jewish movements (especially in the Western context) which did not toe what we might typically think of as being the "Jewish Party Line" - i.e. being Pro-Israel or a Zionist -, and often ended up being erased or disavowed by "mainstream" Judaism. Examples of these include Jewish Feminism, Socialist Judaism, anti-colonial movements and more, putting a crack in the facade of the cultural monolith that Western Jew are not.
I wish the book could go into further detail on the different movements it covers, but I understand that this is meant as more of an overview, and can easily be used as a starting point for your own reading and curiosity. I cannot say that it has changed anything about my opinions, as much of what the book expresses already aligns with my own predispositions, but learning about the many "Voices of Dissent" which I had not heard of before has made me more curious to read further on the subject.
Something I've tried hard to impart upon my students throughout my years of teaching is the value of not allowing yourself to limit your understanding of any given situation, no matter your personal opinions or biases.
This rather short book book feeds into that ever-present throughline of my lessons by putting the limelight on Jewish movements (especially in the Western context) which did not toe what we might typically think of as being the "Jewish Party Line" - i.e. being Pro-Israel or a Zionist -, and often ended up being erased or disavowed by "mainstream" Judaism. Examples of these include Jewish Feminism, Socialist Judaism, anti-colonial movements and more, putting a crack in the facade of the cultural monolith that Western Jew are not.
I wish the book could go into further detail on the different movements it covers, but I understand that this is meant as more of an overview, and can easily be used as a starting point for your own reading and curiosity. I cannot say that it has changed anything about my opinions, as much of what the book expresses already aligns with my own predispositions, but learning about the many "Voices of Dissent" which I had not heard of before has made me more curious to read further on the subject.
February 11, 2025
Very academic, very niche, but very good.
It’s important to hear the perspectives Feld shows us in this book, and perhaps more importantly the reactions to them. She supports the idea that there was (and still is) a “threshold” for dissent on Zionism in mainstream American Jewish life, and also shows how that threshold has moved over time.
The overall tone of the book is very academic, which may put some people off, but aside from that this book is very well researched and well written. It doesn’t give a great background on certain issues in Israel and Palestine that it discusses since that’s not the books focus, so you may want to read up a bit on the general history of that area before you read this (a long YouTube video or two should be enough- Or “the shortest history of Israel and Palestine” which I finished in 2024). Having a bit of background knowledge will help you contextualize the time periods better and understand some of the terms Feld uses.
It’s important to hear the perspectives Feld shows us in this book, and perhaps more importantly the reactions to them. She supports the idea that there was (and still is) a “threshold” for dissent on Zionism in mainstream American Jewish life, and also shows how that threshold has moved over time.
The overall tone of the book is very academic, which may put some people off, but aside from that this book is very well researched and well written. It doesn’t give a great background on certain issues in Israel and Palestine that it discusses since that’s not the books focus, so you may want to read up a bit on the general history of that area before you read this (a long YouTube video or two should be enough- Or “the shortest history of Israel and Palestine” which I finished in 2024). Having a bit of background knowledge will help you contextualize the time periods better and understand some of the terms Feld uses.
August 23, 2024
This is a fact-laden history of an under-explored and vital topic; Jewish anti-Zionist activism in the U.S. The majority of this book covers Reform and secular oppositions to Zionism, which was a welcome addition to my knowledge of Orthodox opposition to Zionism. Although Feld is a historian, her theory of the "threshold of dissent" is a useful way to discuss the degree of anti-Zionist sentiment considered acceptable in public discourse at a given point in history.
The tone of the first four chapters was very dry despite the abundance of interesting characters and historical moments Feld covers. The conclusion was considerably more engaging and I wish more of the book had that tone.
I have to recommend this book, simply because I do not know of any others that cover this important historical context with such richness and depth.
The tone of the first four chapters was very dry despite the abundance of interesting characters and historical moments Feld covers. The conclusion was considerably more engaging and I wish more of the book had that tone.
I have to recommend this book, simply because I do not know of any others that cover this important historical context with such richness and depth.
June 4, 2025
This history of non-and anti-Zionist sentiment among American Jews over the last 100+ years gave me a clearer perspective of the degree of dissent and how it varied with evolving social and political changes. I was not aware that long before there was a Jewish state, prominent leaders of Reform Judaism in the early 20th century spoke out vehemently against its formation thinking it would detract from Jewish identity being primarily a spiritual and cultural one. The Holocaust, of course, changes all but even in its wake there was a vocal minority of Jewish leaders who were critical of the Zionist movement and predicted the strife between Israelis and Palestinians.. I found the text to be dry and repetitive with quite a litany of Jewish organizations and their place on the Zionist spectrum over the years. It does serve to remind us that controversy among Jews over Israeli politics and policy is not new and neither is the tendency by some to label Jews who dissent antisemitic.
April 19, 2025
I've been on a journey to understand how we went from the liberation movements of the 50s and 60s to an environment so conservative that I grew up in the 80s totally clueless about what had come before. This book has really helped me understand that process as something, in my case, very related to conservative Judaism and Zionism. Really hope a lot of Jewish people read this book and understand that whiteness was, to some degree, a choice. Grateful to Chomsky and others who weathered years of shit storms to do what is right. Grateful to orgs like JVP who are wrestling jewishness away from the right wing. It's more important than I had realized.
May 30, 2024
This is a powerful and timely book documenting the century old suppression of dissent against Zionist. It was published just as Israel was going to war in Gaza and dissent has become even more difficult. This book will make you mad. Go join a demonstration. Fight against AIPAC. Speak out about the destruction in Gaza and the terror in Palestine. We can't just be for human rights everywhere else and not in the Middle East. Being against the Israeli government is not being antisemitic.
September 8, 2024
The Threshold of Dissent: A History of American Jewish Critics of Zionism (Goldstein-Goren Series in American Jewish History, 24)
by Marjorie Feld
from the library
The Price of Whiteness: Jews, Race, and American Identity by Eric Goldstein 2006
by Marjorie Feld
from the library
The Price of Whiteness: Jews, Race, and American Identity by Eric Goldstein 2006
February 27, 2024
An informative, if somewhat dry record of Jewish dissent from Zionism before and since the creation of the state of Israel. An eye opener as to the reasons that it is so hard for everyone to think critically about this subject.
giving-up
February 1, 2025I need to revisit this later. The content is important and interesting, but the overall style of the book felt quite dry and academic to me. My brain just wasn't ready for that in the middle of a long, tough January.
Want to read
April 24, 2024The author was featured on Code Switch podcast this week and I'm interested to read the book. https://www.npr.org/2024/04/24/119795...
August 19, 2025
I appreciate the professional writing of the author. The research done for this was enlightening. She doesn't get carried away with the information personally when anyone working on something like this must take it personally. Bringing to light political issues that have been covered up for generations takes a particular kind of grit. Someone who loves truth over money. But clearly a useful balance of information was presented.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 19 reviews