Media Column Politics

by Jeremy Miller

Jonathan Mark in the Oct. 9 Media Watch column “(The Empire Strikes Back”) wrote about the recent article in The New York Times Magazine on the J Street Lobby, which resonated with me. As a liberal observant Jew, I do (as he quotes The Times reporter, James Traub) chafe at the premise that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and Anti-Defamation League represent my views. I have always found it hard to reconcile AIPAC honoring Sen. Jesse Helms. And I found The Times Magazine piece to portray J Street as a bit sophomoric.

I do find inaccurate and unnecessary the assertion by Mark that President Barack Obama and J Street have demanded that Israel cease all population growth and building activity in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem. The West Bank, yes. But all of Israel and the Jewish Quarter? I don’t think so. While it remains to be seen what effect the puff piece has on J Street’s prospects, the focus on hot-button issues of “all intermarried” and “doing Buddhist seders” got my attention as did the political tone of Mark’s piece. I appreciate the former and resent the latter.

Seattle
Note: The article never said that the call for ending “natural growth” applied to all of Israel.

Westchester Jewish Conference

Westchester’s Jewish Community Relations Organization