Opinion — Joanna Colwell: 2 Jews, 3 opinions

This commentary is by Joanna Colwell of Ripton. She is a member of L’Chaim Collective, a spiritual home for justice-seeking Jewish Vermonters. She helped found the Middlebury chapter of Showing Up for Racial Justice, and is a member of Jewish Voice for Peace of Vermont/New Hampshire.

The saying “Two Jews, three opinions” seems especially true right now. Our people have a centuries long tradition of contentious intellectual debates, and arguing is our Olympic sport.

So it should surprise none of us that on the subject of Israel, there is very little unity among Jewish Americans. 

I am part of L’Chaim Collective, a group of Vermont Jews who are committed to celebrating Jewish culture outside of nationalism. We gather to mark Jewish holy days, to learn, grieve, sing and eat together, and to provide a refuge for the many Vermont Jews who feel completely alienated from organizations that support what the state of Israel is doing to the Palestinian people.

Even before Israel was founded, great numbers of Jewish people sought to create safety for Jews in ways other than creating a nation-state. Across many European countries, thousands of people joined the Bund, a Jewish-led labor and social justice movement.

Bund members believed in fighting antisemitism by building solidarity among all oppressed people. Instead of seeking to form a separate Jewish nation, the Bund built alliances and fought the hatred of Jews head-on, with education and community building.

Today many Vermont Jews hold these same values. We march behind these banners: “Safety Through Solidarity,” “Jews Against Fascism” and “ICE = Gestapo — Jews Say No!” We know we are not safe unless our undocumented siblings are also safe. We are not safe until our trans siblings are safe. And we are not safe while Palestine is under occupation and siege. The fight against fascism runs straight through Palestine.

While mainstream Jewish organizations like the ADL wish to conflate criticism of Israel with antisemitism, we hold the opposite view. We actually think Jews are less safe, if the world thinks we wholeheartedly support the destruction of Gaza.

Personally, I have been in the streets against Israel’s brutality since before October 7th, because I believe in universal human rights, and safety and dignity for all people. Genocide is always wrong, no matter who is committing the atrocities. 

We build safety when we link arms with our Palestinian siblings, and speak out against U.S. military support for Israel. We build solidarity when we show up with our friends at Migrant Justice to protest mass deportations.We build justice when we join Free Her to say Vermont should absolutely not be building prisons and detention centers! 

Jewish people deserve safety and joy wherever we live. Palestinians deserve that too.  Our safety as Jews and the safety of Palestinians are inextricably linked, braided together like the strands in a loaf of challah.