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I traveled to Portland recently to witness history being made, as the Portland City Council voted unanimously to divest from companies tied to Israel. They agreed to use financial leverage to send a message to Israel through divestment. There were many hours of testimony where dozens of people spoke up in favor of the measure and in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
I am Jewish, yet I never felt unsafe hearing these neighbors speak up. The only times I felt unsafe were when members of the Jewish community — my siblings — used the threat of antisemitism to argue for the continued oppression of Palestinians. I believe this weaponization of the historical oppression of Jews comes straight out of Israel’s propaganda playbook and is frequently used to shut down conversations advocating for Palestinian human rights and has no place in conversations about city investments.
To my Jewish siblings, I implore you to separate your Judaism from the state of Israel, which I believe has always been an openly secular and colonial project that values Jewish life more than anyone else’s. I think there could be nothing less Jewish than being an apologist for racism and genocide.
To other city governments in Maine: You have witnessed clear moral leadership and you should follow suit. You will not repair our broken world single handedly through your actions, but you will be doing what is within your power. As the Jewish teaching says, “It is not upon you to complete the task, but neither are you free to desist from it.”
Joseph Pearl
Knox