Comments on: Should you support the New Israel Fund?…asks Steve Lieblich

By: Leon Poddebsky

Leon Poddebsky — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 10:59:56 +0000

You are totally mistaken.

Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish nation just as Australia is the nation-state of the Australian nation.
Many nation-states contain ethnic and religious minorities, as does Israel.
Freedom to practise or not to practise religion is respected by the Israeli state.

A democratic regime is one where:
1. citizens elect their legislature regularly as Israeli citizens do.
2. there is equality before the law, as exists in Israel.
3. there is a free press, as is the case in Israel.

The nature of Israel’s regime is a matter for the citizens of Israel to determine, not for foreigners to do.

Perhaps you could offer your preaching services to the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan or the Islamic Kingdom of the House of Saud or any other number of such entities.

If the existence of a single Jewish nation-state bothers you…. too bad.

By: Yosi Tal

Yosi Tal — Mon, 05 Sep 2016 15:10:12 +0000

Congratulations Steve on a well researched and argued article.NIF is a danger to The Jewish People and Israel.Most of the people who support it are self righteous useful idiots.

By: Otto Waldmann

Otto Waldmann — Mon, 05 Sep 2016 04:43:17 +0000

In reply to Milton David Fisher.

Democracy cannot possibly function on a fixed model that would suit all geo-cultural circumstance but align itself with specific local profiles. Democracy will respect the spiritual profile of the people it governs.
Judaism is an integral part of the land of Israel and Jews living in a State defined by their spiritual norms shall ensure the permanency of their own specificity. In the same spirit of democracy, other religions are free to function in Israel alongside Judaism and, if anyone has bothered to visit Israel, it will be noticed that there is NO segregation in public education in Israel.
If a Yeshiva or any other religion based educational institution observe certain specific norms of attendance that is also a democratic right of having a determined group function based on its statutes. No Jew would be allowed to register and study in a madrassa the same way a non-Jew would qualify to doven/study in a Yeshiva.

By: Steve Lieblich

Steve Lieblich — Sun, 04 Sep 2016 01:20:20 +0000

MODERATOR: please note that the following is s CORRECTED version of a recently-submitted Thanks

Thanks Erica
It was no pleasure to research this topic. As if Israel doesn’t have enough enemies, it’s quite distressing to find that Jews can be deluded into aligning with those enemies, against the interests of the nation and the Jewish people.
What compounds the distress, is the reaction of NIF leaders to the revelation of the harm they’re doing. The response is typically to attack the critics and to drive wedges into the community. For example casting the debate as “right-wing vs left-wing” or youth vs seniors etc etc… That sort of infighting is the most damaging of all….

By: phil levy

phil levy — Sat, 03 Sep 2016 00:56:29 +0000

A well researched and presented article. Good on you ,Steve.

By: Erica Edelman

Erica Edelman — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 15:15:05 +0000

Thank you Steve for taking the time to research,
Write and Present this article.
It’s been patently obvious for some time that NIF
undermines all the great work that indeed many “bona-fide” Jewish
Organizations do. Many good-hearted,
Philanthropic ppl have been “persuaded” to support
NIF which works under the guise of sincerity and good faith.
Time will tell. NIF is being shown up as fraudulent
And in fact unsupportive of The State of Israel. Like all groups
Who are ultimately exposed as scurrilous and fraudulent with luck
It won’t take long for this one to collapse and crumble under
The weight of its own disgrace.

By: Milton David Fisher

Milton David Fisher — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 08:59:28 +0000

Israel’s Jewishness is at odds with its democratic character. A democratic state cannot discriminate among its citizens on the basis of ethnicity or religion. A democratic state has a public school system where students of different backgrounds learn together, grow up together and live together. A democratic state has separation of religion and state along with civil marriage. Israel can be a Jewish state or a democratic state. It cannot be both.

By: Rami Reed

Rami Reed — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 08:32:44 +0000

Well said Steve. The NIF is a dangerous and evil organizsation and should never be supported by Jewish people

By: Otto Waldmann

Otto Waldmann — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 07:45:25 +0000

NIF is exploiting with impunity respectable god terms, such as “humanity”, “civil rights” and alike in order to attack the very fibre of Zionism, the Jewish soul, the necessary dedication responsible Jews have for the survival of Israel as a genuine Zionist State.
NIF is practically indicting anyone who believes in a safe Jewish State as a criminal of sorts on as many absurd fronts as their sick imagination may fathom.
NIF does not have double standards, but only one goal, the destabilisation of Israel and implicit promotion of all causes for which Israel’s enemies inside and outside Israel strive for.
NIF must be rejected out of hand and not given platform, oxygen, support of any kind. They are as dangerous as any known , open anti Israel even antisemite we know for, being so viciously active against the core of Jewish values, Israel as a Jewish State, renders one an antisemite as well, even if “officially” Jewish.

By: David Adler

David Adler — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 06:41:24 +0000

The article is a non question.

NIF should be known as NO Israel Fund.

As stated, it is anti-Israel and crosses into anti-Semitism, certainly by where its $$$ go.

NIF does not have anything good to say about Israel, providing constant denigration while ignoring the atrocities around Israel.

It is clearly an enemy of Israel.