10 Ways to Mobilize Support for Israeli Democracy
The current crisis is a chance for Americans to be partners in the ongoing creation of what Israel is yet to be.
By Yaakov Katz, Jonathan Kessler
The Jerusalem Post
April 5, 2023
Yaakov Katz is the outgoing editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post and Jonathan Kessler is the founder and CEO of Heart of a Nation.
"American Jews are split about what is happening in Israel. We have both held countless conversations with Jewish professionals and lay leaders in recent weeks and hear concern, and uncertainty, about what Israel is doing, but even more so – questions about what they should be doing…
"While on the surface it might seem like the judicial reforms are a domestic issue, we believe they have wider consequences not only for the US-Israel relationship, but also for the sense of Jewish peoplehood that is supposed to be shared by Jews in Israel, the US and beyond…
"Like America, Israel is a work in progress and needs the help of its friends now more than ever. This is not the time for despair, distancing, or any form of “quiet quitting.” Just as hundreds of thousands of Israelis are taking to the streets and are being moved to action, Diaspora Jews have an opportunity to lean in, to partner up – from each according to means and inclination – and commit to a long-term, intergenerational relationship…
"WE BELIEVE that all have the right to make their voices heard. This list is meant to help with that.
1. At the most basic level is the need to be educated about the issue. It is very easy to pass judgment about what is happening, but there is nothing like really knowing the issue to know what is at stake. This will help you engage more effectively with other people – stakeholders in Israel and the US alike.
2. Every American who cares about Israel and democracy must read and print out a copy of Israel’s Declaration of Independence. Discuss it with friends and family. It should be inserted into the Haggadah and made a central component of every Passover Seder. Not only this year but every year.
3. Reach out to Israeli family and friends. Comfort them as best you can, share your concerns, and ask what they need from you by way of support. “How can I help?” is a great response to this crisis.
4. Share their pleas with those in your social circle and the organizations you are most involved with.
5. Write about your feelings. There are numerous outlets for you to voice your opinion – from social media to the opinion pages of Israeli news sites and papers or any local newspapers. Make your voice heard through an op-ed, a letter to the editor, or an online petition that you initiate in your community, school, synagogue or more.
6. Engage opinion leaders to amplify your voice.
7. Fund organizations that you feel best represent your values and feelings. Overseas money supports the right-wing group that helped the coalition draft and advance the legislation. It is perfectly legitimate for Diaspora Jews, for example, to financially support the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, one of the groups spearheading the protests.
8. Strengthen Israeli civil society by supporting NGOs devoted to that mission, as well as investigative journalism in Israel, which is a critical tool for ensuring transparency in a democracy.
9. Invest in foundations, such as Heart of a Nation, which focus on the training of emerging leaders committed to improving Israeli political culture.
10.Get on a plane. Go to Israel now. Not as cheerleaders alone but as full partners in a history-defining enterprise.
About Heart of a Nation
Empowering the next generation of American, Israeli, and Palestinian change-makers to embrace better, together.
אנחנו מכנסים הוגים מובילים, פעילים חברתיים, ומחוללי שינוי לעתיד, אמריקאים, ישראלים ופלסטינאים, המחויבים לשיפור החברות שלהם.
نحن أمريكيون وإسرائيليون وفلسطينيون نبني ونكوّن روابط من أجل التعلم والتفكير والمشاركة معًا حتى نشجع الحلول التقدمية بشأن القضايا التي تهمنا جميعًا.