Friday 14 March 2014

Hillel

NOTE: I just discovered that my posts for this week were sitting in my drafts folder, and that they didn't actually get published. I apologise for the wait, and here they are now.
The other day on Facebook, I saw a link my dad posted about Hillel. The movement, not the person. It was by a rabbi who used to be heavily involved in Hillel. Now though, he said through this article that he can no longer support them. After reading the article, I have to say neither can I. Apparently, they have the nasty habit of suppressing anyone who doesn't agree with their extremely pro-Israel beliefs. If you are even involved in anything that is in any way associated with Palestine, Arabs, Islam, or anything even remotely anti-Israel (or has the potential to be), or you disagree with some of the current Israeli policies (and act on your belief), then you are not welcome. As the rabbi put it (because I couldn't put it any better), they have "essentially banned all liberal Jews who love Israel but disagree with the current Netanyahu government from Hillel involvement."
This infuriates me. I've never been involved in Hillel, but it doesn't matter. They are Americans, and they are suppressing people's right to an opinion. They are going against the very essence of our country, the very reason we exist. The right to be your own person. I almost can't conceive how an institution in the United States could be so blind and one sided. Perhaps I'm madder than is rational, but it really bothers me.
They insult respectable people who have their own sophisticated opinions, and in doing so they are proving themselves to be rather low on maturity.
If you have a different opinion, or know another side of this issue, please let me know because I feel woefully under-informed.
Here's a link to the article: http://touch.sun-sentinel.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-79515797/

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