Anti-Zionism is Clearly Antisemitism: Jewish Youth Experience It for Themselves

The Forward’s editorial line has been that anti-Zionism is not antisemitism. This flawed take is disturbingly apparent in Rabbi Jay Michaelson’s “American Jews’ traumatized responses to antisemitism and anti-Zionism are hurting our children.” Throughout, Michaelson reminds readers that his singular focus is “entirely on the well-being of Jewish young adults, particularly high school and college students.” Yet, nowhere does he offer suggestions or ideas, or even attempt to unpack anti-Zionism’s real world impact. This renders his take on anti-Zionism as tone deaf and insensitive to the concerns and needs of today’s Jewish youth.

Among his accusations against the American Jewish community for letting down our youth, Michaelson focuses on one. “We are conflating antisemitism with anti-Zionism.” He attempts to make the case:

The ADL, the Republican Party, and, apparently, Hillel International have all decided that there is no difference between opposing the state of Israel as it is currently constituted (i.e. a Jewish state built atop an existing non-Jewish population, where Jews enjoy legal privileges) and hating Jews.

Three aspects of this need to be addressed. First, regarding these entities supposedly misdiagnosing anti-Zionism: what does it say that these diverse entities arrived at a consensus that anti-Zionism is antisemitism? But even this is somewhat beside the point. Michaelson should have been more intellectually honest and cited mainstream American Jewish opinion, which confirms that anti-Zionism is understood and experienced as antisemitism.

Second, regarding his fantastical definition of anti-Zionism: the Jewish state wasn’t built “atop” a non-Jewish population. It was built adjacent to and materially benefiting it. It was opposition to the Jewish state (i.e. militant and political anti-Zionism) which came (and continues to come) at the expense of the non-Jewish population. As to “legal privileges”, Michaelson is obfuscating the reality that non-Jewish Israelis indeed enjoy the same rights as Jewish Israelis. Opposition to a Jewish society no matter how it’s constituted within the Land of Israel has been, and remains, the prime mover of anti-Zionism.

This brings us to the third and most important aspect of Michaelson’s framing: his focus on anti-Zionists’ intent. This could explain why Michaelson chose not to cite American Jewish public opinion. Only by prioritizing the views and experiences of American Jews, notably American Jewish youth, will we better understand anti-Zionism through the appropriate prism: its effect.

Instead, Michaelson (and The Forward and others who soft-pedal anti-Zionism) choose to focus on the intent of anti-Zionists. This distinction always requires mentioning: the primary concern of the Jewish community should not be anti-Zionists’ intent. Our primary concern should be anti-Zionism’s destructive effect.

Lest there be any doubt as to why Michaelson feels anti-Zionism is not antisemitism, he reminds us “not all Zionists are Jews, and not all Jews are Zionists.” We need this reminder much less than Michaelson needs the reminder that the overwhelming majority of Jews are Zionist. That’s another distinction that always requires mentioning.

For Michaelson, the “anti-Zionism is antisemitism” conflation is “less preposterous” when he reflects on his own upbringing. His examples: the Israeli flag in his synagogue, the prayer for the State of Israel, Israeli Independence Day treated as a holiday, JNF’s little blue tzedakah boxes and planting trees in Israel. “Zionism was completely woven into the Jewish curriculum at my Schechter-style elementary school,” he writes, as if there’s something contrived about this.

Michaelson continues, “this leads to the deep-seated feeling that Zionism is an intrinsic part of Jewish identity.” Yes, of course it is! As Jews, we are concerned about and connected to our fellow Jews, in the same way other peoples are connected to their brethren no matter where they may be. Our connection to each other should be just as strong if it’s the smallest Jewish community or the largest Jewish community (in the Land of Israel, the birthplace of our heritage) which is under daily siege. So yes, Zionism is intrinsic to Jewish identity, no matter what any synagogue may or may not put on its calendar.

Back to anti-Zionism and its destructive effects. Michaelson comes close to perfectly illustrating them, except that he conveniently frames the culprit as the “hard left”, which has committed the sin of merely “tolerating overt antisemitism,” such as “harassing Jews and protesting non-political Jewish gatherings, and as I heard repeatedly from the Jewish educators I spoke with, banning ‘Zionists’ from sports teams, student groups and cultural events.”

We don’t need to have personal conversations with Jewish educators to know that a core tenet and strategy of anti-Zionist activism has been the banning of Zionists. We as Jews should already be long aware that anti-Zionism is anchored by the bogus framing that Zionism is racism and genocidal, and ergo Zionists are racist and genocidal. So what does a tolerant society do with “racists”? It ostracizes them. We’ve been seeing this effort in real time – even before October 7. What exactly keeps Michaelson confused about the “anti” part of anti-Zionism?

Anti-Zionism and mainstream Jewish life cannot be reconciled. Michaelson is trying to straddle both sides. Such confusion is unhelpful, and outright hurts our children.

Michaelson criticizes what he perceives as American Jews’ traumatized responses. Ironically, his piece itself comes across as a traumatized response. Centuries of trauma have conditioned some Jews to bend over backwards in explaining away movements that cause us harm. After all, they don’t want to be perceived as one of the “bad Jews”. Those who soft-pedal anti-Zionism are hindering the urgent delivery of honest information to our youth. Avoiding difficult conversations and confrontations undermines our children’s ability to deal with an ugly reality.

I’m an educator with Club Z. I teach Jewish teens about Jewish and Israeli history, including the complexities, nuances and human toll of the war on Israel and the Jewish people. They share with me the horrific onslaught of hatred and ignorance they face every day. Nevertheless, they look for dialogue where it’s to be found, while preparing to defend the Jewish people from a misinformation campaign unlike any we’ve ever seen.

The teens I’ve had the honor of mentoring are not confused. They see what’s going on, and have personally experienced it. It’s been articulated in actions, words and deeds, and been made shockingly clear to them. They’re confident to know who they are. Yet they’re humble enough to know they have more to learn and are eager to do so. We owe today’s Jewish youth the tools to be empowered, boosting their courage, confidence and resolve. They deserve no less.