Shame on the 92nd Street Y!

Lenin described people who work against their people’s own best interests in support of their enemies “useful idiots” and indeed these would today be kind words in describing the behavior of Manhattan’s 92^nd Street Y. Alice Walker is all over the news asking world famous singer Alicia Keys to boycott Israel because Israel is practicing “apartheid” against the Palestinians.A few months ago, this Pulitzer prize-winning author refused to allow for her classic novel The Color Purple to be published in Hebrew.  

One doesnt need to be a Public Relations pro to know that these words and acts are damaging to Israel and the Jewish people. Naturally, any sane Jew, or Jewish organization would condemn Walker and stand loudly and proudly against her.

Yet, the 92^nd Street Y, which claims to be a Jewish center, hosted her as a guest speaker last night.  They claim to be “providing a range of opportunities to connect with Jewish life, culture and tradition at every stage of life.” One may ask why that “stage of life” or culture involves providing forms to those who bash and slam Israel? Of course, they had earlier invited Roger Waters of Pink Floyd – another one who calls for a boycott of Israel to speak.

Walker says Israel “is guilty of apartheid and persecution of the Palestinian people.”In a 2012 interview, Walker said that Israel is “stealing so much Palestinian land, they have essentially stolen all of Palestine.” She claimed that Israel is the biggest terrorist in the Middle East.

Harvard professor Ruth Wisse says “the rapid demoralization of Jews in the face of anti-Zionism… shows the depth of the influence of the past, for many have yet to achieve the simple self-respect that has been eluding the Jews collectively since the dawn of modernity.”

Shame on the 92^nd Street Y.