The Israel Thing...Again

I’ve been holding off discussing Adam Brody and Tovah Feldshuh’s Gaza disagreement. Not only is it nonsense, especially since Feldshuh has stated she can be professional despite it, but it highlights how Jews have been refused a voice on this issue by many gentiles. Because they’re not monolithic, and disagreements are part of our tradition. Besides, no one’s asking you to side with or like Brody or Feldshuh. It’s a free country, no one’s holding a gun to your head. Basically, grow up.

Since that probably won’t do this “scandal” justice, I guess I might as well discuss it in detail:

I’m sure anyone who follows me knows my thoughts on Nobody Wants This. I’ve yet to watch it, as I don’t enjoy hate-binging. However, while my thoughts on “The Shiksa Goddess” trope this show utilizes haven’t changed, I don’t think subsequent seasons have zoned in on why this series bugs me. Ignoring Season 2 misunderstanding a major Jewish holiday, that a gentile girl dating a rabbi is scandalous in the 21st Century is rich given that interfaith relationships have been portrayed for decades. Even with the rabbi angle, did anyone watch Keeping the Faith? Honest question.

Anyway, I’m not surprised by Brody and Feldshuh’s thoughts here. At all. Brody’s involved in the secular world, while Feldshuh’s remained committed to her Jewish identity as an actress. You see that with the latter in her name, but also in the roles she’s had. If anything, I’d be shocked if their positions were reversed! Especially since I’ve seen weirder!

What’s surprising, however, is how Jews have been so openly-split. My community aside, Jews have largely been pro-Brody, or pro-Feldshuh. I know because I’ve witnessed conversations about it in real life. And if Jews are known for anything, it’s squabbling over politics. If you don’t believe me, attend a Shabbat dinner.

Where do I stand? Does it matter? I know whatever I say will get me in hot water, hence I’m trying to steer clear. Especially since Jews have been caught in the crossfire for three years, and it’s tiring. It’s tiring because the loudest voices have dominated the conversation, and it’s tiring because gentiles are allergic to nuance here. Besides, why is it a sin to care about suffering from both sides? Are we so fractured that trauma has become a numbers game, with Side A/B being ignored to elevate Side B/A? What kind of selfishness is that?!

I don’t want to take sides. I want to take my own side, which consists of the following: 1. October 7th was unjustified. 2. Hamas is oppressing their citizens, and they need to go. 3. Israel’s response to October 7th was a disaster. 4. Bibi Netanyahu deserves to rot in Hell.

Essentially, I want peace. Real, lasting peace. I want it, many of the Palestinians want it, many Israelis want it, definitely Jews globally want it! But if the current governments of Israel and Palestine don’t want it, then it won’t happen. We need a change in both sides’ ideologies, and that shouldn’t be a debate. Unfortunately, it is. And with all the mudslinging and misinformation, I wonder if progressives get that.

As for progress? I don’t know. Israel recently had an election ending with a record number of seats for the Arab bloc. And Gaza…is muddier. There was supposed to be an election soon, but Mahmoud Abbas pushed it to next year on flimsy pretenses. In both instances, the leadership must confront its own legacy. So far, only Israel’s making attempts.

That progress can’t be solely reliant on Israel. The bulk of the onus is on gentiles, and many of aren’t taking that on. They’d much rather twiddle their thumbs, or judge from their armchairs and make alliances like this is football. The few times they actually listen, however, it’s to tokenized voices. That means scholars like Noam Chomsky and Norman Finkelstein, or, going by Hollywood, celebrities like Jonathan Glazer, Hannah Einbinder and now Adam Brody.

Even if you ignore the Tovah Feldshuhs, tokenism is dangerous and harmful to the conversation. It’s what causes a petition for P!nk to be stripped of her UNICEF ambassador status to occur, or even A.I. campaigns targeting Sacha Baron Cohen, Gal Gadot and Shira Haas for being Israeli. It’s tiring, because, in an industry sorely lacking Jewish sensitivity training, it reduces the Jewish voice further. Jews don’t need that, not when we’re already attacked for existing.

Before anyone protests, yes, Palestinian voices should be heard too. But they’re not. Or if they are, it’s usually the fringe voices. Like Jews, Palestinians aren’t monolithic, and they frequently disagree. If you’re not willing to hear a gamut of Palestinians voices, even if they make you uncomfortable, guess what? You’re not doing anyone justice.

I know I’m being judgemental, but that’s because gentiles don’t know how to be good allies. Especially now, and especially Jews. They’d rather platform The Neturei Karta than actually listen to Orthodox Jewry. And they’d rather stay in their own bubbles than breach them and grow. It’s sad. It’s also not easing the loneliness epidemic so many youth are experiencing.

Does this mean Gaza’s unimportant? No. Does that mean Israel should be more critical of its actions? Yes. But that doesn’t negate that Jews will disagree. And even if a majority of them care about Palestinians, contrary to popular belief, a small amount of disagreement is healthy. It’s what fuels something like The Talmud, which is an encyclopedia of case law with sex jokes and non-sequiturs.

I think this is being lost in the “argument”. To reiterate, you’re not obligated to agree with or like Brody or Feldshuh. Lord knows I take umbrage with both of them on some level! But they’re not children, and they’re entitled to differing viewpoints. Isn’t that more important than tribalism? Or am I missing something?

And yes, this doesn’t mean I’ll change my mind on Nobody Wants This. While I want to respect showrunner Erin Foster’s journey, I think she distorts what it means to be Jewish. Even if this is her therapy, she needs to be self-aware and appreciate that Jews are complicated. Especially as a convert, since no two are alike. This includes dabbling in internalized disdain, something I doubt she intends. It’s only by being more self-aware that she can grow as a writer, ignoring how her show might not be able to warrant another season views-wise.

Nevertheless, the “Brody VS Feldshuh” debate has to die. Permanently. The situation in Gaza has already scrambled people’s brains without this turning into a wedge issue. It’s childish, it’s harmful and it has to stop. And while hard, it has to allow Jews and Palestinians a chance to be human. This means recognizing their diversity of thought, as well as letting them call out their own. It’s exhausting seeing that ignored in favour of tribalism, of which Brody being pitted against Feldshuh is becoming.