Loyalty and Criticism in the Relations Between World Jewry and Israel

Loyalty to Israel and criticism of it by the World Jewry is an important issue, and is more complex than usually thought. This issue is not limited to public or secretive statements of harsh or mild criticism of Israeli governments and their policies. Loyalty and criticism are closely linked to many aspects of events and changes taking place in the Diaspora and in Israel. In this context, there is no doubt that Diaspora Jews and Jews from Israel are now experiencing fundamental and significant changes and face basic problems which affect mutual loyalty and criticism between Diaspora Jews and Israelis. Since the origins and nature of these changes which affect loyalty and criticism is complex, these must be thoroughly examined. Below is a brief discussion of these changes followed by an analysis of their impact on loyalty and criticism in the current relations between World Jewry and Israel.

Two preliminary comments: First, the discussion is dedicated to Diaspora Jews and not to the “Israeli Diaspora”. There are several similarities between these groups, but there are also some differences which will not be dealt with here. Second, the discussion does not focus on the situation in Israel and changes taking place in it, but on the situation in the Jewish diaspora.

First, it should be noted that there have been sharp ups and downs with respect to loyalty to Israel and criticism of it by World Jewry throughout history. During WW II and subsequently up until the War of 1967, the sympathy and aid for the Jewish settlement in the land of Israel and the State of Israel gradually increased and became very significant (up until the WW II, the Jewish Diaspora had hardly been interested in the land of Israel). After the War of 1973, a gradual process of decreasing loyalty to Israel and increasing criticism of it began. The increased criticism and decreased loyalty are especially related to Israeli governments and their policies. These changes affected the citizens of Israel. These two parallel processes, which are still taking place today, are directly linked to significant changes taking place in the Diaspora and in Israel.

It is perfectly clear that the Jews in the Diaspora and in Israel are not homogeneous. They consist of different sectors whose loyalty to the Jewish nation in general and to Israel in particular is quite clearly different. Thus, there are meaningful differences in this respect between “hardcore Jews” in the Diaspora and people of Jewish origins who do not emphasize their Jewish nationality and who have well adjusted to the communities and cultures of the countries they live in. Hardcore Jews show loyalty to Israel and interest in it but also criticize some policies and occurrences. The Jews who have adapted well to the cultures and places they live in are not deeply involved in the local Jewish communities and to a certain extent do not sympathize with Israel. The increase in the number of these Jews in recent decades has resulted in a diminishing connection of many Jews with the Jewish nation in general and with Israel in particular.

Other demographic changes are taking place: members of the Jewish communities in the West are going through an aging process and amongst communities in East Europe this process is even more rapid. Many Jews in the Diaspora live in the big cities; most of them are high-school and university graduates and have academic, technical and economic occupations. Many surveys clearly show that members of the young generation and a large portion of Jews with academic degrees and high salaries are less interested in Israel. All of the aforementioned and the following have a tremendous impact on the situation of the Diaspora and its relations with Israel.

Most Jews in the Diaspora now live permanently in countries rated at the top of the list of countries of the greatest “human development” (United-States, Canada, France, Britain, Australia etc.), thus they are better able to integrate in the local societies and politics. As a result of the status of Israel, where the situation of...