If I Am Not for Myself...: The Liberal Betrayal of the Jews [Hardcover]

For quite a while, most Jews, especially European Jews, have been liberals. It is easy to understand why. As the author explains, liberals believe in a rational approach to political questions, individual freedom, progress, and cultural pluralism. Jewish emancipation appeared to require liberalism.

Wisse points out that there is a problem with all this. Where were the liberals when Jews were slaughtered in World War Two? And where are they now, when antizionists threaten them? Just prior to World War Two, most people underestimated the destructive power of antisemitism. Are we doing the same thing now?

Wisse also points out the dilemma of many Jewish liberals. In the past, Jews had to agree with many political views of non-Jews to fit more easily into society as a whole. That's true today, as many Jews see support for Israel as politically incorrect. So it makes sense that many Diaspora Jews refuse to support Israel: these Jews are trying to gain acceptance. But Wisse reminds us that it won't work: antisemitism bears no relation to Jewish achievements or behavior.

I think Wisse's best point is that it makes little sense for Jews to try to arouse sympathy by reminding people of the murder of the European Jews. While it may be a good idea for non-Jews to know about this in order to try to avoid repeating it, it doesn't do Jews much good. As the author explains, all it does is give people the impression that Jews are an easy target, that there must be something wrong with the Jews (or they would not have been picked as a target), and that it isn't a good idea to be a Jew.

The author points out the significance of the massacres at Sabra and Shatilla. The world reacted as if it were a major crime. So major that it even wanted to blame Israel for its role. But was it major? Did they want to do anything about the actual murderers?

Wisse discusses the Arab Big Lie. She explains that this is "the attribution to one's target of one's intentions against it." That's why the Arab antizionists had no trouble equating Zionism and racism.

The author concludes that the ultimate test of liberalism today is whether it will defend the Jews. After all, joining those who blame Israel exacts almost no political price, and it sure is easier than standing up to the antizionists.

Wisse thinks that many Jews would benefit by some serious soul-searching. And that if they did, they would have to confess to something. Not a false confession to Arab crimes. But a real one to their own idealism and their readiness to sacrifice other Jews in their attempts to be accepted by non-Jews.

Edward Alexander has a little test for liberals: do you demand for yourselves the same rights that you demand for others? I think Wisse passes this test.

This is a short, well-written book, but it was not a quick read. Prof. Wisse pulls no punches and what she has to say hurts. Every Liberal Jew and every Liberal who is not a Jew should read this book. Liberals live in fantasy land. The world is not filled with reasonable folks just waiting to negotiate a "just peace", or anything else, for that matter. For much of humanity, hate is a steady diet and, as Prof. Wisse points out, when liberals deny what underlies much of human conduct, they are simply trying to create all of humanity in their own self-image. This is a prescription for disaster. It is not only the Jews of Israel who are in deadly peril from such puerile sentimentalism, for, as has been noted so often, Jews are the canaries in the mineshaft.

The contemptible practice of selling one's own people out in order to court favor with others is sadly not strange to Jewish history. Ruth Wisse is a tremendously sensible and solid thinker who analyzes the condition of Jewish liberalism and finds it wanting. The case she makes for Jews having the courage to stand for their own interests especially in regard to the defense of Israel rather than curry favor in the eyes of those whose favor they will not have anyway, is very strong. I think that she also understands that underlying much Jewish liberal self- criticism is a real ignorance not only of Jewish history but of present world- realities. This work should be a basic text most especially for all those Jews engaged in civil rights activities.

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