RELATED: Prosecuting Israel sets dangerous precedent (Premium)The problem of give and take (Premium) The speech Obama should make (Premium)The 'mehdal' we need to fix (Premium)The loss of life in that disaster makes it inappropriate as a basis for comparison with other potential tragedies. But there are situations which are the metaphoric equivalent of a hot coal being thrown into a dry underbrush. One such case is the anti-Israel “Boycott, Divestment, and Sanction” (BDS) movement. A critique that delegitimizes Israel’s right to exist is, unfortunately, not benign. The consequences, not just for Israeli Jews and their diaspora brethren, but for Middle East and world peace, are palpable. By calling for the end of Israel as a Jewish state, delegitimizers are re-inviting a military struggle that is the antithesis of peaceful coexistence.Concern with BDS should not, however, cause us to see everyone - in particular those who disagree with some governmental policy - as delegitimizers of Israel. Even before it was a state, Israel was involved in a conflict that appeared intractable. It is to be expected that there are a host of views about how to resolve the conflict within the parameters of Israel’s unique history, and its role as a refuge for the Jewish people. It is imperative to differentiate between views which support Israel’s right to exist as a state and those perspectives which seek Israel’s destruction.The absence of a defined line between legitimate and illegitimate discourse has caused considerable confusion, especially in discussions about Diaspora Jewry and its relationship to Israel. A particular focus has been on young adults in the United States and, according to Peter Beinart, their distancing from Israel over disagreements with Israel’s “illiberal” policies. While Beinart and those who support his position are not delegitimizers, they are engaged in discourse that seems designed to create a rift, or if you will, a self-fulfilling prophecy.As my colleagues and I have demonstrated in several studies, the idea that the current generation of Jewish-American young adults is distancing themselves from Israel has no basis. For decades, young Jewish adults have exhibited less attachment to Israel than their elders. It’s not a generational phenomenon unique to the present-day; rather, it’s part of natural development. One learns to be connected to Israel as part of a process of maturation and education.Furthermore, the present generation of Jewish young adults may be more highly connected to Israel than any prior one. That more than 200,000 young adults have traveled to Israel on Taglit-Birthright is one reason, but it’s also the case that they are the first generation that has real-time opportunities — electronic and otherwise — to be in contact with Israel and Israeli peers.In some cases, familiarity with Israelis may actually make young adults appear to be more critical. For example, there is evidence that traveling to Israel makes one more likely to support the dismantling of some West Bank settlements. In some ways, familiarity brings Diaspora Jews closer to the Israeli centrist position. What is clearest, however, is that political views and sense of attachment are independent dimensions. If, in fact, this generation of Jewish young adults is highly connected to Israel, how does one explain the spread of the BDS movement, in particular on college campuses? For that, we need to return to the Carmel fire. It doesn’t take many to create mass havoc and the danger is that a small fire will become a large one.So how do we protect ourselves against a firestorm? Given that protecting Israel against all delegitimizers is, perhaps, a futile task, our best approach is to educate and support those who share a commitment to its ongoing vitality. From a political sense, the evidence suggests that we need to focus on our base of supporters. That means that we need to support constructive critiques of government and social policies while, at the same time, ensuring that Israel’s supporters have the knowledge and information they need to understand and appreciate Israel’s complex policy dilemmas.History teaches that minorities can often overwhelm and destabilize majorities. But an understanding of human behavior suggests that if we focus on minorities and ignore the majority, we may be making an even graver error. As Israel faces the challenge of creating a peace that can sustain the nation for the next century, a new generation of young Diaspora Jews is ready to be part of its efforts. Fighting fires is sometimes required, but we cannot lose our focus on working together to accomplish the loftier goal of peace.
The writer is Professor of Jewish Community Research and Social Policy at Brandeis University and Director of the Cohen Center.