By Rabbi Jack Shlachter
Los Alamos Jewish Center

Recently, I walked through the underpass tunnel near the Los Alamos Coop and saw an art space painted with the phrase “Free Palestine.” I recognize the importance of free speech – that is one of the incredible rights we enjoy in this country. This is unlike the situation faced in all of the Middle East (including Gaza) with the exception of rights protected in the democratic, sovereign, and legally recognized State of Israel. 

I am glad that the County has created this space for artistic projects by locals but do not believe the intent was to politicize the tunnel where many of us hike and bike. We are approaching a potentially contentious election – do we want to start seeing political statements on these walls? How about sexually graphic images? I appeal to all Los Alamos residents to avoid such abuses of the spirit of the project.

As to the content of this particular contribution, I suspect the person who wrote “Free Palestine” is well-intentioned but woefully ignorant of the history of the region and the implications of the statement. To me and many Jews, “Free Palestine” implies dissolution of Israel. By my reading, that is an example of Jew hatred and in violation of the international definition of antisemitism, a definition adopted by the Federal government and the State of New Mexico. This is because “Free Palestine” implies denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination.

Further, without seeing signs protesting the situations in Syria, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Burundi, Libya, Somalia, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Nigeria, Yemen, and other countries by the aforementioned individual, I sense that there is a double standard being applied to Israel, again in violation of the international definition of antisemitism.

For those wishing to better understand the complexity of the history leading to the internationally recognized establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, I can direct you to an extensive list compiled by American-born, Israeli author Daniel Gordis of recommended, published and reviewed resources. Please know that “Free Palestine” is repugnant to me and many of my congregants. We would appreciate its immediate removal.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Jack Shlachter

Suggested reading materials

GENERAL HISTORIES

1. Shapira – Israel: A History
2. Laqueur – History of Zionism
3. Shindler – A History of Modern Israel
4. Avineri – The Making of Modern Zionism: Intellectual Origins of the Jewish State
5. Sachar – From the Rise of Zionism to Our Time
6. Gorenberg — The Accidental Empire

FOUNDATIONAL CLASSICS

1. Herzl – Altneuland
2. Herzl – The Jewish State
3. Hess – Rome and Jerusalem

HOLOCAUST AND ISRAEL

1. Segev – The Seventh Million
2. Arendt – Eichmann in Jerusalem

WARS

1. Morris – 1948
2. Oren – Six Days of War
3. Klein Halevi – Like Dreamers
4. Morris – Righteous Victims
5. Morris – The Origins of the Palestinian Refugee

BIOGRAPHIES

1. Gordis – Menachem Begin
2. Avner – The Prime Ministers
3. Landau – Arik: The Life of Ariel Sharon
4. Schwartzwald – Nine Lives of Israel: A Nation’s History Through the Lives of its Foremost Leaders
5. Netanyahu – The Founding Fathers of Zionism
6. Halkin – Jabotinsky
7. Avineri – Herzl
8. Shapira – Ben Gurion
9. Klagsbrun – Golda Meir

NOVELS, POETRY AND MEMOIRS

1. Oz – A Tale of Love and Darkness
2. Grossman – To the End of the Land
3. Shalev – A Pigeon and a Boy
4. A B Yehoshua – Mr. Mani
5. Shavit – My Promised Land
6. Yehuda Amichai – Poems of Jerusalem and Love Poems

VERY MODERN ISRAEL

1. Friedman – From Beirut to Jerusalem
2. Senor & Singer – Start-Up Nation
3. Ross – The Missing Peace
4. Troy – Moynihan’s Moment
5. Dershowitz – The Case for Israel
6. Gordis – Saving Israel

PALESTINIAN WRITINGS

1. Nusseibeh – Once Upon a Country
2. Kashua – Dancing Arabs