Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Elder of Ziyon
He just released a book describing his view of American Jews where he interviews Jews from all walks of life. A launch event was planned at powerHouse Books Arena in Brooklyn last night.
Less than an hour before the launch event for my book Tablets Shattered, a conversation with Rabbi Andy Bachman, @powerHouseBooks in Brooklyn told me they were unwilling to host the conversation with Andy because they would not permit a Zionist on the premises.I wrote this book to explore debates within American Jewish life, which of course includes many people who identify as Zionists. My biggest worry was about synagogues not wanting to host me. I didn't think it would be bookstores in Brooklyn that would be closing their doors.
PowerHouse Books felt that Rabbi Andy Bachman was unacceptably Zionist to step foot on their hallowed grounds where they host other book launches, parties and food events.
Bachman is a progressive rabbi. His position on Israel is identical to that of the Democratic Party platform - a two state solution. He is more critical of Benjamin Netanyahu's government than Kamala Harris is.
Would powerHouse Books deny Harris a speaking opportunity? Would they block President Biden who also describes himself as a Zionist?
At what point does the world realize that this "anti-Zionism" is an obsessive hate whose only analogues in history are racism and antisemitism? This has the exact same energy as anti-Black policies in the 1950s and anti Jewish policies in the 1930s.
"Progressive" bookstores pretend to be bastions of free speech. Some are really avatars of hate.
(h/t MtTB)
