AN

AN OPEN
OPEN LETTER
LETTER TO
TO ALL
ALL JEWISH
JEWISH COMMUNITIES
COMMUNITIES

Warning!!!
Warning!!! We members of the San Francisco Bay Area Jewish community are sorry to inform you that our usually liberal community has
We that
members of thethe
Sanrange
Francisco Bay Area Jewish community areconcerning
sorry to inform you that our usually liberal
set a dangerous precedent may affect of American Jewish voices on issues the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Thecommunity has
San Francisco
set a dangerous precedent that may affect the range of American Jewish voices on issues concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The
Jewish Community Federation recently approved new guidelines on “Israel-Related Programming” that limit debate, threaten dissent, and establish forSan Francisco
Jewish
the firstCommunity Federation
time a litmus recently
test for loyalty to approved
Israel as anew guidelines
condition on “Israel-Related
for funding Programming”
the organizations thatsupports
it currently limit debate, threaten
and others dissent,
it would and establish
consider for
supporting
the first time a litmus test for loyalty to Israel
(http://sfjcf.wordpress.com/2010/02/18/policy/). as a condition for funding the organizations it currently supports and others it would consider supporting
(http://sfjcf.wordpress.com/2010/02/18/policy/).

Are these guidelines coming to your community? Specifically, the guidelines curtail freedom of speech and
Are these
artistic expression guidelines
by declaring certaincoming
opinions and to your community?
organizations Specifically,
out of bounds. This policy the guidelines
does grave damage tocurtail freedom
the vibrancy ofof
thespeech and Jewish
American
artistic expression
community. by declaring
The language certain opinions
that describes excludedand organizations
organizations out ofand
is vague bounds. This policy does
open-ended—those grave
that damagefor
“advocate to the vibrancyundermining
or endorse of the American Jewish
the legitimacy
community. The language that describes
of Israel as a democratic Jewish state.” excluded organizations is vague and open-ended—those that “advocate for or endorse undermining the legitimacy
of Israel as a democratic Jewish state.”
More egregiously, the guidelines also exclude grantee organizations that co-sponsor or co-present programs on the Middle East with organizations or
More egregiously,
individuals the guidelines
“who undermine the also exclude
legitimacy ofgrantee
the Stateorganizations that co-sponsor
of Israel.” Inevitably, or co-present
the organizations theprograms onexcludes
Federation the Middle Eastthese
under withvery
organizations or
vague guidelines
individuals “who undermine the legitimacy of the State of Israel.” Inevitably,
will be determined by the politics of the person or persons charged with making the decision. the organizations the Federation excludes under these very vague guidelines
will be determined by the politics of the person or persons charged with making the decision.
Despite the guidelines’ repeatedly stated commitment to the values of free and open discussion and diversity, they will have a chilling effect on the entire
Despite the
spectrum of guidelines’
communityrepeatedly
institutions,stated commitment
including to the service,
educational, values of free justice
social and openanddiscussion and diversity,
arts organizations. Theythey
willwill
alsohave
limitaAmerican
chilling effect on exposure
Jewish the entireto
spectrum
the range of
of community institutions,
art, literature, scholarship,including educational,
and political discourseservice, social in
that exists justice and
Israel. arts
The organizations.
guidelines They willself-censorship.
will encourage also limit American Jewish exposure
Organizations will fearto
the range of art, literature, scholarship, and political
losing their funding; individuals will fear losing their jobs. discourse that exists in Israel. The guidelines will encourage self-censorship. Organizations will fear
losing their funding; individuals will fear losing their jobs.
In the interest of human rights and civil liberties for all people, we strongly advocate for unfettered freedom of speech, open-minded public education,
In the interest
respectful of human
discussion, andrights and civil
willingness to liberties
engage infor all time-honored
that people, we strongly
Jewishadvocate
traditionfor unfettered
of fruitful freedom
debate of speech, open-minded
and meaningful dialogue. Thepublic
Jewisheducation,
community
respectful discussion, and willingness to engage in that time-honored Jewish tradition of fruitful debate and meaningful
is riven by a fateful debate over the future of Israeli democracy and the occupation of Palestinian lands. Attempting to curtail that debate dialogue. The Jewish
willcommunity
only drive it
is riven
into the by a fatefulwhere
shadows, debate overbecome
it will the future
everofmore
Israeli democracy and the occupation of Palestinian lands. Attempting to curtail that debate will only drive it
extreme.
into the shadows, where it will become ever more extreme.
The remedy for controversial speech is not silencing. The remedy is more speech.
The remedy for controversial speech is not silencing. The remedy is more speech.
...........................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................
Professor Robert Alter Sandra Butler Ron H. Feldman, PhD Victor Honig Naomi Newman Alan Snitow
Professorof Robert
University Alter
California, Berkeley SandraChasnoff
Debra Butler Ron H. Feldman, PhD
Author Victor Burt
Rabbi HonigJacobson Naomi Newman
Traveling Jewish Theater Alan Snitow
Filmmaker
University of California, Berkeley Author Traveling Jewish Theater Filmmaker
Professor Deena Aranoff Debra Chasnoff
Filmmaker Professor Charlotte Rabbi
DeborahBurt Jacobson
Kaufman Rabbi Jonathan Omer-Man Professor Nancy Stoller
Professor
Graduate Deena Aranoff
Theological Union Filmmaker
Kim Chernin ProfessorFonrobert
Elisheva Charlotte Deborah Kaufman
Filmmaker
RabbiPlotkin
Janis Jonathan Omer-Man Professorof Nancy
University Stoller
California,
Graduate Theological Union
Robert Arnold Kim Chernin ElishevaUniversity
Stanford Fonrobert Filmmaker Janis Plotkin University
Santa Cruzof California,
Helen S. Cohen Stanford University Professor Ari Y. Kelman Professor Alan Ramo Santa Cruz
Robert Arnold
Filmmaker Helen S. Cohen
Filmmaker
Professor Estelle Freedman Professorof Ari
University Y. Kelman
California, Davis Professor
Golden GateAlan Ramo
University
Jim Van Buskirk
Filmmaker
Judith Bank Filmmaker
Professor
Stanford Estelle Freedman
University University of California, Davis Golden of
School Gate
LawUniversity
Jim Van
Zoe Buskirk
Weiman-Kelman
Susie Coliver Stanford University Virginia King, CFP
Judith Bank
Professor Joel Beinin Susie Coliver Marcia Freedman Virginia King, CFP School of Law
Adrienne Rich Zoe Weiman-Kelman
Graduate student, UC Berkeley
Rabbi David J. Cooper JMarcia Freedman
Street National Advisory Board Paul Kivel Graduate student, UC Berkeley
Professor
Stanford Joel Beinin
University Rabbi David J. PhD
Cooper Paul Kivel
Author
Adrienne Rich
Poet Diane Jordan Wexler
Sandra Curtis, J Street National Advisory Board
Stanford University
Joel ben Izzy Nan Fink Gefen, PhD Author
Poet
Professor Aron Rodrigue Diane Jordan
Professor Wexler
Carol Winograd
Sandra
Fair TradeCurtis,
JudaicaPhD
Board Nan Fink Gefen, PhD Kim Klausner
Joel ben and
Storyteller Izzyauthor Fair Trade Judaica Board Laura Goldin Kim Klausner Professor
Stanford Aron Rodrigue
University Professor
Stanford Carol Winograd
University
Storyteller and author Rabbi Lavey Derby Laura Goldin
Conference of California Vivian Kleiman Stanford University Stanford University
Rabbi Allen B. Bennett Rabbi Drury
Lavey Derby Vivian Kleiman
Filmmaker
Professor Ruth Rosen Professor Terry Winograd
Marta Conference
Bar of California
Associations
Rabbi Allen
Judith B. Bennett
Berlowitz, PhD Filmmaker
Professor
Emerita, Ruth Rosen
University of California, Davis Professor
Stanford Terry Winograd
University
Marta& Drury Bar Associations Josh Kornbluth
Judith
Mills Berlowitz, PhD
College,
Heart Hand Fund Donald Goldmacher, MD Emerita, University of California, Davis
Robert Rubin Stanford University
Dan Wohlfeiler
Heart & Hand Fund
Professor John Efron Donald Goldmacher, MD Josh Kornbluth
Hannah Kranzberg
Mills Names
Holy College,University Professor Bluma Goldstein Robert Committee
Lawyers Rubin for Civil Rights Dan Wohlfeiler
Professor Diane Wolf
Holy Names University Professorof John
University Efron
California, Berkeley Professorof Bluma
University Goldstein
California, Berkeley Hannah Kranzberg
Professor Chana Kronfeld Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights
Claudia Bernard University of California, Berkeley Professor Naomi Seidman Professorof Diane
University Wolf
California, Davis
Rabbi Diane Elliot University of California, Berkeley Professorof Chana Kronfeld
Claudia Bernard
Professor David Biale Howard Herman University California, Berkeley Professor
Graduate Naomi Seidman
Theological Union University of California, Davis
Professor Steven J. Zipperstein
Rabbi Diane
Professor Elliot Epstein
Barbara HowardHerman
Herman University of California, Berkeley
Rabbi Michael Lerner Graduate Theological Union
Professorof David
University Biale
California, Davis Robert Cindy Shamban Professor
Stanford Steven J. Zipperstein
University
University of California, Davis Professorof Barbara
University California,Epstein
Santa Cruz Robert Herman RabbiMagazine
Tikkun Michael Lerner Cindy Voice
Jewish Shamban
for Peace Stanford University
Rachel Biale University of California, Santa Cruz
Professor Emily Honig Tikkun Magazine
Candace Falk, PhD Professor Lawrence Marshall Jewish Voice for Peace
Rachel Bloch
Chana Biale Professorof Emily
University Honig
California, Santa Cruz Eleanor Shapiro Affiliations listed for
Candace
Emma Falk,Papers
Goldman PhD University of California, Santa Cruz Professor
Stanford Lawrence Marshall
University Eleanor Shapiro Affiliations listed
identification for
purposes only
Chana
Poet Bloch
& translator Emma Goldman Papers Lorraine Honig Stanford University Professor Vered Karti Shemtov
Poet & translator Lorraine Honig Professor
Stanford Vered Karti Shemtov
University identification purposes only
Stanford University
We who have signed this Open Letter represent a very broad spectrum of opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but we all agree on the vital importance of freedom of expression
We who
and openhave signedinthis
discourse theOpen Letter
Jewish represent a very broad spectrum of opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but we all agree on the vital importance of freedom of expression
community.
and open discourse in the Jewish community.