Our Perspectives Differ Because We Have Different Facts
Especially About the Experiences and Perspectives of Israeli Jews
Daniel Gordis begins his book, We Stand Divided with
WHY HAVE AMERICAN JEWS "had it" with Israelis? And why are Israelis no less put out with their American counterparts? What ails the relationship? "Why can't we just get along?" many have begun asking.
The purpose of this book is to trace and then to explain some of the more central causes of the complex, fraught, love-filled, hate-filled relationship that American Jews and Zionists (and then Israelis after 1948) have long had. When did the tensions begin, and why? What led to some periods of calm, even enthusiasm? Why does the relationship between the world's two largest Jewish communities matter? And is there anything that can be done to address the current crisis?
This book helped me understand the difference in viewpoints between Americans Jews and Israelis, and to a larger extent Americans and Israelis, especially the American left.
One reason for the difference in viewpoints is captured most concisely in a recent conversation between Robert Wright and Russ Roberts regarding October 7 and its aftermath. Following Wright’s introduction, Roberts says, “One of the reasons that we might differ in our viewpoints is simply because we have different facts—literally.”
What is Roberts talking about?
Having lived nearly all of my life not knowing very much about the history of Israel, and having recently read a very good book on this topic, I can relate with differing perspectives on Israel and the events since October 7. I believe the biggest cause for differing viewpoints on Israel is simply as Roberts says, “we have different facts.”
Over the next few weeks I’ll share important facts about Zionism and Israel, drawn from two books by Daniel Gordis.
Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn
We Stand Divided: The Rift Between American Jews and Israel
The first fact, I’d like to bring to your attention is the demographic nature of Israeli Jews, particularly the Mizrachim Jews.
In We Stand Divided Gordis writes
But the demographic sands in Israel are shifting. In Israel's early decades, European (Ashkenazi) Jews often looked down on Mizrachim, who came largely from North Africa, Yemen, Iraq, and Iran; Israel's mostly Ashkenazi political leaders kept the Mizrachim at the periphery of Israeli society, marginalizing them economically and politically. Fortunately, however, Mizrachim have made great strides in Israeli life over the decades. They now constitute a slight majority of Israeli Jews and are increasingly represented in government, the professions, religious leadership, the arts—almost all sectors of mainstream society. Marriages between Ashkenazi and Mizrachi Jews, once rather rare, are no longer even noteworthy. Not quick to forgive Israel's ostensibly liberal parties for years of discrimination, though, Mizrachim have flocked to Israel's political right, where they both strengthen right-wing parties and—since right-leaning parties want to hold on to the Mizrachi voting bloc—make those parties more determined to reflect a Mizrachi worldview.
And what is that worldview? Mizrachim typically represent a socially, culturally, and politically conservative force in Israel. They have a resilient religious faith that has withstood decades of secular influence. Having been evicted from Arab lands, they are typically less optimistic than their Ashkenazi counterparts about the possibility of resolving the Israeli-Arab conflict and less willing to take what seem to them foolish, hopeless risks for a peace they do not believe can be had.
Gordis asks, “How does this affect Israel's relationship with American Jews?” His answer
The demographic rise of Mizrachim and their concomitant greater influence on Israeli society and culture helps shape an Israeli society that strikes many American Jews as distinctly illiberal. American Jews may not fully realize that this increasing mainstreaming of a former underclass is a sign of social progress; what they do see is a country that seems to be moving further and further away from the progressive discourse common among much of American Jewry.
I would be willing to bet that most American Jews, and certainly most Americans, are unaware of the existence of Mizrachim Jews, and thus unaware of the facts surrounding the experiences of Mizrachim.
Let’s summarize important facts from these excerpts.
Mizrachim Jews make up a majority of Israeli Jews.
Mizrachim Jews immigrated to Israel largely from North Africa, Yemen, Iraq, and Iran.
Mizrachim Jews are predominantly on the political right. They represent a socially, culturally, and politically conservative force in Israel.
And the most important fact about Mizrachim Jews
Having been evicted from Arab lands, they are typically less optimistic than their Ashkenazi counterparts about the possibility of resolving the Israeli-Arab conflict and less willing to take what seem to them foolish, hopeless risks for a peace they do not believe can be had.
So going back to the question I asked earlier: “What is Roberts talking about?” when has says “One of the reasons that we might differ in our viewpoints is simply because we have different facts—literally.”
If you don’t know the Mizrachim perspective, you don’t understand the perspective of most Israeli Jews. That’s a fact.
If one party lacks important facts that the other party has, I would say their understanding of reality is distorted by lack of facts. All else being equal.
If you find this post helpful please consider sharing and subscribing. It’s completely free of charge. Over the next few weeks I’ll share more facts with you about Zionism and the history of Israel.
Interesting. It is a safe bet that most Americans, including many Jews, know very little about the divisions in Israel or their history. Most American Jews are from Europe with a decidely left of center political leaning. Most are unfamiliar with parliamentary government. Because of the former Netanyahu is a Bad Man and because of the latter they have little understanding of how coalitions are formed; on both sides of the aisle.
The ocean between US Jews and Israel makes it dfficult to accept that the question of Gaza cannot be settled by political theory.
I have not read widely but Martin Gilbert's book was helpful.
I believe you are spot on. Just after Oct 7 I was sharing my horror with my octogenarian neighbor. He said “all those European Jews need to go back where they came from”. He is most definitely a man of the left.
I found his ignorance appalling, yet not surprising. Americans (Jews or not) seem largely ignorant of the ethnic cleansing of Jews across the Middle East following the establishment of the state of Israel.
I heard a fascinating interview of Dr Einat Wilf with Dan Senor (call me back) tracing the conflict from the Ottoman Empire forward.
I’m planning to order Dr Wilf’s book -
sharing as you may be interested also.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-war-of-return-adi-schwartz/1131959248
Looking forward to your discussions! We are all learning so much more than we thought. When you open your eyes to the full range of history your ability to see and understand all sides of an issue deepens.