Atlanta Jews Reject Vilification and Stand Up for Jane Fonda

There are many strong supporters and friends of Israel who both agree and disagree with the decision of the Toronto International Film Festival ("TIFF") to launch a celebratory spotlight on the city of Tel Aviv which ignores the issues surrounding the treatment of Palestinians in the Occupied Territories.

But all of us, regardless of how we feel about TIFF, should condemn the outrageous misrepresentations and accusations that have been leveled against Jane Fonda, a long-time supporter of Israel, who, along with nearly 1,000 others -- including many Israelis -- recently signed a letter protesting the decision.

Among those misrepresentations and accusations are that she called for a boycott of TIFF -- not true; that she called Tel Aviv illegitimate -- not true; and, perhaps the most outrageous one, that she supports the destruction of Israel -- absolutely not true. The claim that Fonda seeks Israel's destruction is shameless slander, pure and simple, and lobbing such an accusation makes it nearly impossible to hold an honest conversation about the present and future of Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

This entire firestorm is based on falsification. The "Toronto Declaration" that Jane Fonda signed states its opposition to TIFF's spotlight on Tel Aviv and clearly says that the signatories do not want and will not support a boycott on TIFF or the Israeli films being shown within it. (In fact, several of the signers have films in the festival.)

Still, various Jewish leaders and media outlets have claimed that Fonda and her co-signers advocate boycott. Have they even read the statement Fonda signed? When those leaders and outlets attack and mischaracterize those who disagree with them, they create the real risk that Israel's friends and supporters will see the attackers as representing the "true" Israel and then stop caring about Israel. Is that how we should be treating our friends?

People like Jane Fonda, and her co-signers including Danny Glover, Naomi Klein and Eve Ensler, are part of the school of thought that believes that ignoring one side's experience, no matter which side that is, is a surefire recipe for ongoing fighting and conflict. Not everyone agrees with that approach, but it's a valid one that aims for a just peace for all parties in the region.

Jane Fonda has done great good in Atlanta. She is the driving force behind G-CAPP, the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention, that is committed to enriching the lives of young women and helping them achieve a healthy, productive future free of early pregnancy.

When she is mischaracterized through these outrageous misrepresentations and accusations, many in our community might not know the truth -- that Fonda is a strong supporter and friend of Israel -- and they may stop supporting G-CAPP. Were that to occur, not only would Israel's friend be hurt, so would thousands of teenagers who are helped by G-CAPP.

We are speaking out in support of Fonda because the truth must be known about her strong support for Israel, and we need to support G-CAPP not only for her, but also for the young women who need our help.‬

Rabbi Philip Kranz

Rabbi Josh Lesser

Stephanie Davis

Jan Jaben-Eilon

Nola Miller

Charles Miller

Glenda Blum Minkin

David Minkin

Brent Pollock

Dr. Michael Wolfson

All of the signers are affiliated with Jewish institutions in Atlanta, ranging from synagogues to the Jewish Federation to organizations dedicated to promoting the well-being of Israel. Lend your support to Jane by emailing: [e-mail].

Comments

[Goefel]

Thank you.

[zola77]

Great commentary clearing up the issues. Thank you.

[Anne21212]

I love Michael Jackson. Jane Fonda was his close friend and defended him.. So I love Jane Fonda.

[RedDogBear]

Thank you Anne. That gave me a great laugh. You managed to take one of the most complex issues of modern times and boil it down to "but she liked Michael Jackson".

[LBDrivingSchool]

Who elected this person or any of the other signatories to "represent the Jews of Atlanta"? I'd bet money that their views are in fact the minority one. I'll bet very few Atlanta Jews--or Jews in general--would sign on to a statement that suggests that Tel Aviv is somehow illegitimate.

[JGatsby]

What part of " that she called Tel Aviv illegitimate -- not true; " did you not understand? Or if you are claiming that is not true please provide some rationale.

[messy]

we can be pretty sure that all the jews of atlanta who agree with the statement signed the petition and are listed above.

[JavaSavant]

For those of you who don't feel like reading the statement in question, let me correct the above errors.

Nowhere in the statement is any propaganda called criminal.

It does not condemn "any celebration". They are specifically talking about "Brand Israel", a million dollar media and advertising campaign aimed at changing Canadian perceptions of Israel, which declared over a year ago that it would culminate in "a major Israeli presence at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival." When a government spends money in an attempt to change peoples opinions about it, that is called propaganda.

When a bunch of people come into another people's homes and throw them out, to live "over there", behind fences and checkpoints, even though they did nothing to these new people, that seems like a pretty good definition of apartheid. And really, how can you argue with Archbishop Desmond Tutu about the definition of apartheid?

And please, pick on someone other than Fonda. She has already had to live through government flacks misrepresenting her statements. Pick on some other signer, like Danny Glover, or Harry Belafonte, or Viggo Mortensen? They all deserve a chance. :-)

[myopinion2]

When did Desmond Tutu become infallable. Has he become pope. LOL

Truth is truth based on content, not who says it. Tutu cannot make the false true by mouthing it in solidarity with a third world community.

[JGatsby]

Any good comic will tell you when you have to LOL at your own jokes, they probably aren't that funny. As for Bishop Tutu I didn't see any claim that he was infallible. All JavaSavant said was that if anyone would know what apartheid was it would be Bishop Tutu. Can you argue with that? Or can you argue that Israel as it is currently exists is certainly an apartheid state?

[rroy]

I have lived through-on the sidelines,of course- 64 years of this tragic and bloody conflict brought about by the idea that because of the persecution of millions of Europeans,mostly Jewish,by European
Nazis, Jewish people are justified in moving into a land that they really have no legal or geneologgical claim to and set up a "homeland".
After witnessing the ongoing and seemingly never ending bloodletting this concept has brought about I have become aware of and convinced this concept was fraught with tragic error!
The only way this problem is likely to be resolved or eased is strong and positive action on the part of it's major perpetrator,The United States!
We absolutely must assume a more balanced attitude towards the people who are the real victims of this lengthy tragedy,The Palestinia­ns,Lebanes­e,and Syrians.
I have written to political leaders with preposterous "canned Rhetoric"responses such as"Palestine must recognise Israel's right to exist"!
Who in The U.S.or Israel is ever asked to recognise Palestine's right to exist,or Syria's right to keep it's land in the Golan Heights,or Lebanon's right to be free of Israei armed terrorism?
It is time for a change.

[telebob59]

It would seem that the people who are mis-characterizing Ms. Fonda's stance on TIFF are of the same ilk who brayed and bellowed "Hanoi Jane" 35-plus years ago. Regardless of what she may or may not have done wrong back then it's just a cheap, easy shot by the neocon-likudnik axis to smear her in this way now.

[RedDogBear]

While I'm glad Ms. Fonda is taking a stand here the sad thing is that "Hanoi Jane" sold out a long time ago. She renounced her very principled behavior supporting the people of Vietnam in order to get back into the mainstream of acceptable US opinion.

[myopinion2]

A friend and supporter of Israel does not sign a statement which condemns Israel as an apartheid state and further condems any celebration of any aspect of Israel as criminal propoganda. The Jews who are supporting Fonda apparently like being able to rub shoulders with Fonda's Hollywood friends, and /or have institutional relationships with Fonda and /or groups in which Fonda have influence. By supporting Fonda, and by doing so the statement Fonda signed, they demonstate that their frienship and support of Israel easily takes a back seat to their other interests and concerns. That is their right, but they should not be surprised if the Jewish community rejects them, or at least this position of theirs.

[Thelonius]

Kudos to Jane Fonda!!!
Surely, with the facts now so easily available, any reasonably informed person understands that Israel is an apartheid state. To quote Ronnie Kasrils, a key cabinet member of the current South African government who is Jewish: "The Palestinian minority in Israel has for decades been denied basic equality in health, education, housing and land possession, solely because it is not Jewish. The fact that this minority is allowed to vote hardly redresses the rampant injustice in all other basic human rights. They are excluded from the very definition of the 'Jewish state', and have virtually no influence on the laws, or political, social and economic policies. Hence, their similarity to the black South Africans [under apartheid]." (The Guardian, 25 May 2005) Furthermore, Israel is illegally and belligerently occupying East Jerusalem (including its illegally extended boundaries) , the West Bank, the Gaza Strip (still occupied as Israel controls its entrances, exits, air space, sea access, and flow of supplies), as well as Syria's Golan Heights and Lebanon's Shebaa Farms.

[RedDogBear]

You have the same mindset as those Americans who equate any criticism of the US with being anti-american. The truth is if you are a real patriot you want your country to adhere to moral standards and you criticize it when it does.

[myopinion2]

aparteid is a blood libel. The military administration of the West Bank, as well as the security wall, are the result of legitimate security concerns because of pat terrorism (remember the suicide bombers, maybe?), not discrimination. Israel has offered to give up 95% of the West Bank in a peace treaty. Criticism of Israel is fine. Blood libels identify Israel's enemies, not its friends.

[RedDogBear]

oops, should have been "you criticize it when it does not"

[pinkibus]

My opinion - A lot of Jews are to be considered enemies because for theological reasons or reasons of law or because they know it is not right for Jews to do unto others what was done unto them they are critical of Israel. How can it be that men such as Noam Chomsky, Jimmy Carter and Desmond Tutu think the Palestinians are discriminated against. Why defend a country which knows that if the land is built upon it will never be returned and eventually the original owners having died, there is a weaker memory and a weaker claim for the return of the stolen property.