IfNotNow

IfNotNow is an American Jewish progressive activist group opposing the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.[1][2] The IfNotNow movement consists of young Jewish Americans who demonstrate against politicians, US Government policies, and Jewish institutions perceived to support the occupation, primarily through direct action and media appearances.[3][4][5][6][2][7]

IfNotNow
FoundedJuly 2014 (2014-07)
FocusIsraeli–Palestinian conflict
Location
Websiteifnotnowmovement.org
IfNotNow protesting the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's 2017 Annual Policy Conference in Washington, DC.

Founding

IfNotNow was founded in July 2014 to protest American Jewish institutional support for Israel's actions during the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict.[4] The name IfNotNow is derived from a saying by the 1st century Jewish sage Hillel the Elder: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And being for myself, what am 'I'? If not now, when?"[4] Their first action was to recite the Jewish prayer of mourning, the Mourner's Kaddish, for all Palestinian and Israeli victims of the war outside the offices of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.[8]

Strategy

IfNotNow is a movement-based organization, designed to appeal directly to the public through social media and direct action; their refusal to participate in closed-door meetings has been criticized by leaders of established Jewish institutions.[9][10] As part of the broader #JewishResistance coalition,[11] IfNotNow has sought to highlight similarities and ties between the Trump administration and the administration of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.[6][12] Members of IfNotNow were arrested for interrupting U.S. Ambassador to Israel David M. Friedman's Senate confirmation hearing, blowing a Shofar and criticizing his support and funding of settlements in the West Bank.[13][14]

References
  1. "Jewish, progressive groups bring Congress 1M signatures opposing Trump's Bannon appointment". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 8 December 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  2. Wilensky, David (17 March 2017). "Six locals activists arrested protesting AIPAC's L.A. office". The Jewish News of Northern California. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  3. Nussbaum Cohen, Debra (2 May 2016). "Anti-Occupation Jewish Millennial Group 'IfNotNow' Picks Up Steam in the U.S." Haaretz. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  4. Blumberg, Antonia (26 July 2014). "Jewish Group Delivers Mourner's Kaddish For Gaza Victims". Huffington Post. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  5. Nathan-Kazis, Josh (21 February 2017). "IfNotNow Holds Mock Confirmation Protest Outside David Friedman's Law Office". Forward. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  6. Altshuler, George (23 February 2017). "Left-wing groups ramp up protests of Trump's Israel policies". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  7. Arom, Eitan (25 December 2016). "IfNotNow issues Chanukah ultimatum to Jewish Federations over Trump appointments — Jewish Journal". Jewish Journal. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  8. "J Street's Gaza War Support Wins 'Moderate' Praise — But Alienates Some Backers". The Forward. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  9. "Anti-Occupation Group If Not Now Wins Attention of Millennials — and Ire of Jewish Establishment". The Forward. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  10. Eilberg-Schwartz, Penina (2017-04-03). "The time for working with AIPAC has passed". J. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  11. Norton, Ben. "#JewishResistance protests Trump adviser Steve Bannon, racism, Islamophobia at pro-Israel group gala". Salon. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  12. Cohen, Debra Nussbaum (2017). "What Is the 'Jewish Resistance'? Behind the Movement of Millennial Jews Rallying Against Trump". Haaretz. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  13. "Left-wing groups ramp up protests of Trump's Israel policies". washingtonjewishweek.com. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
  14. Schulberg, Jessica (2017-04-20). "6 Protesters Were Arrested. Only The 2 Arab Muslims Face Misdemeanor Charges". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2017-06-22.
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