I'm a Jewish Israeli, AMA

[israelilefty]

Jewish Israeli here. I grew up in a different country but have lived and worked most of my adult life here, living a fairly normal everyday life in northern Israel. When I'm not working, I enjoy cooking and hiking, I'm religiously observant (but also feminist), I'm on the left of the political spectrum, and have everyday contact with people from quite a range of different perspectives - Israeli society is incredibly diverse.

I guess I see us portrayed in a kind of monolithic way in the English-language media, so I'm taking a deep breath and posting here...

Feel free to AMA, just remember you're asking a real person, not a government or military spokesman :) I'll try to answer from my personal standpoint. as long as it's asked in good faith.

@israelilefty your post at 11.45 was so sad and really explains the situation and betrayal many are faced with in Israel.
Thank you for doing this and being so measured in your responses to the more 'interesting' posts.

Could you perhaps still ask something?

This really was amazing question by pp.

I think on the whole if your children are not in the same schools, and it’s remarkable to live in a block of flats with different religions/cultures then there isn’t a real feeling of intention of inclusion. Are there Arab Palestinians in the judiciary, or in government? Do they teach in non Arab schools? I understand they aren’t required to do national service, what other differences do they experience based on their race/religion/culture?

The apartheid questions are baffling, I’m sure there’s regional variation but Haifa university, for example, has quite a mixed student demographic. More so than much of the UK.

@TomeTome

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ListoffArabmemberssofthee_Knesset

Amazing what google and wiki can tell you....

There is a particular narrative about Israel in certain quarters that suits a specific agenda. I think we're seeing that at play on this thread from a small handful of posters.

Some people seem desperate to make the truth fit the placards...

@Att1cusPund I agree

100% - my thoughts too @Att1cusPund

The notion that "all citizens are together" just isn't true. If you look at the resources that are available to Arab citizens of Israel wrt to education and opportunities there is a demarcation. The reality is that Israel does demarcate along ethno-religious lines. The laws are there to promote the "Jewishness of the area" which means that other religions and ethnicities do not have equal opportunities to exercise self determination. That is what happens when an ethno state is created.

Yes but not quite the same as asking someone who actually lives there is it? So is there and has there ever been a reflection in the government of the make up of the population? Eg is it 25% non Jewish Israeli? My interest is really in what the experience is of “normal” people in Israel.

So is there and has there ever been a reflection in the government of the make up of the population? Eg is it 25% non Jewish Israeli?

That would be a fact that you can find the answer to yourself.

I think people are interested in what it’s really like. It’s possible that you feel asking questions is the problem? I would say this is a great opportunity to tell us what it’s actually like to live there.

1. Am I part of the problem? I'm aware that I had the choice to move here and I'm a privileged person (also in ways that made me privileged in my country of origin, eg well educated, good job). For me I feel a strong responsibility to use that privilege to contribute to society and try to reduce inequalities where I can, including between Jews and Arabs, and make sure that opportunities are available to less privileged people. For reasons of privacy I can't give you specific examples but that is a significant part of my work.
2. It's traditional to make nice food for Shabbat (not just standard weekday food) and host guests. If I don't have guests we'll often eat something simple, like just bread and dips, a main course and a dessert like ice cream. Also it doesn't have to be super fancy. Last week I cooked the whole 3-course meal for 9 in about 2.5 hours. But remember that we cook everything in advance so we have literally no cooking time on Friday night and Saturdays, and generally live off leftovers from Shabbat meals for a couple of days afterwards :) In general here there's a big culture of cooking from scratch. We don't mind spending time doing it in order to have nice food to share with family and friends.
3. Israel is much less materialistic. Literally nobody in my synagogue wears expensive designer outfits (we are also modern Orthodox so women wear cloth hair coverings or hats not wigs). We just wear normal nice clothes. In general also dress is pretty informal here. Likewise, some people have more expensive weddings and other functions and some less, but I really doubt most people are spending that much here. The last ultraorthodox wedding I went to was also very simple and small by Israeli standards, with very modest food. In my country of origin there was a pretty big variety, but most of the people I hung out with likewise had much more modest tastes than you describe. I think the kind of lifestyle you're talking about is more common in the US, but I assume it's also aspirational and not within the means of all religious Jews. At least, it's not how the Jewish Americans I know live.

Umm no, of course I don't think asking questions is a problem. What a bizarre accusation. I have found this thread really interesting to read. What I am talking about is posters asking questions and then casting doubt on the answers they are given - this has happened a few times on this thread. For example, disbelief that Israel is not really a secular democracy, disbelief that there is no system of "apartheid" in Israel, disbelief that Arab Israelis are treated as full citizens. It suggests that those asking those particular questions are here with an agenda (and anyone who has cast a eye over the Conflict in the Middle East section will be all too familiar with that agenda).

I would love to know more about what life is like for normal Israeli Arabs living in Israel. Not just right now during the war but prior to that too. Is there anywhere you can guide me to that I can read more first hand experiences please? Or even if there are any blogs, vlogs etc
Also is there any Israeli Arab women living in Israel who adopt the face covering? Once again thank you

In all the years I have been on Mumsnet I have never read such a thoughtful, insightful and educational thread. Thank you so very, very much.

I agree wholeheartedly.

Thank you @israelilefty.

@israelilefty also I read in one of your earlier posts about some of the voluntary work you do which was very inspiring.

if that’s aimed at me @Att1cusPund I think you’re reading far more into things than you need.

@TomeTome I will stop after this as I'm conscious that we are derailing this brilliant thread, but I was referring to.your endless questions about parallels between Israel and S Africa.

One post I think? And not contentious.

Thank you for taking the time to post this very informative thread.

I’m not an expert on trauma so I can’t comment on specific theories but of course Jewish Israelis viscerally connect the atrocities of 7.10 to past traumas. In particular, I think nobody could hear about the experiences of Jews, for example, hiding for days in cupboards and being burned alive in their homes, without immediately bringing up associations with the Holocaust.

How to help? One way is to be informed, about the conflict and its history and perspectives on the ground. From a Jewish and Israeli point of view, I can’t recommend enough the podcast “Unholy” which is a collaboration between UK Jewish journalist Jonathan Freedland, and Yonit Levy from Israel’s channel 12. Each week they review the news (not only during the war) and I think their analysis is really thoughtful and helpful. From the wartime episodes I really recommend the episodes “War Therapy” and the one with Ilana Dayan (broadcast last week) for excellent insights into the Israeli perspectives and how they might differ from those of Jews in the diaspora.

The other way to help, whatever your politics are, is to get out your wallet and donate to organisations helping on the ground, whether it’s aid to Gaza, organisations strengthening Jewish-Israeli cooperation in Israel or physical and mental health on either side. There are many needs and a lot of rebuilding to do in every community after this war and many organisations are helping to do it with whatever resources are available.

Thank you for answering @israelilefty
Very well articulated, like all of your answers! I really appreciate your measured answers.

I have been thinking about the argument of the 'proportionality' of Israel's response to 10/7 and other attacks in general.
Personally, I do struggle how Israel can be very reactive, in a very exaggerated & 'extreme' manner, and I often wonder if that comes from an inbuilt response due to intergenerational trauma/inherited emotional stress (if that is a 'thing' - it's still up for debate scientifically).
I also wonder if how affected I've been recently, and how I've responded, sometimes so defensively, how I've felt this sudden urge to connect more to my homeland and people, despite my reservations, is due to that intergenerational trauma/genetics.

All that said, I do agree with what you said in reponse to a previous question discussing playing into Hamas' hands - what other sort of response/approach/options/solutions are there..?