Comment

Netanyahu Government Ads Suggest Israelis Avoid Marrying American Jews

8
bratwurst12/01/2011 5:15:25 pm PST

re: #6 Buck

I just don’t know how you can claim that.

I am going to do something I have never seen you do, and admit that I misspoke. The article (especially the headline) is somewhat misleading. After watching several of the ads all the way through, it is clear that the appeal is indeed made primarily on the issue of cultural assimilation.

Having said that, I think it is absolutely ridiculous to suggest that it is somehow not possible to be authentically Jewish outside of Israel, and certainly agree with the author that these ads are a major slap in the face of the American community. There would be outrage if the American government produced ads to be shown to US expats in Israel encouraging them to leave. I also strongly believe that the current government of Israel is far from pleased with the political leanings of the vast majority of American Jews and that is at least some motivation for this campaign. Again, I am sure there would be outrage if Obama presented an award to a prominent critic of Netanyahu the way Bibi recently did for Glenn Beck. HOWEVER, I was definitely wrong to suggest that these ads had nothing to do with cultural assimilation.