In recent years, what was fiction in Orwell’s book has become reality on college campuses across North America. Once a year, there is a week devoted to spreading hatred towards the Jewish state. It goes by the name Israel Apartheid Week, but it might as well be called Hate Week, as it follows in the best Orwellian tradition.
As an Israel Fellow at UC Irvine from 2007 to 2009, I was a witness to Hate Week. All of the "solutions" that it offered for the Arab-Israel conflict included the destruction of the state of Israel. A naïve passer-by during UC Irvine’s Hate Week could have left with the mistaken impression that Israel is the size of Canada, Jews are new to the Middle East and the only expression of Palestinian culture and heritage is death perpetrated by Israel Defense Forces. The entire week was devoted to spreading and increasing hate.
Before my arrival at UC Irvine, the pro-Israel community used to refer to this week under several names, including Hate Week. As a fan of Orwell’s work, I understood the power of words, and I decided to make the term Hate Week a common phrase among the pro-Israel community at UC Irvine and in the Jewish community of Orange County. This "branding" effort included posting the dates of Hate Week on the UC Irvine Hillel calendar, and described it as “a week devoted to increasing and spreading hatred towards the state of Israel, Jewish people and supporters of Israel.” Now, more than two years after I completed my tenure at UC Irvine, the pro-Israel community there uses the term Hate Week to describe this week of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic programs.
The fight over Israel's legitimacy is fought in many ways, including in the arena of public relations. In this arena, the pro-Israel community must not help perpetuate anti-Israel terminology by using it. For example, we tend to label activists as “pro-Palestinian” just by being anti-Israel, even if these activists do not present any positive agenda to earn the label of being “pro-Palestinian.” In order to be labeled pro-Palestinian, one should promote Palestinian well-being.
Because words are so powerful, in my current position as the director of the Center for Israel Engagement at Rutgers Hillel, I try to ensure that the pro-Israel community uses pro-Israel terms, and we explain that each Israel advocate can and should be part of this effort. Next time a week devoted to promotion of hatred towards the Jewish state arrives on your campus, call it what it is— Hate Week, a week devoted to spreading hate towards Israel.
As an Israel Fellow at UC Irvine from 2007 to 2009, I was a witness to Hate Week. All of the "solutions" that it offered for the Arab-Israel conflict included the destruction of the state of Israel. A naïve passer-by during UC Irvine’s Hate Week could have left with the mistaken impression that Israel is the size of Canada, Jews are new to the Middle East and the only expression of Palestinian culture and heritage is death perpetrated by Israel Defense Forces. The entire week was devoted to spreading and increasing hate.Before my arrival at UC Irvine, the pro-Israel community used to refer to this week under several names, including Hate Week. As a fan of Orwell’s work, I understood the power of words, and I decided to make the term Hate Week a common phrase among the pro-Israel community at UC Irvine and in the Jewish community of Orange County. This "branding" effort included posting the dates of Hate Week on the UC Irvine Hillel calendar, and described it as “a week devoted to increasing and spreading hatred towards the state of Israel, Jewish people and supporters of Israel.” Now, more than two years after I completed my tenure at UC Irvine, the pro-Israel community there uses the term Hate Week to describe this week of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic programs.
The fight over Israel's legitimacy is fought in many ways, including in the arena of public relations. In this arena, the pro-Israel community must not help perpetuate anti-Israel terminology by using it. For example, we tend to label activists as “pro-Palestinian” just by being anti-Israel, even if these activists do not present any positive agenda to earn the label of being “pro-Palestinian.” In order to be labeled pro-Palestinian, one should promote Palestinian well-being.
Because words are so powerful, in my current position as the director of the Center for Israel Engagement at Rutgers Hillel, I try to ensure that the pro-Israel community uses pro-Israel terms, and we explain that each Israel advocate can and should be part of this effort. Next time a week devoted to promotion of hatred towards the Jewish state arrives on your campus, call it what it is— Hate Week, a week devoted to spreading hate towards Israel.
By Tzvi Raviv, Director of Rutgers Hillel's Center for Israel Engagement
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