Jewish Agency's US chief: I give up on Jews who justify Hamas terror

The head of the Jewish Agency in North America expressed deep distress over certain American Jews rationalizing violence, glorifying Hamas, and equating Israelis with Nazis, on an X thread during the weekend.

Dan Elbaum, the President and CEO of the Jewish Agency in North America, explained that despite his hope for the repentance of these Jews, he admitted he has emotionally distanced himself from them. Elbaum related to the recent Hamas massacre on October 7 in Southern Israel and the current war.

- the hardest thing that I have ever written.I never thought I would say what I am about to say.

— Dan Elbaum (@dan_elbaum) October 27, 2023

"I never thought I would say what I am about to say," began Elbaum, in a forthright X (formerly Twitter) thread where he expressed deep distress and concerns about certain segments of the American Jewish community and their views on Israel.

Elbaum, emphasizing his personal views, stated, "I have spent and will continue to spend, my professional life seeking to advocate for Jewish unity and connecting all Jews to Israel and each other."

He lauded the global Jewish community's overwhelming support for Israel, especially in the wake of the tragic events of October 7. "Since that day, when 1,400 Jews were slaughtered, I have been overwhelmed by the unity and support for Israel of the global Jewish community," shared Elbaum.

However, his thread pointed to a concerning minority within the American Jewish community, identifying specific progressive left-wing American Jewish organizations. "I have also seen another group of American Jews. These include but are not limited to, members of IfNotNow and Jewish Voice for Peace," he noted. 

'I am not talking about criticism of Israel's policies.'

IfNotNow is a small American Jewish group opposing what they see as “the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip,” demonstrating against entities they perceive as supporting the so-called "occupation" through direct actions and media appearances. The group is often characterized as progressive or far-Left.

Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) is a US-based anti-Zionist, left-wing organization formed in 1996, supporting the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel. The group, which declared itself anti-Zionist in 2019, criticizes what they see as Israel's human rights violations.

Elbaum clarified his stance: "To be very clear, I am not talking about American Jews who have expressed sympathy for Palestinians or have criticized Israeli policies. I am also sympathetic; I have also been critical."

His concerns grew when discussing individuals who rationalized acts of extreme violence: "I am talking about American Jews who say that the act of killing 1,400 Jews was consistent with the 'Palestinian right to resist.'"

He also conveyed his dismay over those "who proudly use a heroic image of a paraglider – lionizing the Hamas murderers" and those who "call Israelis Nazis and accuse them of acts of genocide."

Reaching a poignant resolution, Elbaum admitted that, "As much as I would not like to give up on a single Jew, I have given up on them. For me, they are deserving of herem [formal exclusion from the Jewish people]."

Elbaum concluded: "I hope they see what they have become and offer some repentance. I am not that religious a person, but I do pray that God forgives them for their actions. I, for one, do not believe that I ever will.”

As Israel engages in a genocidal assault on Gaza, the CEO of the Jewish agency is slandering Jewish anti war protestors, lying about what we have said and done, wishing us dead and out of the community. This is how far off the deep end pro Israel Jewish “leaders” have become. https://t.co/AZxMPyY0g7

— Simone Zimmerman (@simonerzim) October 28, 2023

Simone Zimmerman, co-founder of IfNotNow responded to Elbaum’s tweet on X and wrote: “As Israel engages in a genocidal assault on Gaza, the CEO of the Jewish Agency is slandering Jewish anti-war protestors, lying about what we have said and done, wishing us dead and out of the community. This is how far off the deep end pro-Israel Jewish ‘leaders’ have become.”