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Op-Ed Jobs board

An Israel boycott that promotes EASTSIDE JEWISH
COMMONS
academic freedom? (Yeah, right) Executive Director
Salary: $80,000-120,000 annu-
ally plus benefits
An open letter to Professor Eve Troutt Powell, President of the Middle East Studies Association EJC is an inclusive Jewish
Dear President Troutt Powell, ian universities, blah, blah, blah? (Oh, and don’t community space on Portland’s
eastside. EJC seeks a nonprofit
As I’m sure you’re aware by now, the resolu- get them started on the utter lack of academic leader adept in development, op-
tion adopted in March by the Middle East Studies freedom in places like Saudi Arabia and Iran.) erations, people management, fi-
Association (MESA) endorsing the anti-Israel You’re probably expecting the Israel support- nance, board management, stake-
Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) move- ers to dredge up that same old story about the holder relations and building and
ment has sparked an outcry from several Jewish Palestinian academic who took some of his program management. This is a
organizations. The Anti-Defamation League said students to visit Auschwitz in 2014. Remem- job for someone who is highly
it was “appalled” by the association’s call for an ber? While he was in Poland, other students detail-oriented, organized, tech
academic boycott of Israel; the pro-Israel campus of his denounced him as a traitor, trashed his savvy, proactive, energetic, com-
advocacy group AMCHA Initiative called the secretary’s office and threatened to kill him if municative and thorough. They
resolution “morally reprehensible.” he returned to the university. Then his academ- will hire and supervise staff.
Quite frankly, I don’t understand why all the ic union cancelled his membership, and yet,
sudden outrage. After all, for anyone who’s fa- MESA said nothing. PORTLAND JEWISH
miliar with MESA’s record, the BDS endorse- Surely this admittedly shameful incident pales ACADEMY
ment is hardly surprising. Your association has in comparison to Israeli human rights violations.
consistently demonstrated contempt for Israel. At MESA certainly isn’t going to be duped by Is- Early Childhood
your annual meeting back in 2019, for example, raeli claims that their universities are “models Program Registrar &
Temple University professor Marc Lamont Hill, of diversity and peaceful coexistence.” As if Administrative Assistant
who was chosen to be your keynote speaker de- Jewish, Israeli Arab and Palestinian students Salary: $22-25/hour DOE
spite having absolutely no academic expertise studying, doing research and teaching together This position serves as the first
in Middle East studies, called on the attendees is a reason to call off the boycott! point of contact for families in-
to support BDS even at the cost of losing their I was heartened to learn that Israeli scholars quiring about our preschool and
academic careers. can still become members of your association infant/toddler programs. Greet
I’m sure somewhere Professor Hill must be even though they’re otherwise being blacklist- visitors, answer phones, cre-
smiling (though not at CNN, which fired him ed. Undoubtedly, they would be honored to be- ate formal correspondence and
because of a history of offensive comments). long to such an inclusive academic association. respond to emails. Coordinate
Now, I noted that in your statement about the That alone should compensate for the fact that classroom staffing and schedul-
resolution you said your board will work to “en- they could be banned from attending Middle ing on a daily basis and main-
sure that the call for an academic boycott (of Is- East studies conferences, that their lectures on tains a wait list to fill classroom
rael) is upheld...” Naturally, your critics ignore American campuses could be disrupted by BDS openings as they arise.
the other half of that sentence: “…without un- activists or that their research papers could be
dermining our commitment to the free exchange rejected by virtue of their Zionist convictions. JFCS
of ideas and scholarship.” Apparently, they want I hope you won’t be dissuaded by those who Holocaust Survivor
to mislead people into thinking that boycotting will accurately point out that your endorsement Services Case Manager
Israeli scholars and universities would some- of BDS renders MESA out of step with the very Required: MSW/Bachelor
how undermine, rather than promote, academic region you purport to study. Ostracizing Israe- of Social Work; Bilingual:
freedom and dialogue. I know you’re too smart li scholars at a time when there is expanding Russian. Effectively maintain
to fall for their deceptions. relations, including academic collaboration, and enhance the Home Care
Predictably, unfair accusations of antisemitism between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, and Emergency Aid programs
have been leveled at MESA. How anyone could Bahrain and Morocco takes true moral courage. sponsored by the Claims Con-
claim with a straight face that singling out the Good for you for following your conscience! ference grants, provide help
world’s only Jewish state and its universities is Finally, I applaud you for the personal sacrifice with applying for reparations
antisemitic is perplexing. Clearly, your detrac- you and your fellow BDS endorsers are making. and support outreach programs
tors didn’t bother visiting your website. It says The Israeli universities you’re boycotting have for clients. jfcs-portland.org/
it right there in your vision statement: MESA made important advances – for example, in the about-us/employment/
“opposes antisemitism.” I mean, could you be field of pathology – that benefit the entire world,
any more unequivocal? including the Palestinians. To be true to the BDS JEWISH CAREER HUB
Of course, there’s also the accusation of a dou- movement, you’ll have to forego benefitting The Jewish Federation of
ble standard against Israel, by which your detrac- from Israeli ingenuity. No worries. I understand Greater Portland's job board for
tors mean MESA’s deafening silence regarding that Hamas, whose terrorism doesn’t warrant the ongoing listing of job oppor-
atrocities committed by Arab countries. You a single mention in your resolution, has devel- tunities in the Jewish commuinty
know, why doesn’t MESA ever raise concerns oped a way to cure cancer permanently using C4 currently features 22 Jewish job
about how the academic freedom of Palestinian plastic explosives. openings, including the PJA and
scholars is severely restricted by the intimidation, Sincerely, EJC openings above. See full
harassment and violence routinely perpetrated by Bob Horenstein, Community Relations Director posts at: jewishportland.org/
the Palestinian Authority and Hamas at Palestin- of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland ourcommunity/jewish-jobs.
Jewish Review April 13, 2022 13