Progressive Jewish Magazine Apologizes for Ad Promoting Program in Israel

The magazine is progressive and Jewish. So is the advertiser. So, what’s the problem?

By Pesach Benson, United With Israel

The magazine is progressive and Jewish. So is the advertiser.

So, why did Jewish Currents apologize on Thursday for running an ad by the Dorot Foundation for a 10-month leadership training program in Israel for American Jews?

The advertisement, saved for posterity in screenshots shared on social media, is straightforward enough.

It describes the Dorot Fellowship Israel (DFI) as “A unique opportunity for Jews in their 20s/30s to spend 10 months living and learning in Israel.” A short paragraph by a former participant praising the program. A January 24 application deadline and a can’t-miss red “Apply Now!” button. Individuals of all backgrounds are welcome.

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Is THIS what you are apologizing for? Yeah it would be a real shame if this were recirculated. pic.twitter.com/2fcm8JgORE

— JoshuaParkhurst of THEE House of Moderna 🥀🟣 (@JoshuaParkhurst) December 23, 2021

The Jewish Currents, a quarterly magazine, tweeted an apology on Thursday. The statement left readers in the dark as to what exactly was objectionable about Dorot’s advertisement.

“Yesterday, we released an ad without proper vetting, for a free all-expenses paid year in Israel. This ad is not in line with our values as an organization dedicated to reporting on and opposing Israeli human rights abuses,” the statement said.

“We are returning the money that we received from this ad and will immediately begin a critical evaluation of our ad processes and policies. We will publish in full the resulting advertising guidelines on our website. We apologize for this error and for undermining our readers’ trust,” the statement added.

“Thank you for your understanding and patience with us,” the statement concluded.

Dorot, also identifying as “progressive,” is too Zionist for Jewish Currents. The Dorot website unequivocally states that “Jews have the same right to national self-determination as all other peoples.”

It goes on to say “If you believe that Jews are uniquely ineligible for a nation-state of their own, the DFI is not likely a good fit for you.”

However, some DFI alumni would be a great fit for Jewish Currents. A pro-Israel activist who goes by the Twitter name Jewlicious pointed out that alumni from previous Dorot programs include Simone Zimmerman, co-founder of of IfNotNow. and a Jewish outreach coordinator for the Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign. Sanders suspended Zimmerman for vulgar social media posts about Benjamin Netanyahu.

Daniel Sieradski, who founded the progressive blog, Jewschool, was kicked off Twitter in 2017 for, among other things, threatening the lives of Jerusalem Post reporters.

Other Dorot alumni include Harry Reiss, the New Israel Fund‘s director for policy and strategy. While the NIF doesn’t formally endorse the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions campaign against Israel, it opposes anti-BDS legislation on the books in more than 30 U.S. states. Such legislation, NIF statements say, “silences dissent and erase the Green Line.”

According to NGO-Monitor, “In practice, NIF continues to fund NGOs such as Adalah, Breaking the Silence, +972 Magazine, and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel that are primarily active in campaigns that contribute to BDS and delegitimization.”

While many Jews on Twitter asked Jewish Currents and editor Arielle Angel what exactly was wrong with the ad, others mocked the magazine.

“We don’t subscribe, but please do share. A trip to Israel sounds amazing,” tweeted Democratic Majority for Israel.

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We don’t subscribe, but please do share! A free trip to Israel sounds amazing 😍 https://t.co/OEIHsgN5ll

— Democratic Majority for Israel (@DemMaj4Israel) December 23, 2021

“You’re journalists—what else are you publishing without a proper vetting process?” asked @jerisays_.

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You’re journalists—what else are you publishing without a proper vetting process?

— Jeri (@jerisays_) December 23, 2021

“Perhaps a free, all-expenses-paid year in Gaza would have been more to your liking,” tweeted, @DadImpaler.

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Perhaps a free, all-expenses-paid year in Gaza would have been more to your liking.

— Dad the Impaler (@DadImpaler) December 23, 2021

“So…Jewish Currents is marginalizing an organization whose fellowship promotes inclusion because it takes place in Israel,” tweeted Wendy Kalman.

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So…Jewish Currents is marginalizing an organization whose fellowship promotes inclusion because it takes place in Israel.

That is, Jewish Currents is demonizing and delegitimitizing Israel…which makes it no different than JVP or INN.

I had no idea it was that misaligned. pic.twitter.com/tSJWiGOjrO

— Wendy Kalman (@wendybritt) December 24, 2021

Indeed, Dorot’s only ‘sin’ was having its leadership program in Israel, of all places.