Educational Media Reviews Online

If this film is correct, American Jews in the 21st century are light years from the unified population who universally backed Israeli independence and supported the new nation during the first decades of its existence. Today, they are a fragmented population continuously in conflict over Israel and its policies, especially those directed toward (some might say “against”) the Palestinians. In this reviewer’s opinion, Passionate Voices makes some important points, but it is not completely correct either in its initial premise or its interpretation of today’s events.

American Jews never held a single view toward the establishment of a Jewish State in Israel. Arguments among different Jewish religious denominations, between religious and secular Jews, and among people of all religious persuasions who ultimately supported the State of Israel and those who were indifferent to it or opposed it, have existed for a long time, certainly pre-dating World War II. Famously, in the 19th century, there was strong opposition by Jews to Theodore Herzl and his idea of establishing a modern homeland for the Jews in the ancient Biblical land, and there was no lack of opposition from Jews in 1948 to President Truman’s decision for the U.S. to cast its U.N. vote in favor of dividing that territory into a Jewish state and a Palestinian state.

Less famously, American Jews always had mixed opinions about Israel and Israeli politics. Today, they may be no more divided now than they have always been, but world events have changed and so have our methods of responding—especially showing displeasure with odious policies. Thus, this reviewer is inclined to discount some of the significance Passionate Voices attaches to scenes of pro- versus anti-Israel Jews clashing in Philadelphia’s streets, mounting demonstrations for and against the Israeli government, and arguing about Israel’s politics on campus, at home, at meetings, or in the synagogue. It isn’t that the conflict doesn’t exist—it does. But the arguing and demonstrating are not only normal behavior, especially among young people, but normal political expression today. How an American Jew feels about Israel may well depend more on where on the political spectrum from left to right his or her American politics stand, where he or she is religiously, and whether or not he or she has ever been to Israel, than on other factors.

Passionate Voices is well filmed, well paced, and well edited. Technically, it is very appealing. In spite of its inaccuracies, all Americans would do well to recognize the diversity of opinions about Middle Eastern politics held by American Jews and realize their beliefs are deeply felt. In depicting this phenomenon, Passionate Voices, has something worthy to contribute to today’s description and evaluation of contemporary American Jewish culture.

Recommended.