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Dissenting voices: 'troublemakers witnessing for an alternative way forward?' New voices are starting to be heard in the Australian Jewish community.

Article Excerpt
In 2000 Marc Ellis, a Jewish American theologian of the 'liberation' variety, elegantly described the plight of those who dissent from the entrenched Jewish mainstream view:

In times of trouble, troublemakers abound, and throughout history Jews have produced many ... [P]erhaps that ongoing lineage is about to end in the defence of the indefensible and in the strategies, both national and local, to denounce through character assassination those who witness for an alternative way forward. If the forces of conformity and contrived unity in the Jewish world succeed in quieting the troublemakers, the way forward may seem dim, for isn't the 'trouble-maker' one who sees an alternative?

The vexed question regarding the suppression of any alternative views vis-a-vis Israel /Palestine in many countries of the Jewish diaspora, has been taken up by recent events in the United Kingdom with the creation of an online petition, Independent Jewish Voices (IJV). Dissenting Jewish voices in Australia have joined the movement of breaking the silence and speaking out in the form of Independent Australian Jewish Voices (IAJV).

Since the creation of the Australian petition, a pertinent question has been raised in the Jewish community as well as in the wider Australian community. The question is whether, as described by Philip Mendes in 1997, a 'politics of silencing' exists in the Australian Jewish community?

These long overdue endeavours (IJV and IAJV) have given a voice to many of those Jews who until now only felt comfortable speaking frankly of their 'dissenting' views to trusted friends and associates. There is little doubt that a covert practice of labelling has existed and directed at those who express dissenting views. The main indictment has been 'self-hating Jew' for those Jews who dare to express a critiquing opinion of Israeli policies. Frequently disapproval of Israel's policies by non-Jews is equated with anti-Semitism.

Following the launch of the Australian website and petition, a torrent of defensive denial of the existence of any suppression of alternative views has emanated from the mainstream Jewish community. Paradoxically, this very denial has in itself amounted to attempted censorship and intimidation. This community dispute has been rapidly picked up by the media, reaching its zenith in an opening line on ABC Radio National's 'Australia Talks'. 'Are...