“Speaking up” is not a “feel good” thing. If she had done it right, Lederman would indeed have been vilified by her community. If she had truly spoken out against racism and injustice in Israel, she would indeed have had her words co-opted by malefactors. This is the price of standing up for your principles."
March 29, 2023
Dear Editor,
Marsha Lederman’s column (“For this Canadian Jew, my relationship with Israel is complicated”) about "speaking up” about Israel was confusing and disappointing. While she seemed to want to want to call Israel to a higher standard, the majority of her column was a rehashing of recent news events in Israel. Let’s be honest, there was no “speaking up” anywhere in her piece.
“Speaking up” is not a “feel good” thing. If she had done it right, Lederman would indeed have been vilified by her community. If she had truly spoken out against racism and injustice in Israel, she would indeed have had her words co-opted by malefactors. This is the price of standing up for your principles.
There are many Marsha Ledermans in our world, and as a result, fascist governments become more extreme, and the victims of colonialism and dispossession – in this case the Palestinians – continue to suffer unspeakable indignities and misery.
Thomas Woodley
Montreal, QC H3M 2R6
514-641-7114