A new poll finds, once again, that Jews harbor opinions well to the left of the American mainstream on a host of issues. Nearly 70% favor gay marriage. Nearly 90% favor legal abortion in most cases.
And while it is sometimes asserted that Jewish social liberalism is balanced by economic moderation, that's only true as a matter of degree. Two-thirds support tax increases on persons making over $200,000/year, 62% feel that banks and financial institutions pose a "major threat", and 61% say they tend to favor unions over corporations when they hear about a strike (to be fair, when the corporations are run by guys like this, it's easy to root against them).
Oh, and on Israel/Palestine? No surprises there either. Jews tend to think Israel wants peace and Palestinians do not. But perhaps the most striking finding was their opinion regarding a settlement freeze. Though opinions were divided, a plurality of 40% believes that the Israel government should freeze settlements, versus only 22% opposed (39% are unsure).
But the conservative Jews will send you on free trips!
ReplyDeleteFINAL CALL FREE TRIP TO ISRAEL
Young Jewish Conservatives info@youngjewishconservatives.org
FINAL CALL FOR FREE ISRAEL
TRIP FOR JEWISH CONSERVATIVES
Announcing an exciting Israel Fellowship opportunity for politically conservative young Jews!
Young Jewish Conservatives is a new organization that was launched to unite politically conservative young Jews and stand up for our values. Our goal is to foster and facilitate greater Jewish involvement in the conservative activist community, defend against anti-semitism and anti-Israel sentiment, and be an important political advocate for Israel and the US-Israeli relationship.
At the center of our efforts is Yameena Israel Fellowships, a program that brings together young Jewish, conservative activists on a FREE trip to Israel.
This couldn't come at a more crucial time. It is incumbent upon young Jews to get more involved in articulating the pro-Israel conservative message in the public square. This initiative is especially significant in light of the upcoming presidential elections and the unique opportunities it presents. Brainstorming sessions will be held to develop a strategy to make 2012 the year that the American Jewish community moves to the right.
Our Israel Fellowship will be this summer, June 26 - July 12, 2012. This is an unbelievable opportunity to network and connect with dozens of other young Jewish conservatives from across the US. The trip, including flights and ground costs in Israel, is FREE.
Our trip will have four components:
1. Israel Activism: Sessions with the Israeli Foreign Ministry and Hasbara Fellowships about Israel advocacy.
2. Conservative Activism: Sessions with representatives of a wide range of conservative organizations and interests.
3. Touring Israel: Visit important historical sites, army bases and see the beauty of the land.
4. Jewish History: Classes about Judaism's view on many contemporary political issues.
To be eligible for this trip, you must meet the following criteria:
• Be Jewish
• Enrolled in a US college or University next semester
• Display a history of involvement in conservative causes
To apply, click on this link: http://www.goisrael.org/yameena.htm
To see our website: www.youngjewishconservatives.org
"Like" us on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/youngjewishconservatives.
The deadline for applications is Wednesday, June 6 2012 at 6pm EST. Extensions will be granted on a case-by-case basis. If you have any questions please email us at info@youngjewishconservatives.org.
Do liberals not have the money to do stuff like this? I've been offered so many free or partially subsidized trips by right-leaning organizations (Federalist Society, Christian Legal Society, etc.) but I can't think of any by left-leaning ones. I may even have had to chip in for the cost of the bus when I did Election Protection in Ohio 2004. Where is my Soros money?
Well, Birthright is nominally politically neutral. So the ability for young Jews to go to Israel for free is pretty widespread.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHm, according to Wikipedia there are more applicants for Birthright than there are slots and it's only open to Jews who haven't previously been on any educational trip to Israel.
ReplyDeleteAnd while liberals are allowed to participate in Birthright, there doesn't seem to be any parallel group fostering ties between American and Israeli liberals.