IfNotNow is an American Jewish activist group that opposes the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Its membership demonstrates against politicians, United States policies, and institutions that support Israel's occupation, usually seeking to apply pressure through direct action and media appearances. It has been characterized variously as progressive or far-left.
The name IfNotNow is derived from a saying by the 1st century Jewish sage Hillel the Elder: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?"[1]
Views
The organization has been variously characterized as progressive[3][4][5][6][7] or far-left.[8] The group opposes the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip,[9][10] but is not considered as far to the left as Jewish Voice for Peace, which openly characterizes itself as anti-Zionist and openly supports a boycott of Israel.[11][12]
Going beyond critiquing the actions of Israel, IfNotNow proposes a Jewish diasporic cultural identity that Professor David Graizbord of the University of Arizona characterized as "left-progressive pan-Judaism." IfNotNow rejects Liberal Zionist, centrist, and Right Zionist readings of Israeli and Jewish history and of Jewish tradition by characterizing them as artefacts of an out-of-touch American Jewish establishment, even evincing resentment of the organized Jewish community and in its institutions' claims to represent and protect collective Jewish rights. IfNotNow is largely agnostic to the desirability of Israel's existence, converging upon the idea that true Jewishness is internationalist and progressive.[13]
Strategy
IfNotNow is a movement-based organization, designed to appeal directly to the public through social media and direct action; their refusal to participate in closed-door meetings has been criticized by leaders of established Jewish institutions.[14][15] The IfNotNow movement consists of Jewish Americans, typically millennials, who demonstrate against politicians, U.S. government policies, and Jewish institutions perceived to support the occupation, primarily through direct action and media appearances.[16][1][17][18][10][19]
IfNotNow has sought to highlight similarities and ties between the Trump administration and the administration of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.[18][20][21]
Relationship with Jewish community
In 2016, the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles, which manages over $1 billion in charitable funds, refused to disburse donor money to IfNotNow.[22]
IfNotNow campaigns against the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).[23] IfNotNow describes AIPAC as having supported 109 "insurrectionist Republicans" and supported "rightwing antisemites."[23] In August 2022, the AIPAC tweeted that "George Soros has a long history of backing anti-Israel groups...Now he's giving $1 million to help @jstreetdotorg support anti-Israel candidates and attack pro-Israel Democrats. AIPAC works to strengthen pro-Israel mainstream Democrats. J Street & Soros work to undermine them." In response to the tweet, IfNotNow denounced AIPAC for antisemitism, tweeting that "AIPAC is the antisemitic far right...They are not a Jewish org, nor claim to be one."[24][23]
After the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, IfNotNow issued a statement that "We cannot and will not say today’s actions by Palestinian militants are unprovoked." According to historian Sara Yael Hirschhorn, IfNotNow's statement placed the group beyond "red lines" maintained by mainstream American Jews.[25] IfNotNow's description of Israel's actions during the Israel-Hamas war as genocide led to Jewish artists Shoshana Jedwab and Rabbi Menachem Creditor to demand IfNotNow remove their songs from its literature and stop using their songs at protests.[26]
In November 2023, the Anti-Defamation League classified protest events led by groups including Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow as "anti-Israel", adding the protests to a database documenting rising antisemitism in the US. ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt labelled the organizations "hate groups".[27]
Activity
In 2017, Members of IfNotNow were arrested for interrupting U.S. Ambassador to Israel David M. Friedman's Senate confirmation hearing, blowing a shofar and criticizing his support and funding of settlements in the West Bank.[28][29]
IfNotNow, along with Jewish Voice for Peace, led an October 16, 2023, rally in Washington, D.C., that called for a ceasefire in the 2023 Israel-Hamas War and for United States President Joe Biden to support a ceasefire.[30] Among the speakers was actor Wallace Shawn.[30]
^Graizbord, David (May 26, 2020). The New Zionists: Young American Jews, Jewish National Identity, and Israel. Lexington Books. pp. 254, 256–257, 263. ISBN978-1498580458.
