New report by the Reut Group calls for revival of Jewish community relations field due to its crucial role in fighting contemporary anti-Semitism and the boycott movement

Tel Aviv — The Reut Group’s Firewall Israel team is pleased to announce the release of its November 2018 report, “The New Frontiers of Community Relations: A Conceptual Framework” (click here to view report).”

The report argues that strengthening the community relations field is the key to addressing challenges within the Jewish community as well as the most effective platform for combating contemporary anti-Israel movements.

The growing rift between Israel and world Jewry has significantly contributed to the erosion of Jewish communal cohesion and increasing polarization of the US Jewish community. This rift undermines the political strength and efficacy of the Jewish community by increasingly jeopardizes Israel’s bi-partisan status. Moreover, American Jews increasingly see threats to Israel’s legitimacy as a scare tactic used by Israel to avoid criticism or simply not relevant to the concerns of the American Jewish community.

According to the CEO of the Reut Group, Eran Shayshon, the irony is that, “This happens when a noteworthy cohort of Jews are experiencing anti-Semitism from the left for the first time. By-side a clear call to the Government of Israel to internalize that most Jewish criticism comes from a feeling of belonging and responsibility, we argue that some anti-Israel activity in the U.S is deeply rooted in anti-Semitism, and if not contained, will eventually manifest as a direct threat  to the Jewish community.”

Shayshon said, “This challenge creates a unique opening to reconnect across dividing lines within the Jewish community and to re-engage with Israel in new and innovative ways.”

This Reut report aims to elevate the community relations field at large, and was written following a partnership with the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA).

The Reut Group is a strategy and leadership group, founded by Gidi Grinstein, that focuses on making sense of the fundamental challenges facing Israel and world Jewry and leading transformative social change. To learn more about Reut, visit our website and follow us on social media.

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