JustASC

Amost three years ago to the day, in a depressing display of parochialism, a bunch of right-wing and Orthodox Jewish organizations put up a stink when they “discovered” that money raised by local Jewish federations for the post-Lebanon War Israel Emergency Campaign was going to help Israeli Arabs and Druze as well as Jews. The president of the National Council of Young Israel said at the time, “It’s not that I want to seem harsh or that this is an anti-Arab statement, but money raised from Jews because of a war against Jews should only be used for Jews.”

And not, you know, for those Israeli citizens who happen to be Arabs.

Today the UJC/Jewish Federations of North America is launching a new loan fund for joint Jewish-Arab employment zones. The loan fund is intended to

give Israeli-Arab entrepreneurs the support to develop their businesses, create economic development and employment, fortify Jewish-Arab relations and build strong and stable communities in key regions of Israel. Those regions include Yokneam/Megiddo (Mevo Carmel) and Carmiel and the neighboring Arab town (Bar Lev) in Northern Israel and Lehavim, the Bnei Shimon Regional Council and the Bedouin town of Rahat in Southern Israel.

The press release announcing the venture seems to anticipate and address objections that Jewish federations are helping Arabs:

“This fund is an example of a forward-thinking strategy for Federations to help strengthen Israel from within,” said Jeff Cohen, an investment banker who is a member of the Social Venture Fund, and United Jewish Communities of MetroWest, NJ leader who helped broker this historic partnership. “By improving the economic prospects and directly contributing to a sense of shared society among residents in these key regions, we will help foster a healthier environment for businesses and people to thrive together.”

Let’s see if the usual suspects object. Not that they’re harsh or anti-Arab, mind you.