International Jewish anti-Zionist Network (IJAN) STUDY GROUP SYLLABUS

This is an evolution of the curriculum that was used by study groups in 2007-2008. The intention this syllabus is to build an analysis of the historic and current ideologies, conditions and realities of Zionism and imperialism and resistance to both. The curriculum has been reorganized to develop this analysis, offer tools for integration and application of the study material, develop participants ability to translate analysis into strategy and into action and build relationships for joint struggle against Zionism.

The syllabus below is a work in progress; there is a space at the bottom of the syllabus for you to post suggestions for additional sessions or about the ones suggested below, as well as on materials and curricular tools for the revised study. This syllabus and the accompanying materials will be ready for use early next year. If you would like to organize a study prior to next year, please feel free to use this draft and/or last year's syllabus.

Please contribute your ideas below!

SESSION 1: Introduction to IJAN, why we are here, and getting to know each other

Readings:

• The IJAZ Network Founding Charter, Organizing Principles, and Points of Unity (Organizing principles may also be referred to or utilized throughout the course of the study group)

Notes: This session should orient new people to what IJAN is, including our history, current moment, strategy, structure, organizing principles and points of unity. It can also be a time for personal histories and why we as individuals are here. It a place for us to get to know each other and our histories in context to Zionism.

Curricular Tool:   Life and political mapping about our relationship to our Jewish histories, Zionism, anti-Zionism, and Palestine solidarity.

SESSION 2: Zionism as Imperial Project

Readings:

• "Israelis and Palestinians: Conflict and Resolution," Moshe Machover Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Trust Annual Lecture, (30 November 2006).
• Edward Said, summary of life and of main argument of his analysis of Orientalism,  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Said#Main_argument
• "A Genuine Peace Movement Cannot be Zionist," Jason Kunin, Znet: Spirit of the Revolution, August 19, 2008. http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/18478
• "How Imperialism Fostered Zionism," Pete Brown, www.communistvoice.org, 2003. http://home.flash.net/~comvoice/31cZionism.html

Notes: This session provides a definition of Zionism and historical framework, gets into the historical moment, and we'll do something on defining terms and historical materialism, dialectic, and contradictions. Also an opportunity to then identify the historical moment in the context each study group is exploring anti-Zionist politics within.

Curricular Tool: Mapping of historical moment at international, national and local levels.

SESSION 3: Theories of and Approaches to Liberation, Part 1

SESSION 4: Theories of and Approaches to Liberation, Part 2

Potential Readings for Sessions 3 & 4:

• "Introduction" (pp.1-7) and "From Eurocentrism to Polycentrism" (pp. 13-27) in Unthinking Eurocentrism: Multiculturalism and the Media, by Ella Shohat and Robert Stam 

• "The Forgotten "-ism": Arab American Women's Perspective on Zionism, Racism, Sexism" by Nadine Naber, Eman Desouky, & Lina Baroudi in Color of Violence: the Incite! Anthology ed. INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence

• "Palestinian Women and the Intifada: Fighting on Two Fronts," Eileen Kuttab, Arab Studies Quarterly, V.15, No.2, Spring 1993.

• Franz Fanon, excerpt from Wretched of the Earth
• Introduction to historical materialism and the concept of contradictions

Notes: The purpose of these sessions is to locate anti-Zionist politics within other liberation ideologies and movements. Some of the ideologies we would like to explore are Marxism and historical materialism, anti-colonial struggles (Fanon, Amilcar Cabral, Nawal el-Saadawi, pan-arab movements etc.), self-determination politics of indigenous liberation movements, Zapatismo and horizontalism, and questions on militancy versus pacificism (Fanon, Amilcar, Ward Churchill, Leila Khalid film and feminist analysis on this question), feminism and liberation struggles (Nadera Kevorkian).

Curricular Tools: Tools for understanding and mapping the contradictions of Zionism and US imperialism. SOUL's mapping of nationalisms (Session 3). Intersecting forms of oppression and movements of liberation in relationship to Zionism (white supremacy, male supremacy and heterosexism, Christian supremacy and Islamophobia, economic exploitation and class, Ableism). Can use world café style discussion and/or a mapping exercise (Session 4).

SESSION 5: Zionist History/Politics: How did Zionism develop and achieve power?

Readings:

• "Zionist Orientations" (pp. 7-21) in Image and Reality of the Israel-Palestine Conflict, by Norman Finkelstein
• Excerpts from A History of Modern Palestine, Ilan Pappe
• Israeli Declaration of Independence
• Excerpts from primary Zionist texts: (maybe don't include this, since they are in the Finkelstein article)
  • "Altneuland" by Theodore Herzl
  • "The Iron Wall" by Vladimir Jabotinsky
  • "The Truth from the Land of Israel" by Ahad Ha'am

Notes: This session provides the foundation for understanding and recognizing the development and consolidation of Zionism as a political ideology and to start sharpening critical analytic tools.

Curricular Tools: We can use the chart developed by previous study group members to map different historic strands of Zionism and their current manifestations, as well as start a historical timeline of Zionism.

SESSION 6: Zionist History from the perspective of Palestinian Resistance until 1967

Readings:

• "Introduction" (pp. xv-1) and "Popular Memory and the Palestinian National Past," (pp. 1-37) in Memories of Revolt: The 1936-1939 Rebellion and Palestinian National Past by Ted Swedenburg
• "Between Nationalism and Feminism: The Palestinian Answer," Orayb Aref Najjar

Notes: We may add another article but instead of a lot of readings we'd like to ask people to spend time with an on-line tool that we hope to create based on a lecture by Michel Shehadeh about Palestinian resistance to Zionism from the late 19^th century through the 1960s.

Curricular Tool: Map timeline of Palestinian resistance in relationship to other movements for liberation and the growth of Zionism.

SESSION 7: Which other histories does the Zionist meta-narrative erase?

Readings:

• "Introduction" (pp.1-16), Comrades and Enemies: Arab and Jewish Workers in Palestine, 1906-1948, Zachary Lockman
• Section 5 and 6 in the Introduction (13-27) and the Postscript to Chapter 4 in After Jews and Arabs: Remaking Levantine Culture, Ammiel Alcalay
• "The Weight of History" (pp. 50-74), Jewish History, Jewish Religion: The Weight of 3000 Years, Israel Shahak
• "The Invention of the Mizrahim" by Ella Shohat
• "30 Years to the Black Panthers in Israel" Sami Shalom Chetrit, view at http://www.kedma.co.il/Panterim/PanterimTheMovie/EnglishArticles.htm
• The Bund, article and handout on the history of the Bund

Notes: Find a reading to include on the Bund, and left tradition among European Jews.

Curricular Tools: Mapping of non- and anti-Zionist movements and histories.

SESSION 8: Divesting from Zionism, How have we as Jews been implicated? How can we approach the historical trauma of Zionism through a transformative justice framework?

Readings:

• "The Affective Economy of Zionism" by Ryvka Bar Zohar
• Excerpt from Judith Hermann on Trauma and Resilience
• Excerpt from Said's writings on the Palestinians as the "victims of the victims"
• Writing by Palestinian women on the impact of Zionism and colonialism and their resilience and resistance to it

Notes: Purpose of session is look at emotional investments in Zionism and the process of unlearning it as also a process of transforming our narratives and relationships to the history of Jewish trauma and persecution.

Curricular Tools: A short piece on typical responses to trauma and how we see these in Zionism as well as in Palestinian resistance and in our own anti-Zionist organizing. Exercises to practice effective responses to the typical responses to anti-Zionism in our own families, communities, and organizing.

SESSION 9: Understanding Palestinian Resistance 1967-now

Ÿ         "Challenging the New Apartheid: Reflections on Palestine Solidarity," Rafeef Ziadah, Adam Hanieh, Hazem Jamjoum, Left Turn, 2006.

Ÿ         "Who's responsible for the Palestinian political crisis?," Jamal Juma, www.stopthewall.org, October 1, 2007.

Ÿ         "Toward a Palestinian-led Rebuilding," Osamah Khalil, Electronic Intifada, July 23, 2007

Notes:

The session will focus on contemporary Palestinian resistance, including articles that focus on the Olso process and issues of normalization, the struggle of Palestinian refugees and the Right of Return, the movement for a one-state solution, calls from both '48, the West Bank and Gaza, and Palestinian refugee camps.

Curricular Tools: Use tool developed by last year's study coordinators to chart contemporary Palestinian resistance and organizing and continue practice of responding to challenges around solutions and current discussions of "peace talks."

SESSION 10: Emerging Anti-Zionist Discourse and Questions of Solidarity

Ÿ         Defining Terms in the Age of Imperialism: Challenging Alleged "Strategic Solidarity," Statement from US Social Forum by Palestinian and Palestine Solidarity activists, July 2008.

Ÿ         On-line video presentation, "International Resistance to Zionism," panel discussions held in San Francisco and London by anti-Zionist activists from Palestine, Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States and Egypt.

Notes: The purpose of this session is to explore what our anti-Zionist politic means in relationship to our organizing and our strategic role and limitation of our role in the Palestine Solidarity Movement, broader liberation struggles of our time, and in Jewish history, politics, tradition, culture, and spirituality.

Curricular Tools: "Emerging anti-Zionist discourse and movement," PowerPoint and pending discussion guide and booklet for anti-Zionist activists to adapt for their use in organizing-can present and take turns presenting or discussing different slides (participants could prepare 3 slides ahead of time) and brainstorm of strategic role based on IJAN's document and adapted for local context.

SESSION 11: Understanding Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Workshop

Ÿ        "From South Africa to Palestine, Lessons for the New anti-Apartheid Movement," Salim Vally, Left Turn, April 9, 2008: www.leftturn.org/?q=node/1099

Ÿ       "Divestment: A tool for change in the Palestinian Solidarity Movement," by Ora Wise and Mohammed Abed, accompanied by a letter to the editor and Ora/Mohammed's response

Ÿ       Letter to Mercedes Sosa, view at www.ijsn.net/en/ijsn/letter_to_mercedes_sosa/

Ÿ       "Toward a Global Movement for Palestine: A Framework for Today's anti-Apartheid Activism," Stop the Wall, June 2007 : www.stopthewall.org/downloads/pdf/bds-s.pdf

Ÿ       "Call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel from Palestinian Civil Society," July 9, 2005.

Notes: This is a very preliminary list of readings and would probably be a longer session-possibly even a weekend workshop that includes several skills building and strategy development tools. Purpose is to lay groundwork for participation in Boycott, Divestment and Sanction campaigns locally, nationally and internationally. Would also include an analysis of diverse BDS case studies in the United States, Canada, the UK and Europe.

SESSION 12: Mapping Forces in relationship to Zionism and anti-Zionism, Local Actors, Commitment to Action

Notes: This session would probably not include readings but would include asking participants to study and prepare a mapping of forces on local, national and international levels and a review of the IJAN Call-to-Action with a discussion of local organizing moving forward in relation to national and international anti-Zionist Jewish organizing.