Ice cream and children go together. But should ice cream be sold in a country that treats some children like vermin? A country that routinely murders children in Gaza and the West Bank? A country that holds its 5 million Palestinians in the vicious grip of apartheid? 

Ben and Jerry don't think so. The founders of that famous ice cream company have drawn the line at selling their products in Israel's illegal settlements. But isn't boycotting an act of antisemitism? Quite the contrary say the two impresarios of frozen desserts. "That we support the company’s decision is not a contradiction nor is it anti-Semitic. In fact, we believe this act can and should be seen as advancing the concepts of justice and human rights, core tenets of Judaism."

Somewhere during the seventy years of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, the country of Israel lost track of these core tenets. In fact, Israel has always shown itself to be the antithesis of justice and human rights for Arabs living in the Holy Land. Starting with the Nakba in 1948, when three quarters of a million Palestinians were driven into exile, the state of Israel has always stood for violent Jewish supremacy, not for justice and human rights.

We know from our own history that Jews have always been there to oppose racism in America. Many Jews, like Ben and Jerry, now oppose racism in Israel as well. Have a Ben & Jerry's cone this weekend to celebrate this return to Jewish values.  

Fred Nagel