From the outset, J Street has purported to be a new type of organization in American politics, claiming to give voice to those who previously had no representation. Even their name refers to a Washington street that does not exist. As Jeremy Ben-Ami told the New York Times in September, 2009, "We’re trying to redefine what it means to be pro-Israel. You don’t have to be noncritical. You don’t have to adopt the party line. It’s not, ‘Israel, right or wrong.’”
Well, I (and no doubt many others) can certainly understand the frustration that results when an organization that claims to speak for you in fact has no right to make such a claim. And in this case I am speaking TO J Street -- you do not represent me!
"Maybe you’re tired of the voices that claim to speak for you when it comes to Israel," said Jeremy Ben-Ami, at the launch of J Street Local on February 4th, 2010. Yes, I am. And I would therefore ask that J Street stop claiming to speak for me, and for what I believe to be a significant portion (dare I say a majority?) of American Jews.
I don't live on J Street.
