Excerpt: My Jewish moms group ousted me because I work for J Street. Is this what communal life has come to?

When I moved to Atlanta nearly a decade ago other Jewish moms insisted I join the Facebook group Jewish Moms of Atlanta It wasn t just a place to business pediatrician recommendations or ask about summer camps it was a digital extension of our Jewish communal life JMOA was where I determined everything from ideas for local date nights to sponsorship in navigating parenting my four young Jewish kids It felt like a home Subscribe to Y alla a weekly newsletter for Atlanta s Jewish district Last week I was kicked out of that group with no warning and no option to appeal All because it seems I work for J Street a pro-Israel pro-peace organization that supports diplomacy democracy and a future where both Israelis and Palestinians can live in freedom and shield I learned I had been booted from the group after a friend sent me a screenshot of a post from one of its moderators Anyone affiliated with organizations that undermine Israel s shield and the Jewish people JVP J Street etc should exit the group forthwith she wrote adding I cannot tolerate supporters sympathizers of terrorism or those seeking to co-opt our neighborhood here anymore I did not post regularly in this group and typically stayed away from posting anything political I had not even seen the post before I was removed This wasn t a episode of two Jewish moms seeing the world differently it was a society excommunication delivered in the language of fear suspicion and moral certainty And I m terrified by the message this action sends about the state of Jewish communal life What does it mean that someone like me a Jewish educator a mom raising four Jewish children the partner of a Conservative rabbi a lifelong Zionist who has spent years teaching traveling and organizing for a better future for Israel is no longer Jewish enough for a group of local moms Click here to read Emily Kaiman s piece on Forward com The post Excerpt My Jewish moms group ousted me because I work for J Street Is this what communal life has come to appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta