Looks like I'm the odd man out. I don't think this essay is all that thoughtful.
First, Benedikt doesn't articulate her thought process as to why she's no longer a Zionist. All she says is that her husband filled her head "with all kinds of bullshit." If it's "bullshit", then why did it lead her to reject her upbringing? The Middle East is a complex topic and Benedikt's failure to discuss what precipitated such a radical change suggests she didn't give the issues much thought (or has the horse power to do so?). It's also a bit anti-feminist --- does she always uncritically subscribe to her husband's opinions?
Second, based on the admittedly limited info provided in the essay, it seems as if there's a fairly good chance that her husband is an anti-semite. He's neither a Jew nor an Arab but he's so rabidly anti-Israel that he can't stomach the thought of visiting the country and upbraids Benedikt's relatives upon meeting them just because they live there. Perhaps her husband is a judgmental creep and castigates everyone he meets who doesn't live up to his world view. In that he case, he's not an anti-semite. But if Israel is the sole focus of his vitriol, then we know what the husband is really all about.
Benedikt suggests that she isn't all physically attractive, so one possible explanation for her transformation is that she settled for the first guy who would take her and rather than admit to herself that she married an anti-semite, she herself renounces Zionism. Granted, there isn't enough evidence in the essay to firmly draw this conclusion, but I'd be willing to wager that such a situation explains much of what's going on here.
Finally, anti-Zionism and Israel bashing is of course all the rage among both the American and European left these days. Benedikt's essay, particularly on this website, is about as courageous as wearing an Obama t-shirt in the Village. The truly courageous stand is to support Israel's right to exist --- even if one disagrees with some of its policies --- even if doing so is not the popular thing to do.
On Life After Zionist Summer Camp
Looks like I'm the odd man out. I don't think this essay is all that thoughtful.
First, Benedikt doesn't articulate her thought process as to why she's no longer a Zionist. All she says is that her husband filled her head "with all kinds of bullshit." If it's "bullshit", then why did it lead her to reject her upbringing? The Middle East is a complex topic and Benedikt's failure to discuss what precipitated such a radical change suggests she didn't give the issues much thought (or has the horse power to do so?). It's also a bit anti-feminist --- does she always uncritically subscribe to her husband's opinions?
Second, based on the admittedly limited info provided in the essay, it seems as if there's a fairly good chance that her husband is an anti-semite. He's neither a Jew nor an Arab but he's so rabidly anti-Israel that he can't stomach the thought of visiting the country and upbraids Benedikt's relatives upon meeting them just because they live there. Perhaps her husband is a judgmental creep and castigates everyone he meets who doesn't live up to his world view. In that he case, he's not an anti-semite. But if Israel is the sole focus of his vitriol, then we know what the husband is really all about.
Benedikt suggests that she isn't all physically attractive, so one possible explanation for her transformation is that she settled for the first guy who would take her and rather than admit to herself that she married an anti-semite, she herself renounces Zionism. Granted, there isn't enough evidence in the essay to firmly draw this conclusion, but I'd be willing to wager that such a situation explains much of what's going on here.
Finally, anti-Zionism and Israel bashing is of course all the rage among both the American and European left these days. Benedikt's essay, particularly on this website, is about as courageous as wearing an Obama t-shirt in the Village. The truly courageous stand is to support Israel's right to exist --- even if one disagrees with some of its policies --- even if doing so is not the popular thing to do.