Jennifer Loewenstein
Encyclopedia
Jennifer Loewenstein is the Associate Director of the Middle East Studies Program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
. She is politically active in Madison, Wisconsin
, and writes as a freelance journalist. Her work has been featured in scholarly publications such as The Journal of Palestine Studies, and she is a regular contributor to CounterPunch
magazine. Loewenstein is a sharp critic of Israel's
treatment of the Palestinians as well as American support for Israel, which has drawn accusations of being a "self-hating Jew" and anti-Semite from right-wing proponents of Israel.
in 1963 as a child when her father played first trumpet in the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
. She went back in 1981 as a junior in college, and as an adult as well. Loewenstein has lived in Palestinian refugee camps in Beirut
and traveled in the Palestinian Territories
, where she worked for five months in 2002 at the Mezan Center for Human Rights in Gaza City. She has returned to Gaza
several times since then. Jennifer Loewenstein is married to David Loewenstein, Professor of English at the University of Wisconsin.
and founder of the Madison-Rafah Sister City Project. As a local political activist, she regularly helps organize and attends demonstrations in Madison. On the day after Ariel Sharon
's election as Prime Minister of Israel
she was among the organizers of an anti-Likud
demonstration. She helped organize protests against the war in Iraq, and she occasionally makes arrangements for political activists or journalists such as Robert Fisk
to speak at American universities.
The proposed Madison-Rafah Sister City Project occasioned an "anguished and bruising debate" in Madison.
During the debate, Loewenstein called the executive board of the Madison Jewish Community Council "deeply racist." Board Member Lester Pines alleged that Loewenstein's project was part of a "movement to delegitimize the state of Israel."
soon after the end of the Second Intifada. In July 2002, she wrote in the Palestine Chronicle; "Heaps of concrete, broken pillars with wire sticking out, people's shoes, clothes, bedding, strewn haphazardly among the rubble, dust everywhere, a hole in the landscape where a two-story apartment was just yesterday: the hardest part for me is how familiar it has all become," "The Israelis are masters in the art of destruction. And as I wander through another mass of wrecked lives I'm struck by the sense of deja vu that comes over me."
Her work is strongly anticolonial and is particularly harsh on abuses of human rights
. Loewenstein charges Israel with being responsible for "the dehumanization and destruction of an entire people," and writes that Israel and the United States "have long since resided in the lowest circle of Hell for betraying the name of humanity...the Neo-Jewish Masters and their allies in the United States...have no intention of making a just peace with the lower forms of life in their midst."
She has been extremely outspoken about Operation Cast Lead and American coverage of the event, stating that “The state terror unleashed from the skies and on the ground against the Gaza Strip as we speak has nothing to do with Hamas. It has nothing to do with ‘Terror.’ It has nothing to do with the long-term ‘security’ of the Jewish State… what you will find is the naked desire for hegemony...”
David Horowitz
responded to this criticism by saying that "[She] ... is herself a Jew, but obviously a self-hating member of the [Jewish] tribe, with a sordid lineage going back to the 'kapo
s' who shoveled their companions into the ovens and collaborated with their murderers. Like many of her political comrades in the secular and religious left she has joined the forces of Islamic barbarism that are ranged against the civilized people of America and Israel."
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
. She is politically active in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, and writes as a freelance journalist. Her work has been featured in scholarly publications such as The Journal of Palestine Studies, and she is a regular contributor to CounterPunch
Counterpunch
Counterpunch can refer to:* Counterpunch , a punch in boxing* CounterPunch, a bi-weekly political newsletter* Counterpunch , a type of punch used in traditional typography* Punch-Counterpunch, a Transformers character...
magazine. Loewenstein is a sharp critic of Israel's
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
treatment of the Palestinians as well as American support for Israel, which has drawn accusations of being a "self-hating Jew" and anti-Semite from right-wing proponents of Israel.
Background
Loewenstein lived in IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 1963 as a child when her father played first trumpet in the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra is the leading symphony orchestra in Israel. It was originally known as the Palestine Orchestra, and in Hebrew as התזמורת הסימפונית הארץ ישראלית The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (abbreviation IPO; Hebrew: התזמורת הפילהרמונית הישראלית, ha-Tizmoret ha-Filharmonit...
. She went back in 1981 as a junior in college, and as an adult as well. Loewenstein has lived in Palestinian refugee camps in Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
and traveled in the Palestinian Territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
, where she worked for five months in 2002 at the Mezan Center for Human Rights in Gaza City. She has returned to Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
several times since then. Jennifer Loewenstein is married to David Loewenstein, Professor of English at the University of Wisconsin.
Activism
Loewenstein is a member of the USA board of the Israeli Committee Against House DemolitionsIsraeli Committee Against House Demolitions
The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions is an Israeli peace and human rights organization dedicated to ending the occupation of the Palestinian territories and achieving a just peace between Israelis and Palestinians...
and founder of the Madison-Rafah Sister City Project. As a local political activist, she regularly helps organize and attends demonstrations in Madison. On the day after Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
's election as Prime Minister of Israel
Prime Minister of Israel
The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel . The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem...
she was among the organizers of an anti-Likud
Likud
Likud is the major center-right political party in Israel. It was founded in 1973 by Menachem Begin in an alliance with several right-wing and liberal parties. Likud's victory in the 1977 elections was a major turning point in the country's political history, marking the first time the left had...
demonstration. She helped organize protests against the war in Iraq, and she occasionally makes arrangements for political activists or journalists such as Robert Fisk
Robert Fisk
Robert Fisk is an English writer and journalist from Maidstone, Kent. As Middle East correspondent of The Independent, he has primarily been based in Beirut for more than 30 years. He has published a number of books and has reported on the United States's war in Afghanistan and the same country's...
to speak at American universities.
The proposed Madison-Rafah Sister City Project occasioned an "anguished and bruising debate" in Madison.
During the debate, Loewenstein called the executive board of the Madison Jewish Community Council "deeply racist." Board Member Lester Pines alleged that Loewenstein's project was part of a "movement to delegitimize the state of Israel."
Journalism
Loewenstein traveled to the Palestinian TerritoriesPalestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
soon after the end of the Second Intifada. In July 2002, she wrote in the Palestine Chronicle; "Heaps of concrete, broken pillars with wire sticking out, people's shoes, clothes, bedding, strewn haphazardly among the rubble, dust everywhere, a hole in the landscape where a two-story apartment was just yesterday: the hardest part for me is how familiar it has all become," "The Israelis are masters in the art of destruction. And as I wander through another mass of wrecked lives I'm struck by the sense of deja vu that comes over me."
Her work is strongly anticolonial and is particularly harsh on abuses of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
. Loewenstein charges Israel with being responsible for "the dehumanization and destruction of an entire people," and writes that Israel and the United States "have long since resided in the lowest circle of Hell for betraying the name of humanity...the Neo-Jewish Masters and their allies in the United States...have no intention of making a just peace with the lower forms of life in their midst."
She has been extremely outspoken about Operation Cast Lead and American coverage of the event, stating that “The state terror unleashed from the skies and on the ground against the Gaza Strip as we speak has nothing to do with Hamas. It has nothing to do with ‘Terror.’ It has nothing to do with the long-term ‘security’ of the Jewish State… what you will find is the naked desire for hegemony...”
David Horowitz
David Horowitz
David Joel Horowitz is an American conservative writer and policy advocate. Horowitz was raised by parents who were both members of the American Communist Party. Between 1956 and 1975, Horowitz was an outspoken adherent of the New Left before rejecting Marxism completely...
responded to this criticism by saying that "[She] ... is herself a Jew, but obviously a self-hating member of the [Jewish] tribe, with a sordid lineage going back to the 'kapo
Kapo (concentration camp)
A kapo was a prisoner who worked inside German Nazi concentration camps during World War II in any of certain lower administrative positions. The official Nazi word was Funktionshäftling, or "prisoner functionary", but the Nazis commonly referred to them as kapos.- Etymology :The origin of "kapo"...
s' who shoveled their companions into the ovens and collaborated with their murderers. Like many of her political comrades in the secular and religious left she has joined the forces of Islamic barbarism that are ranged against the civilized people of America and Israel."