This past week, I read more articles and heard more jokes about Ben & Jerry’s than I have in the last 100 years – okay, only the last 59 years. While everyone meant well, including the “We Stand with Israel” attitude, I have to be straight and honest with you: You’re focused on the wrong thing!
The problem is not that Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is sold in Jewish neighborhoods in New York or Chicago. The problem is that there are Jewish neighborhoods in New York and Chicago! Sorry to break the bad news to you, but this has nothing to do with ice cream! The problem is much larger than Ben & Jerry’s; it includes Chaim, Moishe Dovid, Rivkah, Sarale, and Shirah. That’s right: You are blaming the ice cream, when it’s the people buying it who need the wake-up call!
Personally, I don’t care what Ben or Jerry says. They are entitled to their opinion, and if their warped minds drive them to the conclusion that they shouldn’t sell Chunky Monkey in Israel, then they shouldn’t sell it in Israel! You think we need that here? I assure you that Israel will grow and thrive with or without Chubby Hubby. What Israel does need, however, are the good Jews around the world who – until this week – ate Cookie Dough and Cherry Garcia. Yes, you – I’m talking to you!
No, dearest friends, it’s not enough to just kick both Ben and Jerry out of your homes and stores. You need to kick yourselves out of your foreign countries as well! All these signs that have been posted by stores proudly displaying that they “[We] Stand with Israel” need to be changed to “We Stand in Israel” because that is what the Jewish nation needs more than anything else.
This twisted attitude reminded me of the difficult time in Israel during the knife attacks. It started on Sukkos, a few years ago, when an innocent Jew was stabbed – almost daily - as he or she was shopping or simply standing at a bus stop. Remember the holy Ari Fuld? He was one of those victims, may Hashem avenge his blood. After one of those horrific stabbings inside a Rami Levy supermarket, by an Arab employee, the owner – Rami Levy himself – announced that all knives would immediately be removed from the shelves. Wow! What a bold move: No more knives will be sold in Rami Levy! There’s only one small problem: 80% of Rami Levy employees are Arabs and – last I checked – it wasn’t the knife that did the stabbing.
Throwing out the knives is similar to throwing out the ice cream. The intention is good, but the action is meaningless. Let’s be honest: Keeping the Arabs but throwing out the knives won’t save Jewish lives; and keeping the Jews in America while throwing out the ice cream won’t accomplish much either.
Therefore, here’s what really needs to be done: Call Nefesh B’Nefesh and get your aliyah moving along. Then, at the big “Going Home to Israel Party,” serve Ben & Jerry’s to all your guests. Get the Caramel Chocolate Cheesecake (my personal favorite) and take as many selfies as possible. Send them to both Jerry and Ben with the line: “Thanks to you, we are moving to Israel with a sweet taste in our mouths!” Then get on the plane and never look back.
Shmuel Sackett was born and raised in Queens and made aliyah with his wife and children in 1990. He is the Founder of the Am Yisrael Chai Fund ( www.AmYisraelChaiFund.org ). Shmuel would love to hear from you: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
