The impact of first impressions: How early Israel experiences shape leaders’ views

Do early visits to Israel shape political leaders’ lifelong opinions on the Jewish state?

By SHARON LINDENBAUM NOVEMBER 25, 2024 03:26

US SEN. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) arrives for a news conference on legislation that would have blocked offensive US weapons sales to Israel, at the Capitol, last week. (photo credit: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)

Fortunately, Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) failed to pass a bill in Congress to prevent a much-needed arms sale to America’s long-term ally Israel. Sanders’s obsessive critique of Israel over the years demands examination. 

While he claims to defend Israel’s right to exist and defend itself, he does everything to challenge this basic defense. Though he has been largely unsuccessful in his malicious attempts to defame Israel, his preoccupation with the Jewish state attracts some very illiberal political allies, which apparently causes him no ill-ease.

One might wonder why the Jewish US senator uses so much energy in flagellating Israel but expresses no criticism of hard-left Democrats (like the Squad) who throw their support on the side of terrorists?

From my recent observations of well-known figures who have voiced strong opinions about Israel, I believe these unequivocal opinions are formed during the individual’s first Israel experience. Sanders has often mentioned his time volunteering on an Israeli kibbutz. 

We can imagine that he did not emerge from that experience full of love for the Jewish state. Maybe he met with criticism for not adapting to the demands of the menial jobs to which he was tasked. Maybe his fellow volunteers were not enamored by his intellectual capabilities. But it’s safe to guess that he was left with a life-long grudge against the Jewish state.

Jerry Seinfeld and his family lend their support to the families of hostages and missing persons (credit: The Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum )

Political leader's experience in Israel 

In stark contrast is Jerry Seinfeld, the hugely successful comedian, writer, and actor, who became a full-fledged, lifelong fan of Israel following his kibbutz volunteering experience and who openly expresses his love for Israel. And there’s Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre, who trekked through Israel in his youth and rekindled that strong connection during Steven Harper’s premiership. 

Poilievre, a gentile whose oratory ability can be viewed on YouTube, has expressed greater love and respect for the Jewish religion and the State of Israel than most Jews of any background. 

Similarly, Dutch parliament member and party leader, Geert Wilder, whose party won the largest number of votes in the last election, is a strong vocal supporter of Israel. He formulated his views as a young adult while visiting Israel (even volunteering on a moshav), as well as Arab countries. His admiration and support for Israel are as strong as his criticism and condemnation of Israel’s detractors in the Arab world. 

The media, of course, will always discredit politicians on the Right, referring to them as the far-right, though the Left is never called the far-left regardless of how inflammatory their rhetoric. But a cursory look would suggest that Wilder’s exploration and studies began unbiased, and his conclusions are derived by liberal values.

Israel has invested significantly in Birthright programs to encourage young Jews to support the Jewish state or even consider immigrating to Israel. Hopefully, their personal encounters were somewhat successful in offsetting the far-left Haaretz, which enjoys popularity among English-speaking readers. From personal experience, I know that some of their programs in Israel were designed to depict Israel as progressive, decrying “Jewish settlers” and discrediting right-wing patriotism.

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In light of the positive effects the “Israel experience” has in promulgating Israel’s good name, it might be a good investment for Israel, when the active wars end, to partially subsidize separate Israel trips for young, non-Jewish students. Hopefully, they can return home and debunk the demonic fabrications that pass as facts running rampant on US and European college campuses. Of course, the premise for this proposal is that personalities like Bernie Sanders are the exception, a negligible anomaly. 

The writer is a longtime resident of Rehovot and a religious mother of five. She has worked in the hi-tech defense industry for decades.