By Autumn Klein
July 1, 2020
Feminism claims to champion all women, relentlessly fighting for the rights of women oppressed by a sexist society. But, if a woman dares to reject the label of “feminist,” she is labeled a traitor who has succumbed to the patriarchy and is against women’s rights. In view of the fact that the movement thrives off of victim mentality, advocates stand strong in support of minorities, such as the black, LGBTQ+, and Hispanic communities. They allegedly strive toward a diverse, equal society in which nobody is discriminated against.
All of this would lead you to believe that feminists would jump at the chance to support Israel, a country whose support for women’s rights are in stark contrast to her neighbors in the Middle East. Israel was founded by a community who barely escaped mass genocide — it is fair to say they know discrimination all too well. A movement, like that of feminism, which claims to reject prejudice and lift up the underdog, should be nothing but welcoming to the Israeli community.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. Feminists have all too often been the first to reject Zionism, support the Boycott Divest Sanction (BDS) movement, and even turn those who support Israel completely away from their cause. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, prominent members of the Left’s “squad,” have a history of making both anti-Israel and anti-Semitic comments, although there is often no difference. Far too often, we see the lines of anti-Zionism blur into anti-Semitism. To make matters worse, their friends on the Left run to their defense nearly every time.
Women have consistently been at the front lines of the Zionist movement. There are so many powerful, inspiring Zionist women who deserve to be welcomed into a movement that supposedly strives to amplify the voices of strong women.
Here are just a few:
GOLDA MEIR
“Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.”
Golda Meir was commonly referred to as the “Iron Lady,” and for good reason. In 1948, she was one of only two women to sign Israel’s Declaration of Independence. She famously said, “When I studied American history as a schoolgirl and I read about those who signed the U.S. Declaration of Independence, I couldn’t imagine these were real people doing something real. And there I was.” Her success did not stop there — she was just getting started. Just a year later, she became an integral part of the first Knesset. She moved on to become the first and only female prime minister of Israel, leading the new country through the Yom Kippur War.
DORIT BEINISCH
“We are commanded to act with tolerance and to promote the protection of human rights.”
If anybody fits the description of a strong woman, it is Dorit Beinisch. Beinisch attended Hebrew University of Jerusalem to obtain both her Bachelor and Master of Laws. Prior to this, she served as a lieutenant in the Israeli Defense Force. Beinisch then went on to lead an impressive career in law, breaking numerous glass ceilings along the way. In 1989, she became the first female state attorney in the land of Israel. She maintained that position until she was appointed to the Israeli Supreme Court. In 2006, she was selected to be the very first female chief justice of the Supreme Court.
NIKKI HALEY
“Some people think that you have to be the loudest voice in the room to make a difference. That is just not true. Often, the best thing we can do is turn down the volume. When the sound is quieter, you can actually hear what someone else is saying. And that can make a world of difference.”
Nikki Haley is notoriously known and appreciated for her work defending Israel as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. She began her political career in Orangeburg County, South Carolina where she served on the board of the Chamber of Commerce. In 2004, she ran for Congress and won unopposed. Just six years later, she was elected governor of South Carolina. Upon President Trump’s election, Haley was the first woman to be appointed to a position in his administration. As Ambassador to the U.N., Haley consistently defended Israel and called out those who refused., She once said, “Nowhere has the U.N.’s failure been more consistent and more outrageous than in its bias against our close ally Israel.”
ESTER SPINAT
“I am not forgetting for a moment that I am a girl, but just because I was endowed with the ability to bear children, will you deprive me of flying?”
Throughout her life, Spinat was a force to be reckoned with. At a young age, she joined the Israeli Air Force Youth and immediately fell in love with flying. During flight school, however, she was cut from her class with no explanation. In a society that encouraged women to take on a more domestic role, Spinat knew what she wanted and what she was capable of. She continued to fight the age-old notion that a woman can’t be successful outside of the home. Spinat did go on to become a mother, but she never stifled her passion for being in the sky. Continuing to fly with her pilot’s license, she was proud to have “proved that a woman could fly even after giving birth.”
ADA YONATH
“To solve a problem, one has to be curious and dedicated and industrious and bold. It does not matter what their gender is.”
Ada Yonath had a difficult childhood. She lost her father at only eleven years old, forcing her to step up at home and help out her mom. Despite all of this, her mother continued to encourage her to get an education. She did just that, studying at the Hebrew University for her bachelors before attending the Weizmann Institute for her doctoral work. Yonath was the first Israeli woman to win a Nobel Prize. She was awarded the Prize for her work with the structure of ribosomes. On her work, she said, “I can compare this journey to climbing Mt. Everest only to discover that a higher Everest stood in front of us.” Yonath won the award in 2009, making her the first woman in 45 years to achieve an award in chemistry.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Autumn Klein is a rising sophomore at Nova Southeastern University in Broward County, Florida. She is studying Computer Science, IT, and Math, and on campus, serves as the Vice President for the Association for Computing and Machinery. She is the Founder and President of Women in STEM, the Chairwoman of the College Republicans chapter, is a Freshman Rep. for NSU Chabad, and a member of Phi Alpha Delta.
Autumn has experience interning for Congressman Lee Zeldin, Congressman Gus Bilirakis, and has worked local campaigns for Congressman Gis Bilirakis and Governor Ron DeSantis. In her free time, she writes often for the online publication Lone Conservative.