Since the early 20th century, American Jewry has broadly supported the idea of the establishment of a Jewish national home in the land of Israel. Following the creation of the State of Israel, and mainly after the country became a strategic asset in the eyes of subsequent American administrations, this support became increasingly institutionalized due to the meteoric rise of institutions, organizations and lobbies that successfully spearheaded pro-Israel legislation in Congress while also working to torpedo government initiatives viewed as discordant with Israel's vital security interests.
Indeed, while in the decades preceding Israel's independence this support was largely the product of private initiatives by prominent figures such as former Supreme Court Justices Louis Brandeis and Felix Frankfurter, after Israel's birth these individual efforts became increasingly comprehensive in nature as organizations and institutions came aboard on behalf of Israel, its security and its welfare.
Thus, alongside notable achievements by figures such as Mike Feldman (who as adviser to President John F. Kennedy played a central role in formulating the trailblazing executive order to sell Hawk missiles to Israel in 1962), it was the pro-Israel organizations in America's domestic arena, chief among them AIPAC, which worked methodically and persistently to upgrade the special relationship between Washington and Jerusalem.
The remarkable headway these organizations made throughout the years wasn't simply due to their organizational and financial capabilities, but because they were operating in a supportive and favorable public environment.
And yet, beyond the perception among Americans that Israel's birth and the values it espoused were fundamentally similar to the American ethos and experience, it was Israel's character as a country of immigrants, with a rich and diverse cultural and ethnic tapestry, that was viewed as analogous to American society.
Amid this backdrop, it was only natural for American Jewry and its institutions to try translating this supportive infrastructure into congruent policy. These efforts were particularly palpable in times of friction and diplomatic fissures, which occasionally sullied the relations (for instance, the "re-evaluation" crisis of late 1974, which ended in President Gerald Ford's administration, amid efforts by AIPAC and Congress, to offer Israel a comprehensive package of compensation and guarantees for withdrawing from the Sinai Peninsula).
The fact that the "Jewish vote" in U.S. presidential elections has traditionally carried strategic significance, due to relatively high voter turnout among Jews, the weight and importance of this community has been amplified even more within America's internal discourse – especially because, at least until the beginning of the current century, Jewish communities were predominantly concentrated in key states.
The Pollard affair
Alongside this string of remarkable achievements, the shadows always hid a lurking menace which sporadically tarnished the efforts of American Jewry and often alarmed its leaders. During the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower, for example, American Jews and their leaders were largely reluctant to publicly and explicitly advocate for Israel. The fear of being accused of dual loyalty, particularly in the era of the McCarthy witch hunts (which mostly targeted Jews), together with the initial strategic worldview adopted by the Eisenhower administration, which was hostile to Israel – were the primary impetus for this cautious approach.
Without dispute, the scandal surrounding Jonathan Pollard, who was sentenced in 1987 to life in prison for spying for Israel, forced American to Jews to again face complex and difficult questions regarding their loyalties and identities. Today, too, in the era of deep social schisms and ideological polarization, things aren't entirely rosy in the Jewish-American sphere. Indeed, many Jewish Americans, predominantly from the liberal camp of the Democratic Party, are clearly drifting away from Israel.
And yet despite this apparent erosion in support, the Jewish community continues to comprise the core base for the special relationship between the United States and Israel, and we can expect it to provide a safety net for Israel against any challenge and threat in the future as well.
