Boston City Councilor Wu's AIPAC Connection?

Most politically progressive peace movement activists (of all racial, religious and national backgrounds) who live in Boston endorse the Palestinian solidarity movement’s Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions [BDS] campaign in the 21st-century--in the same way most politically progressive anti-war activists who lived in Boston in the 1980’s endorsed the anti-apartheid movement’s BDS campaign, prior to ANC leader Nelson Mandela’s release from prison.

The Jewish Voice for Peace anti-war group, for example, provides the following explanation, on its website, for why it endorses the BDS campaign:

“Jewish Voice for Peace endorses the call from Palestinian civil society for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions [BDS] as part of our work for freedom, justice and equality for all people…We join with communities of conscience around the world in supporting Palestinians, who call for BDS until the Israeli government:

“`End its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands occupied in June 1967 and dismantles the Wall; recognizes the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and respects, protects and promotes the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN Resolution 194.’"

In addition, in a Jewish Telegraph Agency article, titled “Poll finds a quarter of U.S. Jews think Israel is `apartheid state,’" that The Times of Israel posted on its website on July 13, 2021, Ron Kampers noted:

“Among respondents to the survey commissioned by the Jewish Electorate Institute, a group of prominent Jewish Democrats, 34 percent agreed that `Israel's treatment of Palestinians is similar to racism in the United States; 25% agreed that `Israel is an apartheid state’ and 22% agreed that `Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians.’

“Among younger voters included in the survey…agreement with those statements was higher… Among voters under 40…more than a third agreed that Israel is an apartheid state…”

Yet during the 7 years that Councilor Michelle Wu has been sitting on Boston’s City Council, neither Boston’s city council nor Boston’s mayor has formally endorsed the U.S. peace movement and Palestinian solidarity movement’s BDS campaign. And in 2021 Councilor Wu has apparently not agreed to formally endorse the BDS campaign in 2022, if elected as Boston’s next mayor in November 2021.

Coincidentally, according to Wu Committee financial disclosure forms, on Jan. 25, 2021, Councilor Wu’s campaign committee accepted a $1,000 campaign contribution from a former Deputy Director of AIPAC (a group that opposes the BDS campaign) in New England named Jay Ruderman, who is currently the president of the Ruderman Family Foundation. Less than 3 months before making his $1,000 campaign contribution to the Wu Committee, the former New England AIPAC Deputy Director had also interviewed 2021 mayoral candidate Wu in a “special episode” of the Ruderman Family Foundation-produced “All Inclusive Podcast” show on Nov. 17, 2020—which was titled “Boston City Councilwoman and Rising Star Michelle Wu.”

According to the Ruderman Family Foundation’s website, besides being a former Deputy Director of AIPAC in New England, “in 2005, Mr. Ruderman enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces [IDF] and became the liaison between the IDF and Diaspora Jewry;” and “after his service in the IDF he returned to AIPAC as the Leadership Director for AIPAC in Israel.”

In addition, Councilor Wu’s campaign committee also accepted a $1,000 contribution from Brookline, MA’s Sharon Shapiro of the Ruderman Family Foundation and a $1,000 contribution from Ruderman Family Foundation Executive Director Shira Ruderman on Jan. 25, 2021. And, also coincidentally, according to the Ruderman Family Foundation’s website, Shira Ruderman “served 3 years as commander in the Intelligence Unit of the Israeli Army.”

A Feb. 26, 2019 article on The Times of Israel website by Amanda Borschel-Dan noted that the Israeli-born Shira Ruderman was a member of “the IDF’s prestigious 8200 intelligence unit.” And less than two months before Shira Ruderman and Jay Ruderman were the honorees at a March 21, 2019 Israeli American Council Boston event held at the Royale Boston on 279 Tremont Street, Shira Ruderman was also a panelist at the 12th Annual Conference of Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies, which was held on Jan. 28-29, 2019.

And, again coincidentally, according to the Institute for National Security Studies [INSS] website, “since late 2016, INSS has conducted an organized research project dealing with the challenges of the BDS movement.”

(Note: In a Sept. 17, 2021 email to the Michelle For Boston campaign committee, this writer asked if Councilor Wu will agree to formally endorse in 2022 the U.S. peace movement’s and Palestinian solidarity movement’s Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions [BDS] campaign—if Councilor Wu is elected mayor of Boston in the November 2021 municipal election? But, as of late September 19, 2021, the Michelle For Boston campaign committee has not provided this writer with any brief reply by email.)