Hallie Berkson-Gold
Overview
Hallie Berkson-Gold is an activist with IfNotNow (INN) who walked off a Birthright Jewish Heritage tour in July 2018. She has also organized a protest against the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), demonized American Jews and defended anti-Israel agitators.Berkson-Gold graduated from the University of Vermont (UVM) in 2013. As of December 2017, Berkson-Gold reportedly worked at The Howard Center in Burlington, VT.
Berkson-Gold uses the name “Hal Rose” on Facebook.
Walking Off Birthright
On July 15, 2018, Berkson-Gold was one of several participants who joined and then staged a walk-out in protest from a Birthright tour of Israel.INN posted a photo of the activists, including Berkson-Gold, on Instagram, and wrote: “Birthright wouldn’t show the reality and complexity of the Occupation, so earlier today 8 young Jews walked off 2 trips to go find the truth for themselves.” The activists claimed (00:00:01) Birthright trips were “like visiting the South in the 1950s and not talking about Jim Crow segregation.”
Berkson-Gold videotaped the walkout and posted it live on Facebook. According to INN, Facebook removed the video: “bowing down to the right-wing Israel lobby.” Facebook later unblocked the video.
Following their walk-off, the activists set up a GoFundMe campaign to recoup their costs of walking off their trip, including deposits and return plane ticket fees.
On July 19, 2018, Berkson-Gold, along with fellow walk-offs Rebecca Oliver and Sarah Fadem, gave an interview to Neveen Ayesh of American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) Missouri, on Facebook. During the interview, the activists discussed their activities after leaving their trip and Fadem talked about joining a tour with the anti-Israel organization Breaking the Silence (BtS).
Fadem mentioned that she and her fellow activists who walked off the trip had been engaging their fellow Birthright participants about the Occupation and that [00:09:17] “Jews in America have been systematically separated from this knowledge.”
The activists said why they chose to leave the tour precisely during their visit to the ancient City of David and Oliver remarked that the Jewish National Fund (JNF) was [00:15:01] “actively working to displace Palestinians in the name of an archaeological park, where it’s actually just a guise for settlers to move in.”
Also on July 19, 2018, Berkson-Gold appeared in a video filmed by INN activist and fellow Birthright walk-off Elon Glickman.
In the video, seven activists stood outside JNF’s office in central Jerusalem and held a sign while fellow Birthright walk-off Risa Nagel read scripted remarks off her phone. Nagel spoke [00:01:30] about their recent action and stated that: “rather than be complicit in this pro-Occupation agenda, we walked off our trip.”
Nagel mentioned [00:02:33] that they remembered JNF and their charity boxes and lamented: “Little did we know that the money was being used to...make life hell for the Palestinians.”
Nagel urged people watching the video to sign the INN letter linked in the video’s description, urging the JNF to “Stop Uprooting Palestinian Families in East Jerusalem.”
On April 5, 2019, Berkson-Gold attended a protest with INN against Taglit-Birthright in New York City. The event was called: “Birthright: It's Time to Choose - Us or the Donors?”
The event’s Facebook description said that “hundreds” of young Jews...will converge on Birthright’s headquarters to give them one final chance to choose between the demands of INN members and their current policy.”
INN activists reportedly chanted outside of Birthright headquarters, linked arms and blocked entrances to the building. Fifteen activists were arrested [01:21:07] for refusing to move.
The day of the protest, Berkson posted a live video of the protest to Facebook and said: “Hundreds of us are here in New York right now, taking action to send a clear message to Birthright. They have to make a choice: #UsOrTheDonors?”
On July 21, 2018, Berkson posted a status on Facebook summarizing her trip after walking off Birthright. She called Israel “an apartheid state,” accused Israeli “soldiers literally poisoning your [Palestinian] well without consequence” and mocked Israeli defensive actions as “collective punishment.”
Protesting AIPAC
On March 9, 2017, Berkson- Gold helped organize an IfNotNow event called: “Join the Jewish Resistance: Vermont Community Action Meeting.”The event’s Facebook description said: “Join IfNotNow for our Vermont Community Action Meeting to learn more about our upcoming action at AIPAC’s policy conference in March. We will talk about IfNotNow's strategy for the next three months, our plans for the action and how we’re mobilizing our community for our largest action of the #JewishResistance.”
Berkson-Gold indicated on Facebook that she “went” to a March 25, 2017 INN event called: “Jewish Resistance at AIPAC Preparation and Training Day.” The event’s Facebook description invited participants to “Join IfNotNow on Saturday, March 25 to prepare for Sunday's #JewishResistance at AIPAC action.”
Berkson-Gold indicated on Facebook that she “went” to a March 26, 2017 INN protest outside the Washington D.C. venue of the AIPAC Policy Conference. Protestors chained themselves to the entrance of the conference center. Several hundred protesters also marched and chanted for hours outside the venue.
The stated mission of AIPAC is to “strengthen, protect and promote the U.S.-Israel relationship in ways that enhance the security of the United States and Israel.”
Four INN activists purchased tickets to the conference as AIPAC delegates, in order to gain access to the building. Once inside, the INN activists, dropped [00:00:37] banners from the center’s third floor, stating that they “reject AIPAC and the occupation,” before being removed by security.
The letter said the “American Jewish community -- organizations, communal and religious institutions, and its members...supported the violence of the Occupation, both tacitly and openly” and “cheered excessive and illegal military force.”
The letter also alleged that the “American Jewish community ostracizes those who see the Palestinians as human beings.”
Berkson-Gold said that “conflating the Jewish people with the State of Israel” was anti-Semitic, that AIPAC’s actions “all too often fall into antisemitic tropes” and that AIPAC “supports various human rights abuses.”
Demonizing American Jews
In May 2018, Berkson-Gold signed an open letter from INN titled: “I Will Confront -- Not Celebrate -- 50 Years of Occupation.” The letter was directed towards the “leaders of the Jewish establishment” and said, “while you celebrate 50 years of the “reunification” of Jerusalem, I am joining the rising Jewish anti-Occupation movement and confronting 50 years of Occupation.”The letter said the “American Jewish community -- organizations, communal and religious institutions, and its members...supported the violence of the Occupation, both tacitly and openly” and “cheered excessive and illegal military force.”
The letter also alleged that the “American Jewish community ostracizes those who see the Palestinians as human beings.”
Defending Anti Israel Agitators
On February 12, 2019, Berkson Gold posted on Facebook about the controversy surrounding U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar and her anti-semitic tweets.Berkson-Gold said that “conflating the Jewish people with the State of Israel” was anti-Semitic, that AIPAC’s actions “all too often fall into antisemitic tropes” and that AIPAC “supports various human rights abuses.”
Ilhan Omar was elected to the U.S. Congress in 2018. In February 2019, top Congressional leaders denounced Omar for tweeting anti-Semitic remarks.Omar has demonized Israel and endorsed BDS. In July 2019, Omar introduced a pro-BDS resolution in the U.S. Congress, which she described as “an opportunity for us to explain why it is we support…the BDS movement.”
On October 7, 2018, Berkson-Gold posted a petition to Facebook supporting Lara Alqasem. Berkson-Gold claimed Aqasem was “racially profiled at customs” and asked “Academics and Jewish professionals” to sign her petition.
In October 2018, Alqasem was detained at Ben Gurion airport after trying to enter Israel, because of her anti-Israel activism and, specifically, her support for the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement and leadership as a president of a chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). Alqasem was granted entry into Israel after appealing to the Israeli Supreme Court.
INN claims to take no position on the BDS movement and that it is “open to any who seek to shift the American Jewish public away from the status quo that upholds the Occupation.” However, INN organizes with pro-BDS, anti-Israel organizations including American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP).
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/601216424
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/halberksgo/ [Private]
In October 2018, Alqasem was detained at Ben Gurion airport after trying to enter Israel, because of her anti-Israel activism and, specifically, her support for the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement and leadership as a president of a chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). Alqasem was granted entry into Israel after appealing to the Israeli Supreme Court.
IfNotNow (INN)
IfNotNow (INN) is an anti-Israel organization founded in 2014, in response to Israel’s Operation Protective Edge (OPE) against Hamas.
INN claims to be “young Jews angered by the overwhelmingly hawkish response of American Jewish institutions” to OPE. INN presents three demands on its website: “Stop the War on Gaza, End the Occupation, and Freedom and Dignity for All.”
INN defines “the Occupation as the military rule over Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza,” which is land Israel has controlled for nearly 50 years since the 1967 Six-Day War. However, INN leaders have made [00:34:32] the claim [00:13:49] at protests that the occupation is 70 years long, referring to Israel’s founding in 1948.
INN actions have aimed to demonize [00:38:13] Israel, harass [00:05:44] mainstream American Jewish organizations like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and decrease support for Israel among American Jews.
INN has used “public action and imaginative ritual” to achieve its goals, including disruptions where activists were arrested.
One of the high-profile arrests occurred at a May 2018 disruption at a U.S. Senator’s office in Washington, D.C. to protest legislation against the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
At the same incident, INN used [00:07:17] the Jewish ritual of the Mourner’s Kaddish prayer to mourn [00:09:10] protesters who were killed during the Hamas-organized and funded Great March of Return riots on the Israel-Gaza border.
INN activists have also staged and promoted walk-offs from Birthright Israel trips, a heritage trip to Israel for young Jewish adults from across the world.
INN claims to be “young Jews angered by the overwhelmingly hawkish response of American Jewish institutions” to OPE. INN presents three demands on its website: “Stop the War on Gaza, End the Occupation, and Freedom and Dignity for All.”
INN defines “the Occupation as the military rule over Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza,” which is land Israel has controlled for nearly 50 years since the 1967 Six-Day War. However, INN leaders have made [00:34:32] the claim [00:13:49] at protests that the occupation is 70 years long, referring to Israel’s founding in 1948.
INN actions have aimed to demonize [00:38:13] Israel, harass [00:05:44] mainstream American Jewish organizations like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and decrease support for Israel among American Jews.
INN has used “public action and imaginative ritual” to achieve its goals, including disruptions where activists were arrested.
One of the high-profile arrests occurred at a May 2018 disruption at a U.S. Senator’s office in Washington, D.C. to protest legislation against the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
At the same incident, INN used [00:07:17] the Jewish ritual of the Mourner’s Kaddish prayer to mourn [00:09:10] protesters who were killed during the Hamas-organized and funded Great March of Return riots on the Israel-Gaza border.
INN activists have also staged and promoted walk-offs from Birthright Israel trips, a heritage trip to Israel for young Jewish adults from across the world.
INN claims to take no position on the BDS movement and that it is “open to any who seek to shift the American Jewish public away from the status quo that upholds the Occupation.” However, INN organizes with pro-BDS, anti-Israel organizations including American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP).
Social Media and Weblinks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BerksonGoldFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/601216424
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/halberksgo/ [Private]
- Status:
- Unknown
- University:
- Vermont
- Organizations:
- INN
- Related Profiles:
- Last Modified:
- 05/04/2026
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