Sarah Beth Alcabes
Overview
Sarah Beth Alcabes was arrested while leading an INN disruption, in partnership with Taher Herzallah of American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), to protest U.S. Senator Ben Cardin’s anti-Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) legislation.She also attempted to block Jews from carrying Star of David rainbow flags in the 2019 D.C. Dyke March as a member with an IfNotNow (INN).
Alcabes has promoted INN’s use of repurposing Jewish rituals, protested against the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and participated in anti-Israel activism with INN.
Alcabes is a member of CODEPINK in Washington DC’s Facebook group “CODEPINK DC,” since April 2017.
Alcabes was an activist with J Street U at the University of California, Berkeley (Berkeley) from 2012-2014. She was also an activist with the New Israel Fund (NIF) and a member of NIF’s Bay Area Facebook group called the “New Israel Fund New Generations (SF),” since 2010.
As of April 2019, Alcabes’ LinkedIn page said she was an Assistant Teacher at Two Rivers Public Charter School, in the Washington D.C. Metro Area.
Alcabes’ LinkedIn page also said she received a bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies in 2014 from Berkeley.
Arrest
On April 16, 2018, Alcabes was arrested while leading [00:34:41] an INN DC disruption in partnership with Taher Herzallah, the Associate Director of Outreach & Grassroots Organizing of AMP. The disruption was to protest U.S. Senator Ben Cardin’s proposed anti-BDS legislation. INN activists were arrested for occupying Cardin’s office.
During the disruption, Herzallah criticized [00:06:06] Cardin’s anti-BDS legislation, Senate Bill S.720. As INN activists were nodding in approval, Herzallah said [00:06:55] “we stand here today to oppose S.720.”
During the disruption, Herzallah criticized [00:06:06] Cardin’s anti-BDS legislation, Senate Bill S.720. As INN activists were nodding in approval, Herzallah said [00:06:55] “we stand here today to oppose S.720.”
Herzallah also claimed that the Israeli response to the Great March of Return protests on their border with Gaza was that [00:05:42] “the Israeli soldiers pick off Palestinian protesters like it’s open season.”
Media reports confirmed [00:00:20] the March of Return protesters’ breaches and attempted breaches of Israel’s border fence, some by armed Palestinians. One Hamas leader declared [00:00:30]: “We will take down the border [with Israel] and we will tear out their hearts from their bodies.”
During the disruption, Jill Raney, an INN organizer, called [00:09:55] on Senator Cardin to condemn: “Israeli violence against peaceful protesters.”
Alcabes read out the names [00:07:17] of Palestinians [00:20:20] “killed by the IDF for protesting” and led [00:09:10] activists in saying the Mourner’s Kaddish prayer for them.
The Jewish ritual of the Mourner’s Kaddish is a prayer customarily reserved for close relatives or Jews murdered for being Jews.
Following INN’s intrusion into Cardin’s offices, Herzallah was interviewed [00:44:49], for INN’s Facebook page, pledging: “we will continue to stand every Friday, ‘til we return, continue on the Great March.”
A Seder is a Jewish Passover ritual, that involves telling the story of the Israelites’ exodus from slavery in ancient Egypt and their travels to the Promised Land.
Repurposing Jewish Rituals
On April 20, 2016, Alcabes promoted an INN DC “liberation seder” in front of Hillel International’s office in Washington, D.C. The activists can be seen sitting at a mock Passover Seder table and wearing t-shirts that say: “No Liberation With Occupation.”A Seder is a Jewish Passover ritual, that involves telling the story of the Israelites’ exodus from slavery in ancient Egypt and their travels to the Promised Land.
INN uploaded resources for public use and claimed that approximately 500 people participated in their liberation seders. Twenty three INN activists were reportedly arrested at liberation seder events across the country.
On April 21, 2016, Alcabes shared on Facebook an INN post that glorified activists who were arrested at an INN New York protestor who participated in a “liberation seder” and disruption they held in the lobby of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in New York City.
Alcabes commented: “This is my community! Fighting for freedom and dignity for all people and demanding an end to American Jewish support of the occupation #dumptrump #dumpaipac.”
On March 26, 2017, indicated on Facebook that she “went” to INN’s protest outside the Washington, D.C. venue of the AIPAC policy conference, where some activists chained themselves to the entrance of the conference center. She also indicated on Facebook that she “went” to two INN DC events in preparation for the protest.
Also on March 26, 2017, Alcabes posted a photo on Facebook of INN activists protesting against the AIPAC conferenceand commented: “#JewishResistance REJECTS AIPAC.”
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.”
On April 21, 2016, Alcabes shared on Facebook an INN post that glorified activists who were arrested at an INN New York protestor who participated in a “liberation seder” and disruption they held in the lobby of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in New York City.
Protesting AIPAC
On March 22, 2016, Alcabes shared to Facebook an article reporting on INN’s demonstration protesting US President Donald Trump’s upcoming speech at the AIPAC conference.Alcabes commented: “This is my community! Fighting for freedom and dignity for all people and demanding an end to American Jewish support of the occupation #dumptrump #dumpaipac.”
On March 26, 2017, indicated on Facebook that she “went” to INN’s protest outside the Washington, D.C. venue of the AIPAC policy conference, where some activists chained themselves to the entrance of the conference center. She also indicated on Facebook that she “went” to two INN DC events in preparation for the protest.
Also on March 26, 2017, Alcabes posted a photo on Facebook of INN activists protesting against the AIPAC conferenceand commented: “#JewishResistance REJECTS AIPAC.”
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.
On March 27, 2017, Alcabes indicated on Facebook that she “went” to a protest outside of AIPAC's Conference at the Mt. Vernon Convention Center to focus “on the ways AIPAC supports Islamophobia.”
During the protest, one leader claimed [00:30:18] that AIPAC is “Islamophobic” and “peddles Islamophobia.” Another INN speaker took the bullhorn to explain [00:09:04] that he came out to “make sure that we continue to resist the awful influence that AIPAC has on the Jewish community and our country as a whole.”
INN Activism
On September 26, 20167, Alcabes promoted INN’s "You Never Told Me" campaign on Facebook. The campaign calls on Jewish educational organizations and institutions to include information about “the occupation” in their teachings about Israel.The campaign featured INN members providing testimonials about their Israel-related educational experiences with different Jewish organizations, including United Synagogue Youth (USY), Camp Ramah, the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and the Solomon Schechter Day School Network.
Some of the testimonials were published as op-ed pieces in publications like The Forward, the JewSchool and 972mag.
On March 5, 2018, Alcabes appeared in a group photo of INN activists on Facebook attending a training session in Washington DC.
On November 27, 2018, Alcabes launched a fundraiser for INN on Facebook.
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
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/1065870848LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahbethalcabes/
Twitter:https://twitter.com/sbalcaBEST
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gay_for_lavender/ [Private]
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/gay_for_lavender/ [Private]
