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IfNotNow is an American left-wing Jewish activist group that opposes the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. IfNotNow was founded in 2014 during the 2014 Gaza War.
The name IfNotNow is derived from a saying of the 1st-century BCE and early 1st-century CE Jewish sage Rabbi Hillel the Elder recorded in Pirkei Avot 1:14: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?"
Going beyond critiquing the actions of Israel, IfNotNow proposes a Jewish diasporic cultural identity that Professor David Graizbord of the University of Arizona characterized as "left-progressive pan-Judaism." IfNotNow rejects liberal Zionist, centrist, and religious Zionist readings of Jewish history and tradition by characterizing them as artefacts of an out-of-touch American Jewish establishment. IfNotNow is largely agnostic to the desirability of Israel's existence, converging upon the idea that true Jewishness is internationalist and progressive.
IfNotNow endorsed Zohran Mamdani in the 2025 New York City mayoral election.
IfNotNow has sought to highlight similarities and ties between the Trump administration and the administration of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
IfNotNow campaigns against the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). IfNotNow describes AIPAC as having supported 109 "insurrectionist Republicans" and supported "rightwing antisemites." In August 2022, the AIPAC tweeted that "George Soros has a long history of backing anti-Israel groups...Now he's giving $1 million to help @jstreetdotorg support anti-Israel candidates and attack pro-Israel Democrats. AIPAC works to strengthen pro-Israel mainstream Democrats. J Street & Soros work to undermine them." In response to the tweet, IfNotNow denounced AIPAC for antisemitism, tweeting that "AIPAC is the antisemitic far right...They are not a Jewish org, nor claim to be one."
After the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, IfNotNow issued a statement that "We cannot and will not say today's actions by Palestinian militants are unprovoked." According to historian Sara Yael Hirschhorn, IfNotNow's statement placed the group beyond "red lines" maintained by mainstream American Jews. IfNotNow's description of Israel's actions during the Gaza war as Gaza genocide led to Jewish artists Shoshana Jedwab and Rabbi Menachem Creditor to demand IfNotNow remove their songs from its literature and stop using their songs at protests.
In November 2023, the Anti-Defamation League classified protest events led by groups including Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow as "anti-Israel", adding the protests to a database documenting rising antisemitism in the US. ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt labelled both organizations as "hate groups".
IfNotNow, along with Jewish Voice for Peace, led an October 16, 2023, rally in Washington, D.C., that called for a ceasefire in the Gaza war and for United States President Joe Biden to support a ceasefire. Among the speakers was actor Wallace Shawn.
On November 15, 2023, they participated in the 2023 Democratic National Committee protests along with Jewish Voice for Peace and other pro-Palestinian protesters.
IfNotNow and JVP were two of the organizers of the pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University during the Gaza war.
Activity
In 2017, Members of IfNotNow were arrested for interrupting U.S. Ambassador to Israel David M. Friedman's Senate confirmation hearing, blowing a shofar and criticizing his support and funding of settlements in the West Bank.
Funding
IfNotNow is supported by the Tides Foundation, which is seeded by Democratic megadonor George Soros.
External links
Categories: Official Website, Anti-israeli Sentiment In The United States, Jewish Anti-occupation Groups, Jewish-american Political Organizations, Organizations Involved In The Israeli–palestinian Conflict, Political Organizations Based In The United States, Progressive Organizations In The United States, Jewish Anti-zionist Organizations, Palestinian Solidarity Movement In The United States
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