Let’s make that S Street

We’ve written before about J Street, a collection of leftists with a history of harsh criticism of Israel that claims to represent the “sensible mainstream of pro-Israel American Jews.” In my first post about the group, which I called “The J Street Deception,” I wrote: “There’s nothing wrong with Carteresque Jews forming a lobbying group, but it would be nice to see a little bit of truth in their advertising.”
Now, the great Eli Lake has exposed the true degree of the J Street Deception. Lake shows that, despite previous denials that it accepted funds from George Soros, J Street has, in fact, secretly received funding from the billionaire leftist activist. This is revealed in tax forms that show Soros and his two children, Jonathan and Andrea Soros, contributed a total $245,000 to J Street from one Manhattan address in New York during the fiscal year from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009. The Soros contributions represent one-third of J Street’s revenue from U.S. sources during the period.
Lake’s revelation has forced J Street to abandon this particular deception. Its website, in a section called “myths and facts,” had included a passage that said: “George Soros very publicly stated his decision not to be engaged in J Street when it was launched — precisely out of fear that his involvement would be used against the organization.” After Lake’s discovery was called to its attention, the website was amended to state: “J Street has said it doesn’t receive money from George Soros, but now news reports indicate that he has in fact contributed.”
Soros is so stridently anti-Israel that, as Lake notes, when Barack Obama was running for president in 2008, his campaign was quick to disown some of Soros’ more outspoken criticisms of the Israeli government. It’s no wonder, then, that J Street denied Soros’ involvement. With his central role revealed, J Street’s claim to represent “sensible mainstream of pro-Israel American Jews” becomes more laughable than ever.
SCOTT adds: Or should that be E Street (in honor of Consolacion Esdicul)?

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