The sentiments of progressive American Jews towards Israel have been in flux, especially since the traumatic events of October 7, 2023. This tragic day deepened existing divides and highlighted the intricate interplay of identity, loyalty, and political affiliation within the Jewish community.
Lately, I’ve been dwelling on the tremendous sense of betrayal but also on a reassessment of liberal Jews in America. Here are a few examples of some fascinating discussions I’ve had about the relationship between progressive Judaism in the Diaspora and Israel.
RABBI DEBORAH WAXMAN, Ph.D., president of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, described the tension that has been rippling through her community.
“Our students are learning the exceptional level of care and attention necessary to navigate these difficult conversations,” she explained, highlighting the Reconstructionist movement’s dedication to creating a diverse, covenantal community that could handle difficult conversations and endure times of hardship.
This commitment to diversity dates back to the movement’s founder, Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, who believed in Israel’s right to exist but also emphasized the importance of engaging with various perspectives on Zionism and Jewish identity.
Waxman shared this month how the tragic events of October 7 had brought about a new level of urgency and introspection within the movement. She recounted the professionally facilitated workshops and story-sharing sessions implemented to help students navigate the heartbreaking time.
Finding a way through discomfort, and fostering community along the way
“This approach is certainly more complicated than it would be to simply throw out anyone who isn’t 100% aligned with our movement on all things. It means everyone is uncomfortable at least some of the time,” she admitted. The goal, however, has been to foster a sense of community and teach students the importance of maintaining relationships through difficult conversations.
RABBI HAIM O. RECHNITZER of Temple Israel in Marion, Ohio, has an approach that contrasts sharply with the stark observations of Waxman. On May 4, 2024, Rechnitzer delivered a sermon in which he described how the growing anti-Zionist sentiment among progressive Jews is a symptom of a deeper problem.
“Declarations such as ‘I am an anti-Zionist Jew’... signify a moral failure precisely where perceived ethical actions are taken,” he argued. According to Rechnitzer, the progressive Jewish education system had neglected to instill a comprehensive understanding of Jewish religious and cultural diversity.
Instead, it fostered a simplistic worldview that failed to grasp the historical and emotional complexities of Zionism and Jewish identity. “We deconstructed our canonic texts,” he noted, “but practicing a critique of the tradition has not translated into critical self-examination.”
Rechnitzer’s critique highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of Jewish identity, one that acknowledged the diverse experiences and histories that shaped it. He lamented that the commitment to universal values within progressive Judaism often came at the expense of particularistic expressions of Jewish identity.
“The simplified division between indigenous people and colonizers somehow undermines or bluntly ignores the fact that the Jews have returned to their motherland, out of which they were violently expelled and barred by gentile rulers from resettling for over two millennia,” he pointed out, emphasizing the historical connection of Jews to the Land of Israel.
RABBI BENJAMIN DAVID of Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel echoed this call for deeper introspection. On May 3, 2024, David drew on the symbolism of the tent, a recurrent motif in Jewish tradition, to describe the communal and personal spaces where Jews sought solace and understanding.
“The tent is a Jewish symbol of all of it... a place of community, a place of family, a place of remembrance,” he reflected. David was troubled by the rise of anti-Israel protests, which he viewed as an erosion of the very spaces that should foster unity and reflection. “We have watched protests spread across this great nation… with calls for intifada and an end to Israel outright,” he lamented.
For him, the tent represented not just physical shelter, but a symbolic space where Jews could grapple with their identities and values in safety and solidarity.
David’s reflections on the tent underscored the importance of maintaining communal spaces where difficult conversations could occur. He emphasized the need for empathy and understanding, even in profound disagreements.
“Here, in our Tent of Meeting, we feel safe in this frenzied world. Here we can let our shoulders down and breathe a bit easier; the weight of worry is lifted a bit; the stress of the impossible world out there is put on hold for a minute,” he explained, drawing a parallel between the biblical tent and modern Jewish communal spaces.
RABBI ELLIOT J. COSGROVE, Ph.D. of the Park Avenue Synagogue, a member of the Conservative Movement, offered a perspective grounded in moral clarity. In the wake of the October 7 attacks, he found his convictions about Israel’s right to self-defense only strengthened.
“Give me back the hostages, and then we can talk,” he asserted, emphasizing the necessity of addressing immediate threats to Israeli lives.
Cosgrove was acutely aware of the shifting global opinion against Israel but remained steadfast in his support. “I stand by Israel’s right to self-determination and self-defense,” he declared. For him, engaging with those who held different views was crucial to bridging divides and reaffirming shared humanity. “A well-placed question will challenge… and build dialogue and trust,” he advised, underscoring the importance of respectful, thoughtful engagement even in the face of profound disagreements.
ASHIRA BOXMAN, a fourth-year rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College in New York, delivered a powerful sermon reflecting the Jewish community’s unity and diversity. In February, she invoked the image of thousands of Israelites standing together at the foot of Mount Sinai, emphasizing the sacred purpose and unity among the diverse tribes of Israel.
This unity, she noted, was mirrored in the massive gathering at the march for Israel on November 14, 2023. “Being surrounded by close to 200,000 Jewish people coming from all four corners of the earth and from every political and religious spectrum shook me to my core,” she said, describing the profound emotional impact of witnessing such solidarity.
Boxman highlighted the unique strength of unity without uniformity, urging the community to reflect on why it often takes tragedy to unite people.
In her sermon, she questioned the timing of this unity, asking, “Why did it take a massacre of Jews, the deadliest day since the Holocaust, for Jews to bring this many Jews together? And why hasn’t it happened sooner?”
She found wisdom in the Torah portion of Parashat Mishpatim, contemplating how the story might have unfolded differently if Moses had included Aaron and his sons at the summit of Mount Sinai. This inclusion, she suggested, could have led to a stronger, more united community.
Boxman critiqued the Reform movement’s focus on tikkun olam, or repairing the world, at the expense of other critical Jewish values such as ahavat Yisrael, the love for fellow Jews. “We have forgotten that ahavat Yisrael, the love of our people, Israel, is inextricable from tikkun olam,” she asserted, emphasizing the need to balance universal obligations with particularistic ones.
She called for a renewed appreciation of the diverse ways Jews practice Judaism, encouraging leaders to engage with different perspectives respectfully. “We must begin by modeling appreciation for the diverse ways Jews practice Judaism. When we are confident in who we are and what we believe, we do not need to fear or shy away from those who perform ritual and worship differently,” she stated.
Her sermon concluded with a heartfelt prayer for strength, kindness and understanding, urging the community to embrace differences and work together towards a common purpose. “May we find strength to embrace difference, kindness to transcend judgment, and understanding to replace assumptions,” she prayed.
FORMER MK TEHILA FRIEDMAN wrote a beautiful post earlier this week on Facebook about this issue. She shared that she was at a picturesque site in New York state with Jewish participants from the US, Europe, and Israel who had gathered for a social leadership seminar sponsored by the Schusterman Foundation. The discussions focused on the impact of October 7 on their lives, evoking strong emotions and reflections. Despite the lack of fear in the streets of New York, she explained that the sense of upheaval was palpable among the group.
Friedman wrote that this moment of crisis also presents an opportunity for renewed connection. The realization that “we are one is becoming more evident as Jewish-American individualism shows cracks and the arrogance of Israeli self-reliance wanes. Despite the existential uncertainty, the sense of collective identity is strengthening. This is a moment that reminds us of the strategic importance of unity,” she said.
“There is a very frightening moment here of existential uncertainty and a foggy future for Jews, but also of opportunity for renewed connection,” one participant noted, capturing the essence of the seminar’s discussions.
Let’s hope some of us internalize and implement some of these insights – we need it.