Articles

It’s hard to believe it is possible to be more disturbed by the details of Hamas’ butchery on Oct. 7 and the harrowing experiences of hostages taken into Gaza, and yet new photos and interviews and investigations continue to bring new revelations to light. Despite all this, and even as social media and traditional news outlets continue to document increasing instances of antisemitism, there are still Jewish public figures and organizations in America who are choosing at this moment to focus their energies on critiquing Israel’s policies or even questioning the legitimacy of its existence.

In the aftermath of the Hamas pogrom of October 7, we sense a different moment in time as a religious community and as citizens of this country. This is a new war against the Jews, as Hamas’ assault on Israelis is now being carried forward by their allies on America’s soil and beyond. In connection with the Gaza crisis, we are experiencing a series of challenging moments, setting off complex emotions, triggering new questions and generating an array of both personal and collective concerns.

Frederick Douglas reminds us that “Power concedes nothing without a demand.” The staging of the November 14th Solidarity Rally for Israel succeeded on several different fronts. Its message was targeted, direct and clear. The massive attendance, beating all predictions, exceeding all prior Washington Jewish gatherings, made it newsworthy and relevant. It received global coverage, not only in connection with its impressive numbers but the nature of its political and humanitarian messages.

Earlier this week, a new poll reflecting Jewish political behavior since the outbreak of the Gaza Conflict was released:[1]

…the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute found that 74% of Jewish voters approve of President Biden’s handling of the war between Israel and Hamas. The survey, conducted from November 5-9 by GBAO Strategies, measured the attitudes of the American Jewish electorate in response to Hamas’s attack on Israel, the threat of antisemitism, and their preferences for the 2024 presidential election.

Voters are already telling us a great deal already about next year’s election. While some folks are currently dismissing both major political party candidates for President, there is more generally a broad and deep disconnect among voters with what is more broadly unfolding in this nation.

Over the weeks following October 7th, I have lost a part of myself as well as my America! As if without warning, I along so many of my colleagues have experienced a series of losses. This past month, I have seen friends disappear; the failure of America’s elite universities to be responsive to the needs of their students and alumni; and sadly, my political party move further left, upending its long-held consensus on the American-Israel partnership.

This series of articles were prepared prior to the events of October 7th. The analysis of these ongoing political challenges sadly aligns with what we are currently experiencing.

This article follows two earlier commentaries, one on the current state of our society and its implications for Jews.[1] The other provides an internal Jewish response to these challenges.[2] In this column a set of proposals are introduced for reinvigorating the American experience, where the Jewish community can and must play an essential role.

Over these difficult weeks, I had occasion to address several audiences in connection with the events unfolding in Israel. Posted below are some of the reactions that I have received. They reflect both the diversity and complexity that one finds at this moment within our community.

The anti-Israel campaign is alive and well. Immediately following the Hamas attack on civilians in southern Israel, groups across the anti-Israel spectrum were defending these actions. In their minds this is a war of liberation. As a colonialist occupier, Israel has no standing, and its American (government) supporters are seen as enabling the Jewish State to unlawfully control peoples and lands.

It has only been two days since we learned of the terrorist assault on the State and people of Israel. Yet, for those of us who have lived a lifetime parallel to the story of the founding and evolution of the Jewish State, this marks another moment of reflection, of sadness, and of concern but always of hope.