Israel and Palestine

The Jewish community’s often uncomplex reactions to critiques of Israel have now been weaponized by the right to attack free speech and democracy in the United States.

Today, Israel is more a source of division in the Jewish world than it is a source of unity.

The definition of antisemitism should work to keep Jews safe as Jews in school, while not curtailing free speech or the cultural and religious safety of others, including Muslims and Palestinians.

We cannot afford to dismiss thoughts that are not 100% in lockstep with our own as irrelevant, heretical or even criminal.

Where there is struggle, there is hope.

Can joint peace groups like the Combatants for Peace make a difference, particularly in these very dark times?

When people are traumatized or fearful, they cannot hear another person’s perspective until their fear and trauma have been heard.

The traditional prayer for the state of Israel, more literally titled A Prayer for Peace for the State, made no distinction between peace, survival and victory. It is time to make such distinctions.

In a situation that was already so broken, trying to avoid breaking something by “threading the needle” doesn’t work.

That day, I took off from work to play soccer with the brothers of the Bedouin girl who was injured in Iran’s missile attack.