No ifs, ands, or buts in Jewish unity

Unity is good. Who doesn’t want unity? We’re all for it: Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform Jews, people from both the Right and the Left of the political spectrum. No matter where we come from – a kibbutz, a moshav, or the city – since October 7, we all understand the importance of unity and the urgent need to change the social discourse prevalent before the outbreak of the current war.

Last week, thousands gathered at the Western Wall in a mass prayer for the release of the hostages. Organizers and spokespeople claimed this was an event that “cuts across sectors,” and unsurprisingly, they spoke about the unity of Israel and how important and necessary it is these days. But the thought of inviting and including Conservative and Reform Jews to such an event likely didn’t even cross the minds of the Orthodox organizers.

You may ask: How do I know this? Let me tell you a story.

The Masorti (Conservative) Movement in Israel and abroad, like all the Jewish people, is active in the efforts to release the hostages. Two of the captives, Naama Levy and Omer Neutra, grew up in the Masorti-Conservative Movement and were raised on the values of egalitarian Judaism. They are our own flesh and blood. It’s only natural that our congregations in the US are active in the public and political spheres and are in contact with the families of the hostages, seeking to help in any way they can.

A solidarity mission of Conservative leadership visited Israel not long ago, shortly after the war broke out. They even ran for shelter together with hundreds of others when sirens went off during a rally at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv.

During our visit at the headquarters of the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum, a group of ultra-Orthodox rabbis from abroad was on another floor of the building and asked Forum personnel to make sure we don’t cross paths and that they aren’t photographed with us, heaven forbid, in the same space, breathing the same air. Gevalt!

Unity must be unconditional 

What is true for this group of ultra-Orthodox rabbis is true for the organizers of the mass prayer last week. The Jewish people are their top priority, and they’re all in favor of unity, but just without this group or another. This doesn’t gel. This kind of unity, with an asterisk, is fake unity. It’s running away from the problem, dodging the issue, and alienating half of the Jewish people in the world. Unity requires compromise and includes everyone; it’s all or nothing.

Unity is not something that’s “nice to have.” It is the key to our existence here, as we’ve learned firsthand. We can either all unite around a shared narrative and ethos, despite our differences, or find ourselves pulled back into the internal wars in a sad and predictable process. We must not repeat the mistakes of the past. We must not go back to October 6.

The writer is the executive director of the Masorti Movement in Israel.