Reform Judaism has historic opportunity to connect with Israel - comment

Israelis who participated in the Reform Movement North America’s conference in Washington DC in December felt something different than before. 

During this celebration of the 150th birthday of the most significant religious stream of American Judaism, the attitude towards Israel changed from what we’ve gotten used to seeing in recent years.

In a surprising move, heads of the movement, alongside those from other significant progressive Jewish organizations, refrained from prioritizing a call for a ceasefire and instead chose to acknowledge the appropriateness of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.

Their emphasis, however, was on advocating for a fairer approach to military operations, increasing humanitarian assistance for Gazans, and focusing on freeing the hostages. These movements have always been dovish and called for peace; something has changed. The question is: What will be the long-term implications of this attitude?

One of the participants was Rabbi Meir Azari, the Senior Rabbi of the Beit Daniel Centers for Progressive Judaism in Tel Aviv. Azari, one of the most senior Reform rabbis in Israel, has been seen, at times, as on the more conservative end of the movement, in particular when it comes to how his American colleagues relate to Zionism and Israel.

“I was astonished to feel the change in the Reform Jewish community,” Azari told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday. “The amount of concern for Israel was unprecedented. There was a lot of love and worry for Israel and Israelis. It was very pronounced, there were tears, hugs, and a real sense of unity.”

According to Azari, the October 7 massacre caused “a real transformation” within the movement.

Alongside the situation in Israel, he described the sentiment of betrayal his peers felt from other progressive leaders about Israel, as well as the surge of antisemitic attacks and sentiments within American society.

“These events will reshape American Jewry,” he said, adding that he was “delighted with the mobilization of part of the Reform leadership to assist in Israel [with humanitarian efforts for Israeli communities] and the vast amount of funds raised by Reform Jews through the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA). 

Azari explained that there is a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Israel and liberal Judaism to repair the rift between them. As Israelis, we do not have the option not to be connected to this part of Judaism, and Reform Judaism was reminded that it must have a relationship with Israel. Reform Jews now have a new opportunity to deepen its connection with Israel.”

This sentiment was echoed by Gusti Yehoshua Braverman, head of the Department for Organization and Connection with Israelis Abroad at the World Zionist Organization (WZO). Braverman, a representative of the Reform movement in the national institutions, spoke of the reawakening of the shared fate, or shared destiny, between Reform Jews and Israelis. “This issue of shared fate it’s something that, over the years, was not clear to all Reform Jews. The rise in antisemitism in the US as well as the October 7 massacre, grew to catastrophic dimensions and is a wake-up call for Reform Jews.”

She recalled some conversations she held with colleagues from around the world: “They woke up one day to find that their friends in progressive circles are not interested in them;  The feeling of being ostracized is very strong.”

Reform Judaism strongly emphasizes the ethical teachings of Judaism, advocating for social justice and the pursuit of tikkun olam (repairing the world). This involves active engagement in societal issues such as poverty, inequality, environmental sustainability, and human rights. Though in the past few decades, many progressive Jews have built a core part of their Jewish identity by fighting for the rights of Palestinians. Braverman agrees with this sentiment and thinks that her movement should now shift these acts of social justice toward Israeli society. “Tikkun olam became something that we focused on external groups instead of Israel. There are hundreds of thousands of displaced Israelis; there are Israelis who are in trauma. Reform Jews should focus more on tikkun olam and social justice within the state of the Jewish people.

“Let’s take the values of repairing the world, social equality, and acceptance of the other, and channel that internally within the Jewish community and towards Israel. The polarization that existed before October 7 destroyed us, we cannot return to this type of rhetoric.”

Speaking to two of these Israeli Reform leaders makes me wonder, how can we educate the next generation of Diaspora Jews to be liberal Zionists? Unfortunately, up until that Saturday, young Diaspora Jews thought they could either be Zionists or a liberal. Yet Israel was founded as a Zionist, liberal state. Therefore, there is no reason in the world for these young Jews to be distant from it.

Their “allies” have betrayed these young progressive Jews, across so many movements. Many Jews participated in demonstrations of Queers for Palestine, but now when they are hurting, aren’t getting the support they need from their peers. Let alone the fact that you actually cannot be an LGBTQ individual in any Palestinian community – a fact that doesn’t cause these activists to understand they are demonstrating against the wrong group.

Dear young Reform or progressive diaspora Jew: First, no matter what your political or personal views of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are, I understand that you are in mourning. As an Israeli, I appreciate that. I know that you are thinking of us during the deadliest war we’ve experienced as a country, something that I wouldn’t necessarily expect just a few months ago.

As an Israeli Jew, I felt in recent years that many of you (mainly the younger generations) felt closer to Palestinians rather than us, your brothers and sisters, or at least your distant relatives. It hurt. It’s become a sport for Diaspora Jews to raise an eyebrow when they hear of another controversial, stupid statement by an Israeli politician. As an Israeli with an American background, I get it; I understand why they may cause you, at times, to be embarrassed by being part of the same nation. It’s like that weird brother or sister you wished would never leave their room. But guess what? We’re family, so we must deal with each other – despite our differences and rifts.

Wouldn’t it be fascinating to reshape the next generation of American Jews about Israel? About Judaism? This is your moment to be real activists and fulfill your desire to change the world. But this moment will only be impactful if you join forces with your true allies, those who, up until a few months ago, were your enemies.

It will take lots of sensitivity, humility, and honesty from all sides, within the American Jewish community and between Israeli Jews and American Jews. We all have to learn from our mistakes, and we all made many mistakes and look at the future of the Jewish people differently than we did till now.

Let’s go on this exciting and historic new Jewish journey together, we have no other option.