Wars & Rumors of Speakers

Traveling to the rural parts of New Hampshire and Vermont is a good way to hide out from the onslaught of violence and dysfunction in the Middle East and in Congress. Cellular service is largely non-existent in the White and Green mountains and good Internet access is not much better. Back at home, remaining ignorant of the war between Israel and Hamas as well as the Republican train wreck in the House of Representatives is not as easy.

I’ve been asked several times how the conflict in Israel is affecting me, the underlying assumption being that the vicious, terrorist attack by Hamas must be having a disproportionately negative impact due to my Jewish identity. The truth of the matter is that my conversion to Judaism did not instantly provide me with a closer, warmer connection to the Jewish state. On a personal level, my feelings about Israel predominantly reflect my upbringing as a liberal, white, Protestant American. I am definitely not of the “Israel can do no wrong” camp and have always had questions about USA’s unequivocal support and about why Israel has pursued policies and practices that make the lives of the Palestinians more difficult. At the same time, I now know many more Jews and have come to a deeper appreciation of perspectives forged by memories of the Holocaust and the traumas of those who have lost family and friends in the ongoing conflicts. Additionally, it’s difficult to read the Torah through each year while ignoring the oft repeated promise that God made to give the Israelites “the Land.” If the Books of Moses hold any authority, the Jews can definitely make a divine claim to the land apportioned for them by UN back in 1947.

Where does all this leave me? I fully support the right of Israel to exist and hope that it will remain a country committed to democratic values. I don’t have any patience with the ideology that Israel should be annihilated and wiped off the face of the earth. Actions borne out of this kind of thinking are abhorrent and belong to the terrorist mindset. I am glad that the US is willing to stand up for Israel, but it should not countenance everything Israel does. I think it’s fair to be critical of Israel when it appears that is moving farther away from allowing the creation of a two-state solution without venturing into antisemitism. I think would feel all of this regardless of whether or not I had converted to Judaism.

As to the House of Representatives, I feel like every American citizen should abhor the actions of the GOP, the party of ultimate dysfunction and chaos. The lack of willingness to govern and lead would be unbelievable were it not for the criminal irresponsibility of former President Trump–the principal liar and disruptor in chief. But … where does outrage and hate get us in the end? No where that any of us want to be.