I'm Christian, not a Jew, but I value my Jewish roots, particularly the Psalms and Prophets, who say quite a bit about loving/respecting my neighbors, regardless of their religion. I'd say--YES, be proud of being a Jew. BUT I do not like or approve of Netanyahu. Too much like Trump.
As a general rule I judge no one for their beliefs. I stop at supporting killing .. I do not group a Jewish person as I group Israel politics. Like in America I abhor the policies of the government in charge now. I abhor Israel policies of literally destroying children, adults that are the civilians just so they can annihilate them and think they should not feed or care for the innocent people. And to think they or the U.S. deserves to live peacefully but that others don’t. The excuse of we are getting rid of the bad guys only works if you care about the civilians… Pretty sick world we live in. We should want peace, share resources, not judge others on their religion or their leaders and we would have a good world.. but to many want to think they are above the others? Not working out ….
War will never lead to peace. Even in WWII, Hitler and Mussolini were defeated, but Fascism was not! War will not eliminate Islam! Islam is not evil. No religion is evil. The people in power using a religion to justify the elimination of others of different beliefs are! This has gone on for thousands of years. Pacifists have tried to convince the world to stop this unsuccessfully. My great-great-grandmother, Emily Jane Loyson, wrote a book about this called: "To Jerusalem Through The Lands Of Islam: Among Jews, Christians, And Moslems" published in 1905. It is still for sale on Amazon. She and her husband, Pere Hyacinthe Loyson, traveled through the Holy Lands on a peace mission to try to bring peace between the three monotheistic religions. They failed! Wars will never end until leaders accept all people as equal, no matter what religion they practice. Leaders convince their followers that their religion is the only true religion and that they are superior to anyone who does not follow their religion. That is why so many people have no empathy for the people who are dying in Iran, Israel, and other countries because of this war. That is why thousands of blacks were lynched in America. That is why Netanyahu is committing genocide in Palestine. That is why genocide is so common throughout the history of the world. Just read the Old Testament! I am sorry for my pacifist rant. I have deep pacifist roots!
I needed you after 10/7. It’s caused me to look away from Judaism but not for our Jewish community. What this is is the same as Christian Nationalism. It never made sense to me why Evangelicals were ok with Trump. Of course by now, I get it speeding up “Armageddon. Apparently they look away from Christian values and justify and rationalize their reason. Which is nonsense. I saw what was going to happen on day one 10/7. I wished I was wrong. But after the numbers of deaths I really understood what BiBi was doing. I was sold propaganda since Hebrew school. It opened my eyes to finally see what was told to us as young kids” hate Palestinians and every country in the Middle East. I’m questioning Zionism now. Up to this point I gave justification because of the Holocaust. It was just a cover.And also just learned Britain And Europe’s plan was to get rid of the Jews which started with allowing our families to migrate to Palestine. It was a cover from wealthy people disguised as antisemitism. Try to wrapped that around your head. What I thought I knew at my age. Every thing I thought I knew is now being exposed in the US and Yisrael and the world because of power, control, and wealth.
I am a Jew by Choice. I believe Israel has a right to exist because there was no other choice at the time it was founded. The world was anti-Semitic, and although Germany was extreme, America and other countries that turned away from horror were anti-Semitic in their own right. My Judaism is not founded on the land of Israel but on universal values of morality and ethical behavior which stem from traditional Judaic values.
My Jewish identity is now seen as antisemitic. I believe it embraces values and ways of being that are deeply Jewish.
The problem with my perspective, and yours, is that it does not contain a workable path for resolving the tension. Israel is committed to resolving the tension, and doing so by any means. Can we provide an alternative? How is it even possible? Yet I prefer to hold the tension rather than resolve it by abandoning Jewish values. I am told that I would feel differently if I were born and raised Jewishly because “never again” would be visceral. Israel exists as a fact.
Gaza and the West Bank exist, as fact. Now what? Has anyone come up with a plan?
Thanks Karla. I was raised Jewishly and I share your views and those articulated by the Rabbi. There are many of us ... but I am increasing have difficultywith living with the tension since I fear it is entirely one sided with no hope of resolution since the Israel government and a significant majority of Israelis (and some in my family) either don't see the problem or fully suppress it.
I´m also a JewByChoice. I look at the present leaders of Israel and wonder. They grew up in the tradition and teachings of the Torah. What the hell happened? As opposed to our dingbat president who embarrasses and disgusts us 24/7, who in his almost 80 years of life has no knowledge of the teachings of his own professed religion (and sells bibles to boot!). The teachings and understanding of the Tenach, which must have been ingrained in their souls even more since their childhoods than I can ever imagine, they seem to have completely thrown overboard. But then there is a Jeffrey Epstein who also grew up in this value system. Judaism is not a protective shield from evil, unfortunately. The last two weeks I keep telling myself as a proud Jew that I don´t live in Israel, surrounded by threats my whole life, my family and ancestors didn´t experience the horrors of the Holocaust, of pogroms them being in Russia or Israel. So I try to hold back with my judgment. But something seems very very wrong and contrary to the teachings of Torah upon upon whose values the secular State of Israel is implicitely founded. Too many anti-semites have no idea of these teachings, thinking that they are purely Christian ideals. Netanyahu is again (unknowingly?) fanning the flames of anti-semitism all over the world. He cannot be expected to "turn the other cheek" concerning the realities of the past over 2000 years up to the present, and this is the dilemma as I see it. I side with the "never again." However, let us not forget that this war has been instigated by two corrupt criminals (I´m trying to keep this out of the equation 🙄). Thank you Rabbi Hammerman for this page which has invited some light and discussion about the perpetual elephant in the room!
To the other Jews By Choice who have commented: we are a new and different type of Jew. I call myself an American Jew who became Jewish thanks to a pluralistic society ( at least in some ways). Yes, Jews by birth are supposed to welcome us and make no distinction. But I am not Ashkenazi or Sephardic! There IS a distinction and of course many born Jews still question us. My last name, Forsythe, prompts people to ask if I married out! My born Jewish husband married out, because he is a values-driven Jew. He asked me if I would be willing to raise any children Jewish, and I was and did. Our daughter is a very proud Jew only in Reform communities, yet she is a literate Jew and values-driven. For her, a homeless person asking for food or money could be Elijah! I have not felt so strongly different as a Jew by Choice until recent developments, horrific all around. So I am glad to hear from others who feel as I do. Jewish Voices for Peace are not traitors! And in a perfect world, Jews would be accepted everywhere with no need for a state. And in a perfect Jewish state, someone like me would be embraced. How do we build that perfect world? That is a universal human dilemma. And I have no clue how the present situation should or can be turned around. In the meantime, our osmosis country is dying, politically, economically, socially. All I can do is work hard to make my diverse, vibrant, p,uralistic community better and keep it safe from the looming threats.
Agreed, Karla. I appreciate all the responses. You are heroes for being unafraid to engage in this dialogue and not giving up on the potential of values-driven religious traditions
I'm Christian, not a Jew, but I value my Jewish roots, particularly the Psalms and Prophets, who say quite a bit about loving/respecting my neighbors, regardless of their religion. I'd say--YES, be proud of being a Jew. BUT I do not like or approve of Netanyahu. Too much like Trump.
As a general rule I judge no one for their beliefs. I stop at supporting killing .. I do not group a Jewish person as I group Israel politics. Like in America I abhor the policies of the government in charge now. I abhor Israel policies of literally destroying children, adults that are the civilians just so they can annihilate them and think they should not feed or care for the innocent people. And to think they or the U.S. deserves to live peacefully but that others don’t. The excuse of we are getting rid of the bad guys only works if you care about the civilians… Pretty sick world we live in. We should want peace, share resources, not judge others on their religion or their leaders and we would have a good world.. but to many want to think they are above the others? Not working out ….
War will never lead to peace. Even in WWII, Hitler and Mussolini were defeated, but Fascism was not! War will not eliminate Islam! Islam is not evil. No religion is evil. The people in power using a religion to justify the elimination of others of different beliefs are! This has gone on for thousands of years. Pacifists have tried to convince the world to stop this unsuccessfully. My great-great-grandmother, Emily Jane Loyson, wrote a book about this called: "To Jerusalem Through The Lands Of Islam: Among Jews, Christians, And Moslems" published in 1905. It is still for sale on Amazon. She and her husband, Pere Hyacinthe Loyson, traveled through the Holy Lands on a peace mission to try to bring peace between the three monotheistic religions. They failed! Wars will never end until leaders accept all people as equal, no matter what religion they practice. Leaders convince their followers that their religion is the only true religion and that they are superior to anyone who does not follow their religion. That is why so many people have no empathy for the people who are dying in Iran, Israel, and other countries because of this war. That is why thousands of blacks were lynched in America. That is why Netanyahu is committing genocide in Palestine. That is why genocide is so common throughout the history of the world. Just read the Old Testament! I am sorry for my pacifist rant. I have deep pacifist roots!
I’m 77…opposed to what Trump and Bibi are doing, but not remotely reluctant about my Judaism…in fact, proud of it…
I needed you after 10/7. It’s caused me to look away from Judaism but not for our Jewish community. What this is is the same as Christian Nationalism. It never made sense to me why Evangelicals were ok with Trump. Of course by now, I get it speeding up “Armageddon. Apparently they look away from Christian values and justify and rationalize their reason. Which is nonsense. I saw what was going to happen on day one 10/7. I wished I was wrong. But after the numbers of deaths I really understood what BiBi was doing. I was sold propaganda since Hebrew school. It opened my eyes to finally see what was told to us as young kids” hate Palestinians and every country in the Middle East. I’m questioning Zionism now. Up to this point I gave justification because of the Holocaust. It was just a cover.And also just learned Britain And Europe’s plan was to get rid of the Jews which started with allowing our families to migrate to Palestine. It was a cover from wealthy people disguised as antisemitism. Try to wrapped that around your head. What I thought I knew at my age. Every thing I thought I knew is now being exposed in the US and Yisrael and the world because of power, control, and wealth.
I am a Jew by Choice. I believe Israel has a right to exist because there was no other choice at the time it was founded. The world was anti-Semitic, and although Germany was extreme, America and other countries that turned away from horror were anti-Semitic in their own right. My Judaism is not founded on the land of Israel but on universal values of morality and ethical behavior which stem from traditional Judaic values.
My Jewish identity is now seen as antisemitic. I believe it embraces values and ways of being that are deeply Jewish.
The problem with my perspective, and yours, is that it does not contain a workable path for resolving the tension. Israel is committed to resolving the tension, and doing so by any means. Can we provide an alternative? How is it even possible? Yet I prefer to hold the tension rather than resolve it by abandoning Jewish values. I am told that I would feel differently if I were born and raised Jewishly because “never again” would be visceral. Israel exists as a fact.
Gaza and the West Bank exist, as fact. Now what? Has anyone come up with a plan?
Thanks Karla. I was raised Jewishly and I share your views and those articulated by the Rabbi. There are many of us ... but I am increasing have difficultywith living with the tension since I fear it is entirely one sided with no hope of resolution since the Israel government and a significant majority of Israelis (and some in my family) either don't see the problem or fully suppress it.
I´m also a JewByChoice. I look at the present leaders of Israel and wonder. They grew up in the tradition and teachings of the Torah. What the hell happened? As opposed to our dingbat president who embarrasses and disgusts us 24/7, who in his almost 80 years of life has no knowledge of the teachings of his own professed religion (and sells bibles to boot!). The teachings and understanding of the Tenach, which must have been ingrained in their souls even more since their childhoods than I can ever imagine, they seem to have completely thrown overboard. But then there is a Jeffrey Epstein who also grew up in this value system. Judaism is not a protective shield from evil, unfortunately. The last two weeks I keep telling myself as a proud Jew that I don´t live in Israel, surrounded by threats my whole life, my family and ancestors didn´t experience the horrors of the Holocaust, of pogroms them being in Russia or Israel. So I try to hold back with my judgment. But something seems very very wrong and contrary to the teachings of Torah upon upon whose values the secular State of Israel is implicitely founded. Too many anti-semites have no idea of these teachings, thinking that they are purely Christian ideals. Netanyahu is again (unknowingly?) fanning the flames of anti-semitism all over the world. He cannot be expected to "turn the other cheek" concerning the realities of the past over 2000 years up to the present, and this is the dilemma as I see it. I side with the "never again." However, let us not forget that this war has been instigated by two corrupt criminals (I´m trying to keep this out of the equation 🙄). Thank you Rabbi Hammerman for this page which has invited some light and discussion about the perpetual elephant in the room!
To the other Jews By Choice who have commented: we are a new and different type of Jew. I call myself an American Jew who became Jewish thanks to a pluralistic society ( at least in some ways). Yes, Jews by birth are supposed to welcome us and make no distinction. But I am not Ashkenazi or Sephardic! There IS a distinction and of course many born Jews still question us. My last name, Forsythe, prompts people to ask if I married out! My born Jewish husband married out, because he is a values-driven Jew. He asked me if I would be willing to raise any children Jewish, and I was and did. Our daughter is a very proud Jew only in Reform communities, yet she is a literate Jew and values-driven. For her, a homeless person asking for food or money could be Elijah! I have not felt so strongly different as a Jew by Choice until recent developments, horrific all around. So I am glad to hear from others who feel as I do. Jewish Voices for Peace are not traitors! And in a perfect world, Jews would be accepted everywhere with no need for a state. And in a perfect Jewish state, someone like me would be embraced. How do we build that perfect world? That is a universal human dilemma. And I have no clue how the present situation should or can be turned around. In the meantime, our osmosis country is dying, politically, economically, socially. All I can do is work hard to make my diverse, vibrant, p,uralistic community better and keep it safe from the looming threats.
Agreed, Karla. I appreciate all the responses. You are heroes for being unafraid to engage in this dialogue and not giving up on the potential of values-driven religious traditions