The Overpass

09 Apr 2009

We had a Passover seder last night, which was pretty wild. A total of thirty-one guests were in attendance. The Manischewitzand the Dr. Brown’swere flowing fast, and a wonderful time was had by all. Tonight we are heading to the house of my congregation’s rabbi for a seder, which promises to be excellent.

Passover is a good time to reflect on a lot of different things. At this moment in particular, the idea of the way Jewish people relate to slavery and freedom is pretty important. The situation in Israel is, in my opinion, continually deteriorating. A foreign minister who believes that Israeli Arabs should swear an oath of allegiance to the Jewish state, a government that is increasingly willing to pursue military action before diplomacy and compromise, and an international assumption that the land is Israel’s to do with as it wishes; these are all huge obstacles to peace, and, in Jewish terms, Moshiach.

I do not agree with those who say that all Jews are responsible for what the state of Israel has done. That’s like white guilt; it’s polarizing and non-constructive. But I do think that, as Jews, we have a duty to stand up and say “Look, we’re not okay with what’s being done in the name of our religion.” We, the constituency of international Jewry (a FABULOUS word), are the strongest voice of conscience. I can’t speak for the views of Israeli Jews, many of whom I know do not agree with the way the government has approached these problems, just as many Americans despised the way George W. Bush treated the rest of the world, but I am not self-centered enough to pretend that I am the only Jew who is not blinded by fundamentalism. I am only one of many Jews who believe that [the] religion stands for something greater than its own personal gain; the betterment of humanity, whether or not the particular humanity is involved happens to be Jewish.

There are always people willing to use religion as a justification for their own racist or extremist ideals. I don’t distinguish between Avigdor Lieberman and a Muslim extremist who sets off a car bomb on an ideological level. Clearly there is a practical difference; it’s not illegal for Avigdor Lieberman to have views that I consider racist and it is illegal to blow people up. But it is immoral for Lieberman to be allowed to apply those values to a society in which he is in a position of leadership. Racist views have no place in government. Neither does religion.

In my household, we place a strong emphasis on having non-Jews at our Seders. We believe that is a mitzvahto share our traditions and celebrations with others, and to experience theirs. Coming from this place, I see it as central to the Jewish faith that Jews be willing to cooperate with others. Judaism places a high value on human life and dignity, and its intrinsic worth, and we must always prioritize that above all else. I strongly believe that religion can be a force for good, and that despite arguments about whose is “better”, who is the “true believer”, or if it’s even valid at all, we cannot discount the effect it has on many people. All persons of religion have a duty to deal with others on their terms. This means that a religion must not become insular and self-absorbed. It must prioritize the basic needs of others over its so-called “religious truths”.

There is a myth that a lot of American Jews support Israel’s generally conservative stance towards religious cooperation, but a new survey from JStreet finds that this is not true. It is clear that Jews have individually progressed. Judaism needs to follow. All religions, Judaism included, need to take their rightful place in the modern world, allowing their practitioners to maintain their reason, logicality, and respect for others. When any religion begins to cloud these things from view, this must be immediately addressed with progressive and productive dialogue.

I support the abolition of the state of Israel and the forming of a single secular state in the region. But this does not preclude me from dealing with and listening to those who support the state of Israel as a religious institution. Nor does it prevent me from having a close and personal relationship with that historic and significant area. I don’t view it as the Promised Land, but, being a person who picks and chooses from the history of the religion to suit my own needs, I understand the significance it holds for others, and would not take that from them. But we all must realize how our actions affect others. Jews do nothave more of a right to that land than any one else. Period.