Kotel and Ultra Orthodoxy 2026 Feb 27    urj.org

The Reform Movement unequivocally condemns the preliminary vote in the Israeli Knesset to advance legislation that would criminalize egalitarian Jewish worship at the Western Wall, one of Judaism’s holiest and most-enduring symbols. If enacted, the proposed bill by MK Avi Maoz of the far-right Noam party would render forms of Jewish prayer not sanctioned by the ultra-Orthodox Chief Rabbinate punishable by up to seven years in prison. 

This alarming proposal represents an unprecedented attempt to criminalize mainstream Jewish worship in the Jewish state. It is a direct affront to Jews in Israel, North America, and across the globe who pray in egalitarian settings. 

Israel has since its inception enjoyed (and, debatably, required) support of diaspora Jews such as myself. Yet the Israeli government's actions of late – actions inconsistent with Jewish teachings and practice – have made it troubling to continue that support, even before the abuse of Gaza. And now Israeli parliament takes another step in distancing itself from Reform Judaism, pushing Haredi practice into laws such as this. For a country asking us Jews to stand together in unity, they sure are working hard to dismantle that cohesion.

Measuring the effect of Anti-Israel propaganda on the youth 2023 Dec 18    harvardharrispoll.com
This linked PDF of a Harvard Caps Harris Poll from last week shows opinions on a smattering of political and recent events. The last section, "Current Events" digs heavily into the American Public's reactions to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. To my relief, the majority opinions are sane in every question. However, looking at age-bracket breakdown charts, 18-24 year olds frequently fall into a stance against the majority, holding counter-factual or antisemitism-based points of view that would have been unthinkable when I was last a member of that demographic twenty years ago. I don't know what to do about this, but to me it's telling of the extent and effectiveness of the antisemitic and antizionist propaganda efforts active in social media.

‘Antizionism’ is the most lethal form of antisemitism out there 2023 Nov 30    jns.org
I've been quiet about the October 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas and their aftermath, but not because I haven't been paying attention. Rather, I've been horrified by the progressive worlds' reaction, abandoning its principals of self-determination for all people, and descending into blatant antisemitism. This article sums up rather succinctly the thin facade that is the vogue euphemism 'antizionism,' highlighting the reality that "No other form of antisemitism—the most obvious example being the Jew-hatred espoused by white supremacists and other far-right groups—is this accessible."

50 years ago, the Munich Olympics massacre changed how we think about terrorism 2023 Nov 18    npr.org
An article which grows more interesting in light of the current Israel hostages being held in the Gaza Strip. Clearly not an echo of what happened in Munich, but certainly an unfortunate continuation.

Israel 75 eCards 2023 May 14    azm.org

On May 14, 1948 in the late afternoon the new Jewish state was proclaimed in Tel Aviv. A few hours later the British Mandate ended at midnight and just eleven minutes later the new State of Israel was formally recognized by the United States – at 6:11 pm in Washington, DC.

Bay Area Support for Israel Isn't Unconditional 2023 Mar 15    jweekly.com
This article documents the Bay Area Jewish response to Israel's proposed judicial reforms – laws that would allow Knesset to override the Supreme Court's decisions. I am tracking this story closely, the latest sign of a growing divide between American Judaism and Israeli politics. What do we do with a Jewish state which doesn't uphold our Jewish values?