On Friday night, March 8, we will welcome former U.S. representative Andy Levin to speak at our Shabbat service. His topic is "Loving Israelis, Loving Palestinians, Loving Peace." It will be the first Shabbat presentation specifically dedicated to the war in Gaza since I spoke about it on November 17.
That night I talked about how the war was placing American Jews—including our congregation and movement—at a crossroads. I outlined several things that our congregation agreed upon, namely, our grief and outrage over Hamas' brutal attack on civilians; the surprise that we felt when some in the progressive world actually celebrated and praised the attack; and our denunciation of the prime minister of Israel, on whose watch the attack occurred, along with his increasingly pro-settler, anti-democratic policies.
I then turned to the issue that was already beginning to divide our movement and American Jewry. I spoke about our differences over demands for a unilateral ceasefire.
I noted that just a few days after Israel's military acted, our Board and I were already receiving invitations to sign statements or join groups that demanded both support for and condemnation of Israel's actions. I recounted how I asked the Board to refrain from taking a position, fearing that it would sow division. Even then our disunity was evident.
Finally, on that night I announced that the Board had, indeed, decided to refrain from joining any effort on either side. I further indicated that I would remain publicly discreet about my own position on the issue. At least until such time as it seemed appropriate to state it more widely.
My invitation to Andy Levin for March 8 makes this the appropriate time for me to share my own position on the war.
Because we are a small congregation, some of you already know where I stand. I never indicated to the Board that I would keep it a secret and I've stated it when asked. Because I have, some members who disagreed with me asked that I consider bringing someone to speak who reflected their standpoint.
My invitation to Andy Levin is a response to those requests. Not because his thinking matches mine, but because it does not.
Unlike me, Andy supports calls for an "immediate ceasefire" backed by a cessation of U.S. aid to Israel. Though in the past I have supported his efforts to condition U.S. aid on Israeli compliance when it comes to the radical settler movement in the West Bank, this war is not that.
This war was imposed on Israel by those seeking to destroy it. It has united most of that nation's left, right and center—as well as much of our own—in the realization that Hamas is the greatest danger to the peace and security of Israelis and Palestinians alike. Backed by the bloodthirsty antisemitic regime in Iran, Hamas is uninterested in the liberation of the Palestinian people. Hamas seeks only the destruction of Israel, by which it means the seven million Jewish inhabitants of Israel. Its leaders do not hide this.
Here is Ghazi Hamad of the Hamas political bureau on Lebanese television on October 24, 2023:
Israel is a country that has no place on our land. We must remove that country, because it constitutes a security, military, and political catastrophe to the Arab and Islamic nation, and must be finished. We are not ashamed to say this, with full force.
We must teach Israel a lesson, and we will do this again and again. The Al-Aqsa Flood [i.e., the October 7 attack] is just the first time, and there will be a second, a third, a fourth, because we have the determination, the resolve, and the capabilities to fight. Will we have to pay a price? Yes, and we are ready to pay it. We are called a nation of martyrs, and we are proud to sacrifice martyrs.
The existence of Israel is illogical. The existence of Israel is what causes all that pain, blood, and tears. It is Israel, not us. We are the victims of the occupation. Period. Therefore, nobody should blame us for the things we do. On October 7, October 10, October 1,000,000—everything we do is justified.
This is the reason that while I deeply respect Cong. Levin's good intentions, I cannot join him in calls for an externally imposed ceasefire that rewards Hamas for its bloodthirstiness. It is not because I do not mourn the loss of life. Wars cost lives and are always, always tragic. But wars also save lives. It is because of a war that we are here today. And if the world demands a ceasefire, I suggest that the appropriate address has always been Hamas. Its leaders could have ended this on day one by returning the Israeli hostages and surrendering.
On March 8, I will graciously welcome Andy Levin as our guest. I know he will make his points as someone who criticizes Israel as a proud Jew and a Zionist.
By welcoming someone with whom I have often agreed and now find myself challenging, I also hope that I can remind everyone about how unique our congregation is.
Unlike the majority of synagogues, we have respected those with Andy's point of view. We have not issued calls to "Stand by Israel" in every email or on lobby displays. We have also respected those who are ambivalent or who share my point of view by not joining another similarly progressive neighborhood synagogue in the "Synagogues for Ceasefire" group. We have, rather, respected our members' open debate and willingness to hear reasonably stated arguments and assertions on both sides.
This is the humanistic path. We weigh the evidence. We think critically. We determine where we stand as individuals independent of either supernatural or any other claimed "authority."
Some of you may be surprised at where I stand. I've been similarly surprised when some of my presuppositions about others turned out to be wrong. This is a good reminder that as Humanistic Jews we do not walk in lockstep. We refuse to cede to any individual, institution, politician, or rabbi the authority to demand that. Experts may have persuasive evidence to share, but even they may not claim authority to determine where we stand, especially on such momentous matters.
At the end of the day, each of us must bow to the only authority that really matters, that of our own consciences.
I look forward to welcoming Andy Levin to share what lies on his conscience. In the days and months to come I, too, will continue sharing what lies on mine.