Words of the Week

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

“We have but one Jewish State. It shocks me to the marrow of my bones that conservative, reform, liberal and reconstructionist Judaism are legally unrecognized by the State of Israel. That indeed only one expression of our religion is officially sanctioned from birth to death and all the intervening mitzvot. Yes, other societies have, do and will discriminate against Jews, but it is only the State of Israel that bars official state recognition of what you, in this audience, so devoutly observe.”

—from a speech delivered by Charles R. Bronfman at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Graduation Ceremonies in New York on May 3, 2018 (via Matzav Review)

From My Bookshelf: Yossi Klein Halevi’s LETTERS TO MY PALESTINIAN NEIGHBOR

by Erika Dreifus on
4

Yossi Klein Halevi’s new book (to be published May 15 by HarperCollins) is ostensibly addressed to a Palestinian reader. To that end, in an opening Note, the author mentions that the book is being made available in Arabic translation for free downloading (at a link not yet available in my electronic advance copy). Moreover, he invites Palestinians, and others from the Arab and Muslim worlds, to write to him  (at that link) “in response to any issue raised in this book. I will try to respond to every letter, no matter how challenging, that is written in a spirit of engagement. My intention is to initiate a public conversation on our shared future in the Middle East.”

Who knows, yet, where that invitation will lead? Who knows how many Palestinian neighbors the author will reach? I can’t help thinking that there is an expanded audience for this book, and that audience includes anyone who really wishes to try to understand “the Jewish story and the significance of Israel in Jewish identity”—while remaining open to and aware of the “neighbor’s” narrative and beliefs. (more…)

Words of the Week

by Erika Dreifus on
Disabled

“If you were in my place, neighbor, what would you do? Would you take the chance and withdraw to narrow borders and trust a rival national movement that denied your right to exist? Would you risk your ability to defend yourself, perhaps your existence, to empower him? And would you do so while the region around you was burning?

Having concluded that every concession I offer will be turned against me, I remain in limbo, affirming a two-state solution while clinging to the status quo. And yet I cannot accept our current state of seemingly endless conflict as the definitive verdict on our relationship.”

Source: an excerpt from Yossi Klein Halevi’s Letters to my Palestinian Neighbor (via The Jewish Week)