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Zack Bodner

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Feb 19, 2026, 4:55 AM

Blaming Jewish legacy organizations for tarnishing Zionism is “Tommy Boy” logic

In the 1995 comedy, "Tommy Boy," there is a scene when David Spade’s character goes into a gas station to ask for directions while Chris Farley’s character stays with the car to pump gas. While attempting to pump gas,...

Oct 9, 2025, 7:23 AM

My Ten Take Aways, Two Years After October 7

1. It’s unimaginable to think that it’s been two years since the atrocities of Oct. 7, and still 48 innocent people are being held in torture dungeons. I can’t imagine the pain endured by the captives, as well as...

Oct 19, 2024, 4:00 PM

No, we shouldn’t retire the word ‘Zionism.’ We should take it back.

It is Israel's enemies who are turning the term into a bad word. Jews must reclaim it and remind the world what it really means

Apr 23, 2024, 3:00 AM

This Passover, It’s Time to Say Dayenu to This American Jewish Moment

The Passover story is the ultimate story of Jewish self-determination. When the Jews finally fled Egypt—thanks to Moses’s brave leadership—we ended our enslavement. We took our own destiny into our own hands. We stopped being the victims of history...

Oct 21, 2023, 12:45 AM

The Cities of Slaughter

In 1904, Hayim Nahman-Bialik wrote "The City of Slaughter" to commemorate the Kishinev pogrom of 1903. This original poem commemorates the pogrom of Oct. 7, 2023. To see a recorded performance of this slam poem by the author, follow...

Sep 7, 2023, 8:40 AM

The college move-in ritual

The shopping was easy. So was shipping across country. Unpacking, a breeze. But leaving our daughter in her dorm? We're... coping

Feb 27, 2023, 5:21 AM

Purple Places: How American Jews might engage with Israel right now, and how our institutions can help

“I think there needs to be a way for North American Jewry to find a new voice.” -Donniel Hartman, (“Israel is too important to leave to Israelis,” For Heaven’s Sake Podcast, Feb. 15, 2023) In Jonathan Sacks’ brilliant book Morality, he...

Dec 15, 2022, 10:44 PM

Time for a New Jewish Operating System

This is the speech delivered by Zack Bodner at the opening plenary of the 2022 Annual Z3 Conference. The Z3 Project is an initiative of the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto, California to reimagine Diaspora-Israel relations. Now, I know...

May 22, 2021, 12:35 AM

I support Israel because I am progressive

There’s a difference between legitimate criticism and one-sided, biased condemnation of a country trying to protect its citizens

Sep 3, 2019, 10:31 PM

Finding Your Community

Earlier this year, I had the honor of giving the commencement address at Kehillah Jewish High School in Palo Alto, CA. My theme for my speech was “Find Your Community.” A number of people have asked that I share...

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About Me

Zack Bodner is the President and CEO of the Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto, CA and the Founder of the Z3 Project, an effort to reimagine Diaspora-Israel relations. He is the author of "Why Do Jewish: A Manifesto for 21st Century Jewish Peoplehood," a #1 Amazon New Release in Religion and Philosophy. Learn more at www.whydojewish.com. Zack lives in Silicon Valley with his wife and three kids.