Israel at War: Reflections on Where We Find Ourselves in this Moment

In some measure, this unfolding military operation, “Rising Lion” could conceivably represent the last major barrier to rewriting the Middle East story.  This campaign can be seen as a game-changing moment. Not since the end of the Second World War and the founding of the State of Israel has there been this promise and possibility for a different regional reality. On the one hand this conflict ought to drive our imagination as we envision an alternative outcome, even as we encounter our inherent anguish and fear present in times of crisis.

This moment is more than merely another phase of Middle East warfare. For Israel, this is not only about its security but also about its capacity to manage its destiny moving forward. Regardless of one’s personal concerns and disagreements over the conduct of the Netanyahu government in Gaza and within the West Bank, there is an abiding belief in the meaning and measure of preserving and defending the Jewish State. As with prior moments of this distinctive Jewish saga, we are called upon to provide our shared concern and collective support. There is a value-added here that transcends political divisions.

The war against Iran is linked to the events of October 7^th and represents a much more substantial story about changing the military and political landscape of the Middle East. In the aftermath of this current conflict, is it possible to consider that a fundamentally different set of relationships and opportunities could be played out within this region? Can we even imagine or dream about a set of alternative political and economic scenarios reframing the future of Southwest Asia!

We are constantly reminded that one cannot engage the Middle East without a geo-political roadmap; it is here where the complexities of history, religion, and culture, all come together. War and peace, land and people, are all caught up amidst the competing ideologies, personalities, and politics of this region.  For many, a type of political naiveite limits their understanding of this region. Achieving solutions here are bound up in the great diversity of this region’s actors and the power of history and of civilizations that all were present here, continuing to weigh heavily on lives and beliefs of its residents.

As the events of these past several days unfold, one is forced to replay these past decades that have defined Israel’s diplomatic and public relations battles. The progressive left continues to reject Israel, viewing it as a rogue state without political legitimacy, while the isolationist right seeks to remove any American connection or responsibility for sharing in the protection or defense of the Jewish State. Even as the possibilities await us, each of these political camps remains caught up with its political rhetoric, unable or unwilling to imagine an alternative storyline.

So, where does it leave Diaspora Jews? For many of us, we have been on this unchartered journey since the founding of the State. We are battle tested, having experienced the fullness of this Zionist saga.  For our children and grandchildren, however, their engagement with Israel is far less fixed and certain. Their encounter has been unsettling, disruptive and challenging, as they believed in a democratic, peace-driven Zionism only to discover another Israel that in more recent times would be defined by its nationalism and militarism.

The unfolding story before us maybe all but lost on this next generation. In their rush to critique Israel for its failings, Gen Z’s and Millennials may not be in a place to recognize what might be the possibilities and opportunities that these unfolding events may provide, involving the possible elimination of nuclear weapons and the existential threats posed by the Iranian regime.

It will once again fall to the communal sector and our religious leadership to bring together our community, providing venues for information, advocacy, solidarity and giving. The power of unity comes into play, as we desperately need such a transformative experience, amidst all the elements that separate and divide us. In trying to move out of our siloed and separate spaces, we are now ready to reclaim common ground.

Our professionals, rabbis and educators will be called upon to help aid and assist folks who are dealing with fear and those who may have questions, while at the same moment provide inspiration, insight and information to their constituencies. This is truly their hour to be present and connected!

This will be the moment for our collective communal enterprise to proactively lead and manage the public relations campaign that will be required if we are to offset the misinformation that will be forthcoming and to counter the rejectionist voices that most assuredly will be present.

Further, these unfolding developments will permit us an opportunity to reopen conversations around revisiting the Diaspora-Israel connection, in ways that can enhance both the Jewish State and the Jewish people.

Let us take this extraordinary moment, with all of its possibilities and threats, galvanizing our collective energies in supporting this next phase of the Israel story while imagining a new Middle East. We collectively have a stake in advancing this historic possibility!