Where Do I Even Begin?

It is January 2026, and every assumption, belief and expectation concerning the state of our democracy, the status of Jews, and the future of Israel that I had held appears to have come undone. In some measure, none of what I am experiencing appears to be real. Such profound political and social disruption presents itself as both a personal and collective nightmare.

This is a totally different moment. Whether one begins at home or perhaps in Israel, there are simply new and unsettling realities to each of these unfolding storylines.

Now, in my ninth decade, I am confronted by a transformed image of who I am as an American and what it means to be Jewish. In some ways, I don’t recognize myself in this altered setting. I am witnessing a nation that I loved and embraced and that had literally saved my parents from the hands of the Nazis being returned to its 19th-century construct of racism, manifest destiny, and whiteness. In place of our contemporary American democracy and the institutions that fostered our freedoms, we are experiencing the elements of authoritarian rule, living amidst a society that seems to have lost its core sensibilities and appears to be in a state of disarray.

In past times, we thrived on dissent, where our ideas and social programs were critiqued and on occasion found wanting, and at other times, where our opponents provided innovative and challenging options that produced alternative ways forward. The mix of civil dialogue and political disagreement was understood by every measure the American saga, the fulfillment of democracy’s rhythm playing out. Today, such discourse is rejected and viewed as an unwelcomed instrument of politics.

The Israel story that I had both embraced and defended is all but depleted. Today, a new form of radical Zionism has captured the body politic of the Jewish State. In so many ways, Israel has left me, as I remain aligned to a vision of a liberal, democratic society, where civil and human rights were to be seen as part of the Zionist equation, encompassing space for Jews of all religious and political perspectives. An Israel motif that included the possibility and ultimate hope of two peoples engaging together on this sacred land. I am still aligned with that image and expectation of the Zionist dream but with far less hope that such will be the ultimate reality.

I worry about those who embrace the Trump scenario for America or Bibi’s rush to align with the political right, that the promises that both these figures seem to be promoting will find their supporters disappointed and disaffected. There is a kind of snake oil fever that appears to have overcome some who admire and embrace these political voices. There is a foolish illusion here of political certainty, and in the end, is it possible that they, and even we, will be the likely targets of hate and retribution?

More deeply, are we badly misreading the times in which we find ourselves? Failing to fully understand the depth of anger and even hate that resides globally nor are we appreciating how Jews are being redefined in this political moment, may represent our greatest failings.

Bereft then, at each turn, what do I represent at this time? And where might I find my focal point?

Yet, to devote the time and energy to yearn for the past must be seen as wasteful and most certainly counterproductive. No, this does not mean, at least for me, either of the two ultimate extremes, revolution or disengagement. This moment calls for something strikingly different. This is a time for organizing and mobilizing for those both here and elsewhere, who hold similar dreams and who share common losses, hopefully we can appreciate the value of partnerships and of shared conversations around the emotional and social anxieties that today are impacting us.

This is our hour to assert a third way forward, to build a coalition of the middle, designed to push back against extremism in its various political forms, arguing for a resurgence of liberal, democratic ideas and the introduction of concrete proposals to reframe both the American dream and the Israel-Palestinian framework.

For the United States, this new political movement must be committed to the tasks of promoting civics education, identifying and training a new generation of leaders, investing in community-based political organizing, and developing both regional and national think tank initiatives focusing on innovative policies and democratic practices. This moment represents a new day in American politics.

In connection with Israel, a new thread of Zionism must be formulated designed to inspire and engage young Israelis and their Diaspora counterparts. We are reminded that Zionist thought has consistently undergone revisions and redefinitions, prompting this moment for such a renewal.

This then becomes an opportunity not to flee from Zionism, in light of its critics or those who seek to radicalize and employ this concept to marginalize others but rather to embrace a pathway forward of Zionist education and action that affirms both the value of Jewish national liberation and how such a movement can both inform and engage Israel’s non-Jewish partners at home and abroad.

Here at home and within Israel, the momentum for a new political paradigm stands before us. The building blocks for this political investment are awaiting our action. With it, I would suggest, comes a degree of energy, hope and even anticipation as we move to uncover a new politics. On the occasion of this nation’s 250^th anniversary, we have the opportunity to reimagine the American story and reset our democratic institutions. In building a new contract for America and in reframing the Zionist vision for Israel, an invitation is being extended to all those, old and new, allies and opponents, to join in this essential and collective mission.