Will Future Reform Rabbis be Zionists?

What is happening in the American Reform movement? As a longtime lover of Israel and committed Reform Jew, I’ve struggled to understand my movement’s deep and complex relationship with the Jewish State. Concerned about what we are teaching future rabbis, I spoke with HUC-JIR President Andrew Rehfeld about his and HUC’s approach to Zionism today.

President Rehfeld is committed to the idea that students should meaningfully encounter Israel. However, as he offered his honest and thoughtfully crafted understanding of what it means to love Israel in his eyes, I knew the fault lines in our movement proved deeper than I could have ever imagined.

The crux of the matter is this – He shared with me (on 6/11/24) a belief that our right to self-govern has limits. That “holding power over our own destiny with the existence of a Jewish state is a precious, impermanent responsibility – not an endless entitlement.” And therefore, he believes that if we don’t govern justly, we do not deserve the right to rule. While he wants to ensure HUC students are Zionists, he believes that “to be a Zionist today is to hold Israel accountable for being a belligerent occupying force.” 

That is not how I would describe the Jewish state or the aim of Zionism.

To ensure I accurately portrayed his beliefs, I sent follow-up emails that included these quotes for President Rehfeld to confirm or clarify.  He wrote (on 7/28/24) that “…the right to control the awesome power of the state is never an “eternal” right granted to a group or people, but conditional on the just exercise of that power.  That’s for any group or people, not just the Jewish People. It need not end, so long as the power is not abused.”  He also offered the context that the term “belligerent occupation” was not his own but rather “comes from Chief Justice Barak’s 2004 judgment approving of the building of the Security Fence.”

He might be right in biblical terms, as our Torah teaches that power is not an absolute value, and our prophets successfully convey that our righteousness will determine our right to power. However, I believe this judgment call can and should be made by God alone. I struggle with the idea that American Jews could in any way infer Israel should forfeit power over her own destiny. Is there anyone who has proven to be more just?

I’m not surprised, after hearing President Rehfeld’s sentiments, to learn that first-year rabbinical students recently went to Dayr Abn – to highlight for these future rabbis the idea that “Jews brutally won the land from helpless Arabs.” While some may say this unique example is a part of history, it is far from the only narrative. They could have spoken with someone like Einat Wilf to provide a greater context of what was happening in 1948. One colleague wrote, “They could have easily gone to Abu Ghosh and learned about Arab communities that peacefully lived through 1948 and chose shared society rather than war.” However, this wouldn’t fit HUC’s viewpoint, so only the first is being taught to our future rabbis. This terrifies me. 

I fully support the truth and reality that Israel should embody our Jewish values of justice and peace. But for me, peace is not an act of giving up or giving over our lives to those who hate us. Peace is hard fought and hard won and only exists when the people of Israel can live safely and securely in their homes without the threat of massacre from their neighbors. 

Yes, other people also have needs and rights, but we must start with our own people and their safety. As I was recently reminded, loving your own family first and foremost is a virtue—not a prejudice.  Our Jewish family needs our steadfast support. 

For me, being a Zionist is to do more than criticize. It is to celebrate Israel’s right to defend herself, live unapologetically, be resilient, and continue to find joy. It means standing by Israel so firmly that even our critique comes from love and hope for what Israel can be – not a denial of Israel’s rights.

I wish I could help my movement and its seminary realize it is time now to lean into our Zionism. And that while critique is always acceptable -we must ensure that even when we struggle with Israeli history, policy, or leadership, we do so with love. Our movement and its leaders should never lend our voices to the angry mob that seeks to destroy us, never engage in a boxing match, attempting a knockout.  Instead, as Jacob did with Adonai, we should wrestle while intimately embracing. As is the legacy of the name Yisrael. 

In doing so, we would understand that holding power over our destiny with the existence of a Jewish state is a precious gift we must fight to protect. For me, a true Zionist today would not only hold Israel accountable for her missteps but celebrate and advocate for her continued sovereignty and safety.