At this crucial time, we want to make our voices, values, and support heard in Israel. We want to build a greater connection with our Reform Movement in Israel and its efforts to promote our shared democratic and Jewish values. We want to exercise our Peoplehood with Jews in Israel and the diaspora without diminishing our love for Israel, while still objecting to actions of the Israeli government that places our Zionist dream at risk. Read more about TBE’s new movement to take action below.
On Sunday, March 27, in the midst of the ongoing constitutional crisis in Israel, several TBE members gathered with several hundred other Israel supporters on the Boston Common to protest against the current Israeli government coalition’s attempt to neuter and politicize the Israeli Supreme Court and thereby subvert the checks and balances necessary to maintain a true democracy, avoiding tyranny by the ruling party. It was one of hundreds of rallies taking place all over the world that day. Israeli ex-pats (who have been organizing the rallies for several weeks) and American Jews together standing up to express our shared values of liberal democracy – independent judiciary, equal rights for everyone, separation of religion and state – and to halt the coalition’s proposed stream of uncheckable laws to deny rights to non-Orthodox Jews, LGBTQ+ people, women, Arabs, and other minorities and to foster annexation of the West Bank.
It was a heady experience to take action and make our voices heard.
At this crucial time, another way to make our voices, values and support heard in Israel is to build greater connection with our Reform Movement in Israel and its efforts to promote our shared democratic and Jewish values. Thus, we are re-branding the former Voices for a Pluralistic; Democratic Israel committee into ARZA@TBE. ARZA is the Association of Reform Zionists of America. It is the Zionist arm of the Union for Reform Judaism, and the Israel address for our Movement. TBE’s membership in ARZA will provide you with weekly newsletters that will give you links to educational material and action steps you can take, and it provides the financial resources for ARZA to help fund both the Reform Movement in Israel (IMPJ) and its almost 50 congregations (Including our sister congregation Or Hadash in Haifa), as well as the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC), at the forefront of civil rights litigation and advocacy in Israel. ARZA also advocates daily for the Reform Movement in the various Israeli government entities. Information on how TBE will partner with ARZA will be coming soon.
We can also make our voices in support of Israel, peace, and democracy heard in this country through the JStreet@TBE committee. J Street organizes pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy Americans to promote US policies that embody our deeply held Jewish and democratic values and secure Israel as a democratic homeland while supporting the need for a negotiated resolution between Israelis and Palestinians that can satisfy the legitimate needs and aspirations of both peoples. J Street’s core principles are: (1) A commitment to and support of the people and state of Israel; (2) The future of Israel depends on achieving a two-state solution to the conflict with the Palestinian people; (3) Israel’s supporters have the right and the obligation to speak out when the policies or the actions of the Israeli government are hurting the long-term interests of Israel and the Jewish people; (4) Vibrant but respectful debate about Israel benefits the American-Jewish community and Israel; (5) Our work is grounded on the Jewish and democratic values on which we were raised.
J Street is the address for us to exercise our Peoplehood with Jews in Israel and the diaspora without diminishing our love for Israel as a Jewish homeland while still objecting to actions of the Israeli government that place the Zionist dream at risk.
Both of the committees will continue to bring speakers and educational opportunities to learn and connect. And we will provide opportunities and tools for you to take action to make your voices heard. Stay tuned and join us!
Debra Goldstein (ARZA@TBE) and Michael Gilman (JStreet@TBE)
