American Jews Overwhelmingly Support Israel, but an Increasing Number of Young Rabbis Don’t

Feb. 15 2024

In the U.S., the demand for Reform and Conservative synagogue rabbis has been outpacing supply. Now, Gabby Deutsch reports, congregations searching for clergy face an additional problem:

A large Conservative synagogue on the East Coast came face-to-face with the divide between some young rabbis and the synagogues they hope to serve last year. When several candidates applied for a rabbinical position at the synagogue, the congregation’s search committee was thrilled to be in the increasingly rare position of having options—and to their surprise, one of the first candidates they interviewed came in eager to critique the synagogue’s approach to Israel and armed with a plan to push it to the left.

Officially, Zionism is a key pillar of all three major Jewish denominations in the U.S. But in the more progressive Reform and Conservative movements, some prominent rabbis are raising the alarm about a small but significant number of rabbinical students and early-career rabbis who identify as non-Zionist or anti-Zionist, and who lack the connection to Israel that has for decades been a key part of what it means to be Jewish in the diaspora.

A November poll from the Jewish Electorate Institute found that more than 90 percent of Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox Jews identified as emotionally attached to Israel.

Read more at Jewish Insider

More about: American Judaism, Conservative Judaism, Israel and the Diaspora, Rabbis, Reform Judaism

What’s Behind Hamas’s Threat to Stall the Release of Hostages, and How Israel Should Respond

Feb. 12 2025

Hamas declared yesterday that it won’t release more hostages “until further notice.” Given the timing and wording of the announcement—several days before the release was supposed to take place, and speaking of a delay rather than a halt—Ron Ben-Yishai concludes that it is a negotiating tactic, aimed at “creating a temporary crisis to gain leverage.” Therefore, writes Ben-Yishai, “Hamas may reverse its decision by Saturday.” He adds:

Israel cannot afford to concede to Hamas’s demands beyond what is already outlined in the agreement, as doing so would invite continuous extortion throughout the negotiation process, further delaying hostage releases.

The group sees the public outrage and growing calls for action following the release of hostages in severe medical condition as an opportunity to extract more concessions. These demands include not only a rapid start to negotiations on the next phase of the deal and an end to the war but also smaller, immediate benefits, particularly improved conditions for displaced Gazans.

Beyond these tactical objectives, Hamas has another goal—one that Israelis do not always recognize: inflicting psychological pain on the Israeli public. The group benefits from, and perhaps even draws strength from, the anguish and emotional distress in Israel, as well as the testimonies of freed hostages detailing the abuse they endured. Hamas wants these stories to be heard—not only to pressure the Israeli government but also because, in the eyes of its supporters, Israel’s suffering is its ultimate victory.

Read more at Ynet

More about: Gaza War 2023, Hamas, Israeli Security