Jewish Social Action in Motion: Foundations

I am not a Jew with trembling knees.

-Menachem Begin

What a thing fear is. When I created this newsletter, I knew the topic of Jewish activism would be a bridge that would need to be crossed. I won't lie, the potential backlash of going into these discussions terrifies me. The world we live in has become highly violent and hateful towards Jews and even worse towards those who speak out. Just look at the current round of statistics surrounding antisemitic hate crimes. This is on top of the high political polarization going on today.

However, these topics surrounding the world, politics, and law and its intersection with Jewishness is a foundational piece of this newsletter's creation and my own practice. It's a serious and real topic that deserves a great deal of respect and care in how it is addressed. Not speaking out is far more dangerous. More of this work needs to be done and more Jewish voices need to speak out despite the fear.

While it's very different to be calling out your own country versus countries that many of us have never even been to, such as in the Middle East, that doesn't mean Jews don't have a voice worth hearing on these topics. Whether you like it or not, Jews are part of and associated with Israel. The two can't be separated due to the complex intertwining of the Jewish experience and the creation and continuation of Israel.

Here's What I Offer

A well-researched anthropological perspective that's open to balanced narratives from all sides.

This means, I'll have a holistic approach that compares things like the different cultures and societies through the focus on human experience on its own terms. There will be some statistics, as they're somewhat unavoidable, but that won't be the primary focus.

My bias is left of center, but that doesn't mean I don't consider other views that are more centrist or conservative.

I have a progressive background, which will result in some of those terms being used because that's what I'm most familiar with. However, I am trying to change some of this language usage in myself due to the baggage that can come with certain terms. Additionally, I may or may not agree with all perspectives I write about here, but I do feel for the sake of balance it's important they are heard so people can form their own opinions with as much information as possible.

I am a combat veteran and have served in the Middle East.

I have a unique perspective when it comes to topics concerning war and its lived experience. This means there will be reflections on themes of resilience, justice, and belonging that draws connections with the Jewish historical experience.

A Zionist perspective.

This simply means I believe in the self-determination of the Jewish people in their ancestral homeland. There are a million different definitions of this word floating around, but that is the recognized definition by multiple Jewish organizations. As it is a Jewish term, I'm defining it by Jewish standards.

What Will I Be Discussing?

This list is by no means exhaustive.

• Advice on building up your own confidence in this work. How to face being challenged on multiple platforms from online to in person.
• Current events and news reactions along with fact-checking and seeking multiple sides to the same story.
• Topical discussions of the different buzz words being thrown around.
• Deep culture dives into the Middle East with the goal being to normalize Israel's role and presence in it.
• Jewish history and fear, war, trauma, and conflict on the Jewish consciousness.
• The importance of local, state, and federal political involvement.
• Topics surrounding peace, activism beyond protests, and the immediate feelings of danger associated with it.
• How to criticize without antisemitism or double standards.
• Mental health topics like loneliness and isolation as a result of what's been happening in the world towards Jewish communities.

Final Thoughts

Self-education is critical and needs to be done with intention and regularity. This is going to be an ongoing discussion over the course of multiple posts of which this is the first. It will take time as everyone who takes this work on needs to be in it for the long haul given that it's a slow build against the viral and fast release of information so prevalent in our world today.