David H.—This was one of the most challenging—and most important—interviews I’ve done. I was delighted to join Rabbi , director of the and host of the Long Path Podcast, for an hour-long exploration of the Jewish future: Zionism, Judaism, institutions, and the difficult path to a renewal of life in the wake of October 7, antisemitism, and the crazy political moment we live in.

The Jewish people are locked in a battle for survival, more so than at any point in the last half century. We know we should fight antisemitism—but what are we fighting for? What does Jewish life need to look like in our new hybrid reality of sovereignty-and-Diaspora? A lot of what we talked about had been germinating in my head for more than two years. Some of it I’ve managed to put into writing, but most of it is new. Kudos to Amitai for asking the most important, hard questions.

This is what the Z3 Project, and the Z3 Institute I lead within it, are actually about. Leave your thoughts in the the replies! Watch below:

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UPDATE: Check out the recording here:

David H.—We are just four days into the war, and the Middle East is changed forever. For half a century, the Iranian regime has been by far the largest source of war and instability, through its nuclear ambitions, ballistic missiles, and above all its proxies, including Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.

But while so much of our attention is focused on the details of the joint U.S.-Israeli operation and the Iranian military response, bigger questions loom: How will this affect the global antizionist movement and the “Red-Green Alliance” that has assaulted the foundations of Western society? Now that Qatar has come under attack, will it continue supporting anti-Western movements? With the demise of Shiite political Islam, what will happen with Sunni Islamism and the Muslim Brotherhood?

To start asking these questions, I’m thrilled to host Z3 Institute fellow for a 45-minute conversation live tomorrow via Zoom webinar.

When: Tomorrow, March 4, 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern / 8pm Israel

How: To join the Zoom webinar, Click here to register

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David H.—In my previous post I announced the publication of Izabella Tabarovsky’s Be a Refusenik, which has taken Jewish readers by storm. It’s a great book!

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I’m thrilled to announce that Izabella will be joining me at the Jerusalem’s Begin Center on Monday January 5 at 7:30pm (with live-streaming online: 9:30am PT / 12:30pm ET / 5:30pm UK). Better still: We will be joined in conversation by the legendary Natan Sharansky, along with rapper and writer Noah Shufutinsky, who was interviewed in the book. The event is co-sponsored by the Z3 Project, which also co-published the book.

Tickets are still available! Click here for tickets, or to register (free) for the live-stream.

I hope to see you there!

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How to Be a Refusenik

I'll Be There on January 5!

David H.—If you aren’t familiar with Izabella Tabarovsky, you should be. She has been one of the most important voices exposing the Soviet origins of today’s antizionism (see examples here, here, and here.) She’s also a Senior Fellow at the Z3 Institute, and author of a powerful new book, Be a Refusenik: A Jewish Student’s Survival Guide, that combines her scholarship with interviews and great writing to produce a fascinating retelling of the story of the Refuseniks, the strategies they employed, and how those strategies are being put into practice on American campuses today.

By juxtaposing the stories of the original Refuseniks with the stories of young activists, the book brings those Jewish heroes from decades ago, many of whom were themselves in their 20s and 30s, back to life—while giving a wonderful guide to students who want to emulate their heroism.

It also acts as a great companion volume to Young Zionist Voices, which we published a year ago. Some of the students profiled in Be a Refusenik also contributed to that book, including Shabbos Kestenbaum, Noah Shufutinsky, Eyal Yakoby, Adela Cojab, and Alissa Bernstein.

Be a Refusenik is published by the Z3 Project together with Wicked Son books, and is available on Amazon here:

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SAVE THE DATE: I’m delighted that Izabella will join me at the Menachem Begin Center, along with Natan Sharansky, on January 5, 2026. Stay tuned for ticket info!

How to Be a Refusenik

David H.—Across the Diaspora, Jews are facing questions of physical security and the long-term viability of their communities. Do we wait for the antisemitic storm to pass? Do we make plans to move to Israel or elsewhere? Or is there a third option, to stay and fight?

Benjamin Kerstein, a longtime friend and colleague of mine, and now an Associate Fellow at the Z3 Institute, has written a powerful book arguing for the third option. In SELF-DEFENSE, he goes deep into both the nature of the moment we’re in and the pervasive Jewish culture that blinds us to the merits and possibility of fighting back—not just spiritually and politically, but also physically. Is it “goyish” to buy a gun, to bulk up and learn to fight, or to embrace not just “security” but also offensive strategies that take the fight to the enemy? Or has self-defense, in all its forms, always been fundamental to Jewish identity?

After the murderous attacks in Washington DC, Boulder, Manchester, and elsewhere, it feels like the threat of violence against Jews is everywhere. Is there something we can do about it? If you care about this question, you must read this book now. Order here:

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Also I’m also delighted that the author will appear at the upcoming Z3 Conference in Palo Alto on November 9. There are still tickets available! Get them here:

TICKETS Nov 9 Z3 Conference

DEFEND YOURSELF NOW

I’ve known Joe Schwartz for years as a deep thinker, passionate Jew and Zionist, and a wise and creative analyst. He’ll be working on a study of Jews and cities—why we are so attracted to urban life, what it reveals about us, and how we have contributed to societies through them.

Hussein is a newer friend, a brilliant scholar, who will be researching the “green” side of the modern antisemitic radical Left, also known as the “red-green alliance.” In the tradition of scholars like Bernard Lewis and Fouad Ajami, Hussein looks deep into the rise of jihadism in the Arab world and its surging influence in Western countries.

Both of their bios are below. Welcome aboard!

To learn more about the Z3 Project and the Z3 Institute, click here:

Z3 Institute Web Page

Joseph Schwartz is an educator, rabbi and attorney. He is the Director of Makom: the Israel Education laboratory of the Jewish Agency for Israel, where he focuses on developing tools for conveying complexity simply. He has taught groups from across the Jewish world and lectured widely. Joseph has been a Jewish entrepreneur, a congregational rabbi in New York City’s Greenwich Village, and a litigator. He has published in Jewish Priorities, the Forward, Ha’aretz, and in many other outlets, as well as on his Substack, Bones of Joseph. Born and raised in New York City, in 2020 Joseph made Aliya with his family. He is married to Avigail and is kvelling father to Zev, Paz and Shai. They live in Tel Aviv.

Hussein Aboubakr Mansour is an Egyptian-American writer specializing in modern intellectual history. His work focuses on Arab political thought, Arab intellectual history, and the globalization of antisemitism and revolutionary radicalism. Hussein previously served as an assistant professor of Hebrew language and culture at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. His writings have appeared in Commentary, Tablet, Mosaic, and the Athens Review of Books. Hussein is a sought-after commentator and speaker on issues of antisemitism and extremism in the Middle East. In 2022, he was awarded the Per Ahlmark Award by the UN Watch for his advocacy for human rights, and in 2024, he was awarded the German Mercator Fellowship from the Hochschule für Jüdische Studien in Heidelberg. He is a senior research fellow at ISGAP, the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy.

Save the date! The Z3 Conference is returning to Palo Alto this year on November 5. I’ll be there as well as many of the Z3 Institute scholars. Learn more here. Tickets will go on sale soon—stay tuned.

Learn More & Vote

David H.—In a previous post I announced that nominations were open for the Z3 Bridge Builder Award. Nominations have closed. Now it’s time to learn about the nominees—and cast your ballot!

I often feel like there’s a great deal of talk about Jewish unity and peoplehood in the abstract, but few actually take action that makes a difference in real life. It’s the biggest reason why I launched Jewish Priorities in 2023: to showcase the fact that despite all our differences, we are still one people.

Last year, the Z3 Project launched the annual Bridge Builder Award to recognize individuals whose work brings Jews together in ways that make a difference.

Take a look at the nominees—and place your vote by August 27.

VOTE NOW

Here is the announcement from the Z3 Project:

The Z3 Project is proud to offer the Bridge Builder Award for its second year, recognizing individuals who are working to bridge divides within the Jewish people—between communities, across ideologies, between the Diaspora and Israel and more.

The tumult of the last few years has posed new and unique challenges to the Jewish world. While in some ways we have rallied together, in others our divisions have become more pronounced, with new fault lines appearing and new internal tensions rising—whether around the war in Gaza, politics in Israel and the U.S. or widening religious and cultural differences.

The Z3 Bridge Builder Award honors individuals who are creating spaces for connection, understanding, and dialogue between Jewish communities.

Bridge building is never easy, but it is essential. This award shines a light on those helping to hold the Jewish people together even when everything around us seems to be pulling us apart.

We’re seeking individuals who:

• Have shown outstanding leadership in bringing together Jewish communities.

• Have launched innovative projects that promote collaboration and understanding.

• Are committed to bridging gaps and creating a stronger, more inclusive Jewish world.

The winner will be presented the top prize of $10,000 at the Z3 Conference 2025 on Sunday, November 9. The two runner-up finalists will each receive $1,000.

VOTE NOW

Meet the Nominees & Cast Your Vote

David H.—Last Wednesday in Jerusalem, I spoke with Nolan Lebovitz, Z3 Institute adjunct fellow, senior rabbi at Valley Beth Shalom in Los Angeles, and author of The Case for Dual Loyalty: Healing the Divided Soul of American Jews. This was a great conversation—I hope you’ll agree.

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For generations, American Jews have been afraid of the accusation of “dual loyalty.” But when they walk into a synagogue, they often see two national flags, of the U.S. and Israel. This, Lebovitz contends, creates a conflicting message that undermines one of the most important pillars of Jewish identity: Loyalty to Jews around the world. In our own time, Jewish loyalty, or “peoplehood,” is expressed powerfully through our connection to Israel. Instead of rejecting the possibility of multiple loyalties, Jews should embrace what he calls the “Jewish double-helix,” in which loyalty to country and loyalty to the Jewish people intertwine and build each other.

The lesson is powerful and simple: Jews must embrace Jewish loyalty as a non-negotiable, essential part of a strong and proud Jewish identity. Watch it here:

I’m proud to be able to host Z3 Project’s ongoing Jerusalem Series at the Begin Center. Many thanks to all involved!

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NOMINATE SOMEONE NOW

David H.—What binds us together as a people? We have been hearing about “peoplehood” for decades as a major concern both in America and Israel. Our viability as a people is threatened by division, infighting, competing allegiances, and threats from without—and our behavior suggests the very idea of a single “Jewish people” may be on the rocks.

More than a century ago, Theodor Herzl was consumed by the revelation that “We are one people,” which drove him to embark on a lifelong mission to establish the first Jewish nation state in thousands of years.

Peoplehood, however, doesn’t happen by itself. It is built one step at a time, through education, communities, books, beliefs, and practices. It was the idea of peoplehood that inspired me to create Jewish Priorities, with the goal of sharing the voices of our people from all its major religious, political, geographical, and demographic groups, in a single book.

For this reason I’m thrilled that the Z3 Project has launched the Bridge Builder Award to recognize those who are making a real contribution to healing divides within our people. Through their example, we can gain the tools and inspiration to help the Jewish people grow stronger together.

If you know someone who is doing the hard work of bringing Jews together across our divisions, please let us know through a simple nomination form. Nominations are closing in the next week—submit by next Monday, August 4.

NOMINATE SOMEONE NOW

Here is the announcement from the Z3 Project:

The Z3 Project is proud to offer the Bridge Builder Award for its second year, recognizing individuals who are working to bridge divides within the Jewish people—between communities, across ideologies, between the Diaspora and Israel and more.

The tumult of the last few years has posed new and unique challenges to the Jewish world. While in some ways we have rallied together, in others our divisions have become more pronounced, with new fault lines appearing and new internal tensions rising—whether around the war in Gaza, politics in Israel and the U.S. or widening religious and cultural differences.

The Z3 Bridge Builder Award honors individuals who are creating spaces for connection, understanding, and dialogue between Jewish communities.

Bridge building is never easy, but it is essential. This award shines a light on those helping to hold the Jewish people together even when everything around us seems to be pulling us apart.

We’re seeking individuals who:

• Have shown outstanding leadership in bringing together Jewish communities.

• Have launched innovative projects that promote collaboration and understanding.

• Are committed to bridging gaps and creating a stronger, more inclusive Jewish world.

The winner will be presented the top prize of $10,000 at the Z3 Conference 2025 on Sunday, November 9. The two runner-up finalists will each receive $1,000.

Nominate someone today!

https://www.z3project.org/award

NOMINATE SOMEONE NOW

David H.—In the few years I’ve gotten to know Rabbi Nolan Lebovitz, senior rabbi at Valley Beth Shalom synagogue in Los Angeles, and a contributor to Jewish Priorities. When he told me he wanted to make the case for embracing the concept of loyalty to the Jewish people, not only as a central component of Jewish identity, but also living alongside loyalty to one’s country—to explore how these two loyalties coexist—the common accusation of “dual loyalty” naturally came up. “We have spent generations trying to refute that accusation,” he told me. “But the truth is, you walk into a synagogue and you see two flags. We need to tackle this head on.”

So I invited him to join the Z3 Institute as an adjunct fellow, where he worked on an impassioned manifesto called The Case for Dual Loyalty: Healing the Divided Soul of American Jews. Because raising hard questions about the Jewish future—and developing innovative new answers—is what we are all about.

Now that his book has come out, I’m thrilled to invite you all to a public conversation in Jerusalem at the Begin Center, on Wednesday July 23 at 7:30 pm. (There’s also a Zoom option.) Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event. Tickets available here.

This is the latest installment of the Z3 Project’s Jerusalem Series, which has included book events for Jewish Priorities, Young Zionist Voices, Melanie Phillips’s The Builder’s Stone, and Yardena Schwartz’s Ghosts of a Holy War. I hope to see you there!

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Order "The Case for Dual Loyalty" Now

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David H.—Last Wednesday in Jerusalem, I spoke with Yardena Schwartz about her important and beautifully written new book, Ghosts of a Holy War.

The conversation was about history, but it was just as much about our the present war: How a single event, the 1929 Hebron massacre, not only foreshadowed but directly led to the conflict in its present shape. It was the Grand Mufti, of Jerusalem Amin al-Husseini, who took the lead in creating Palestinian nationalism on the basis of the complete rejection of Zionism and, later, the State of Israel. He took his maximalist position with him to Berlin, where he headed up the Nazis’ Arabic-language propaganda machine—and inspired a new generation led by Yasser Arafat and the PLO, the forerunners of today’s Hamas.

The lesson is powerful and simple: This conflict will remain stuck where it is until Palestinians abandon the dream of Israel’s destruction. Watch it here:

I’m proud to be able to host this ongoing Z3 Project Jerusalem Series event at the Begin Center. Many thanks to all involved!

David H.—I’m thrilled to share with you my latest essay in the journal Sapir. In it I critique the classical Diaspora model of allyship, in which we make allies only with those who share our broader vision of democratic, liberal values. and show how it has failed. I then propose an alternative “Druze model” that more appropriately fits the tumultuous moment we currently live in. As I write:

In the wake of October 7, when Jews around the world find themselves in the thick of an existential battle, arguments of this type no longer seem to make sense. True, we should never partner with outright antisemites, Left or Right. But we should no longer impose broader litmus tests on allyship. We should no longer, to use Hirsh’s formulation, “keep some distance from those who do not share our values.” We have tried this. It has failed us.

Instead, we should ally with whoever helps us win.

Read the essay here.

Read the Essay in Sapir Journal

David H.—I’m delighted to announce that Jewish Priorities: Sixty-Five Proposals for the Future of Our People, is now available in paperback!

Order Jewish Priorities paperback now!

Jewish Priorities came out in the immediate aftermath of October 7, 2023, and struck a powerful nerve: Never has it been more poignant to bring together the opinions and aspirations of Jews from all stripes, collected in a single volume. Through public and online events across America, Israel and the UK, Jewish Priorities gave the Jewish people a voice at its most perilous moment. Now you can buy it in paperback—along with hardcover, ebook, and Audible editions.

READERS’ GUIDE: To mark the paperback publication of Jewish Priorities, the Z3 Project is proud to present the Jewish Priorities Reader's Guide, offering tools and resources for educators, program directors, and general readers. It includes a sample 8-session course with recommended essays organized thematically, including questions for discussion, which can be adapted for adult education, teens, or college courses. This Guide is offered free of charge (registration required).

I hope you enjoy it!

Get your FREE Readers' Guide

David H.—I’m sharing with you a really powerful conversation I had this week with Rabbi David Gedzelman, President and CEO of the Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life, and author of the essay “Teach the Idea of the Jewish People,” included in Jewish Priorities.

This discussion, published as a Z3 Podcast, covers the crisis of American Jewry in the wake of October 7 in the wake of two terrible developments, generations in the making: The failure of Jewish education at all levels to teach the idea of the Jewish People as a discrete subject, and the consistent assault in academia against that same concept.

The conversation goes on to discuss the elections currently taking place in America for the World Zionist Congress—and why every American Jew should vote!—as well as a deep dive into efforts to revolutionize Hebrew language education in America.

Enjoy!

David H.—Thrilled about Young Zionist Voices launch events. Great excitement to meet in-person the contributors, activists, thinkers and leaders of the next generation. NOW IN NYC! Join us NEXT WEEK in Manhattan and Brooklyn for two great evenings of conversation and hope.

Get your tickets now:

Tickets for March 5 Manhattan

Tickets for March 6 Brooklyn

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Details for the events:

Young Zionist Voices Manhattan Launch

• When: Wednesday March 5 at 6:30 pm

• Where: Tribeca Synagogue, 49 White Street, Manhattan

• Who: With David Hazony, Ashira Boxman (HUC), Maya Platek (Columbia), Talia Bodner (Columbia)

• Tickets: Click here!

• Cohosted by Z3 Project

Young Zionist Voices Brooklyn Launch

• When: Thursday March 6 at 7pm

• Where: Manhattan Beach Jewish Center, 60 West End Ave, Brooklyn

• Who: With David Hazony, Alissa Bernstein (AJC-LA), Bella Ingber (NYU)

• Tickets: Click here!

• Hosted by Jewish Parent Academy, Z3 Project, ClubZ

Tickets for March 5 Manhattan

Tickets for March 6 Brooklyn

Young Zionist Voices brings together 31 of the leading young activists, writers, rabbis and young professionals who chose to fight back, each in his or her own way, against the tidal wave of antisemitism in the wake of 10/7. Edited by David Hazony, with a foreword by Eylon Levy and afterword by Zack Bodner, Young Zionist Voices is published by Wicked Son books in partnership with the Z3 Project.

We had an amazing launch event for Young Zionist Voices at the Z3 Conference in Palo Alto, California in November—watch the video here.

I hope to see you in NYC next week!

Tickets for March 5 Manhattan

Tickets for March 6 Brooklyn

Buy Young Zionist Voices Now

Tickets for March 5 Manhattan

Tickets for March 6 Brooklyn

David H.—I’m so honored to be joined by Rabbi David Wolpe, Zack Bodner, and contributor Alissa Bernstein of AJC-LA for the Los Angeles launch of Young Zionist Voices! It’s a week from tomorrow—Thursday Feb 27 at 7pm—at Sinai Temple and is cohosted by Z3 Project and AJC. Read Alissa Bernstein’s essay from the book, “Young Jews Are Finally Learning to Fight Back,” here. Get your tickets now:

I Want Tickets!

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Details for the event:

Young Zionist Voices Los Angeles Launch

• When: Thursday, February 27 at 6:30 pm

• Where: Sinai Temple

• Who: With Rabbi David Wolpe, Zack Bodner, Alissa Bernstein, David Hazony

• Tickets ($25 includes copy of book): Click here for tickets!

Sign me up for Los Angeles launch!

Young Zionist Voices brings together 31 of the leading young activists, writers, rabbis and young professionals who chose to fight back, each in his or her own way, against the tidal wave of antisemitism in the wake of 10/7. Edited by David Hazony, with a foreword by Eylon Levy and afterword by Zack Bodner, Young Zionist Voices is published by Wicked Son books in partnership with the Z3 Project.

We had an amazing launch event for Young Zionist Voices at the Z3 Conference in Palo Alto, California in November—watch the video here.

I hope to see you in Los Angeles on February 27!

Tickets

Buy Young Zionist Voices Now

Join Us on February 27!

Global Digital Launch Event: On Tuesday, January 28, Shanie will be joining me, along with other Young Zionist Voices contributors Shabbos Kestenbaum, Adela Cojab, Alissa Bernstein, and Oz Bin Nun, as well as Z3 Project director Rabbi Amitai Fraiman for a moving online conversation about 10/7 and the Jewish future. Click here for info and to sign up!

GLOBAL DIGITAL LAUNCH EVENT

Shanie Reichman is the director of strategic initiatives and director of IPF Atid at Israel Policy Forum, based in New York City, where she works to elevate the discourse around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and is a frequent host of the Israel Policy Pod. Shanie serves as the founding co-chair for the Forum Dvorah U.S. committee, as a Wexner Field Fellow, a Schusterman ROIer, on the board of Queens College Hillel, on the advisory council for the Center for Ethnic, Racial and Religious Understanding, and as a mentor with Girl Security. Her work has been published in the Forward, the Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, Hey Alma, Jewish Unpacked, eJewishPhilanthropy, and International Policy Digest.

The following is an exclusive reprint from the anthology Young Zionist Voices: A New Generation Speaks Out, edited by David Hazony. Copyright © 2024 Wicked Son. Reprinted with permission.

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Include Our Critics or We’ll Lose Our Soul

Make room for young Jews who connect with Israel through culture rather than politics.

Shanie Reichman

“Armchair Zionists living privileged lives in the U.S. have no right to criticize the Israeli government or military while Israelis live in a war zone”—this is a common myth that permeates the American Jewish community. It is reinforced by many Israelis, who view any criticism of Israel abroad as a betrayal of the Zionist cause.

As the director of a young-professional program that embraces individuals with a broad range of pro-Israel views, including those frequently critical of Israeli policies, I often encounter this hurtful rhetoric—and its implicit claim that we, Diaspora Jews, are not sufficiently connected to the Jewish homeland to voice our concerns about Israeli actions.

Such a position not only silences those who are looking to engage with Israel, but also assumes that the destiny of the Jewish state somehow has no impact on that of the Jewish people, wherever they may live. Some Jewish communal leaders not only repeat this rhetoric, but have internalized it in their approach to Israel education, activism, and advocacy.

This comes at a heavy cost. Without setting up a broader tent for our Zionist Jewish community, we risk excluding the many young Jews who feel attached to Israel, but are alienated by some of its illiberal policies. The familiar trope of liberal American Jews “distancing themselves from Israel” is fast becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. Avoiding that will require a profound change in approach from pro-Israel organizations looking to maintain the ever-critical Israel-Diaspora relationship.

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In IPF Atid, the young-professional network of Israel Policy Forum, we often confront these issues head on: We encourage young adults to dig into the thorniest of issues, challenge themselves and each other, hear divergent perspectives, and use their knowledge to gain confidence in engaging with peers and colleagues who may disagree. Through these discussions emerges a theme of grappling with the starkest generational, religious, and political divides on Israel within the Jewish community, as so many struggle to navigate family WhatsApp chats, Shabbat dinners, and social media posts.

While the political leanings of the American Jewish community are stable across age groups, the older generations’ long memory of an Israel that was both the underdog and represented by left-wing leaders, many of whom actively pursued peace, makes them resilient in the face of a changing Israel. Their connection will never be at risk so long as they can view Israel within the arc of history instead of focusing on the past decade.

I, however, was born two months before the November 1995 assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. I have little memory of an Israeli prime minister who wasn’t from the center-right, and since I’ve followed current events it has almost always been Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israel of the Kibbutzim, of Golda Meir and Rabin, is long gone.

And while mourning those losses can be important, it’s more productive to grapple with the current reality in a way that preserves the crucial relationship between American Jews and Israel. My generation and those younger than me struggle to associate Israel with many of the values that permeate American Jewry’s dominant culture and institutions. Many of us find ourselves expressing concerns with Israeli policy, only to be confronted with reminders of wars fought long before we were born. Understanding and internalizing the history of the Land and State of Israel should not come at the expense of developing a mature and critical voice, when it comes to its present and future.

Attempting to differentiate the State and people of Israel from their democratically elected leaders is challenging, but can be overcome with the right framing. Fortunately, there are ample opportunities for our vibrant community to accommodate multiple views and to reignite a passion for engaging with Israel, beyond those in the traditional hasbara space.

***

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It may seem obvious to some of us that since Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people, each and every one of us has both a right and even an obligation to be invested in its future. Over the last two and a half decades, the Jewish community has invested billions of dollars in strengthening the connection between young American Jews and the State and people of Israel. This cause is both noble and deeply vital, forming a cornerstone of our collective future. We can embrace the ideal that whatever its politics, the Diaspora can and should maintain a connection to Israel and identify with Zionism.

However, this critical relationship is now under threat, challenged by an Israeli government comprising far-right, ultra-Orthodox, and anti-pluralistic politicians. As we grapple with the disconnect between Israel’s government and the 70 percent of American Jews who are liberal, there is a reluctance to rethink our approach and innovate in the way we build pro-Israel communities.

This leaves little room for common ground with liberal young American Jews, many of whom shy away from even talking about Israel today. Over the course of the Israel-Hamas war, many liberal and progressive young American Jews have felt deeply isolated as they navigate painful conversations and experience hate from the very peers, colleagues, and fellow activists they may have worked alongside for years, many of whom turned against the Jewish people as early as the day of October 7. Some of these young Jews had not been engaging with Israel at all prior to the war, but were so shocked and alienated by their progressive communities that they were compelled to seek out Jewish community in the midst of the crisis.

This tension between a right-wing Israel and a left-wing American Jewish population has been brewing for almost half a century. It has long been the case that American Jewish institutions have been unwilling to broaden the Zionist tent enough to address the diversity of Zionist thought and a broad range of perspectives. One’s connection to Israel, however, need not be rooted in support of Israel’s policies or military strategy, though that is how we most often see it manifest. There are countless paths to engaging deeply with Israel, including culture, language, activism, and policy (my personal favorite).

To be sure, before October 7, pro-Israel Jewish organizations had gradually begun to tolerate increasingly divergent opinions on Israel, particularly in the wake of the November 2022 election of Israel’s most right-wing government in history and the anti-judicial-reform protests of the following year. That said, since the Simchat Torah Massacre, and in an effort to develop a unified voice, we’ve begun to fall in line. We have come to fear any dissent regarding Israel’s actions, both political and military. While there is a temptation to be cautious about criticizing Israel in the middle of a war and amid the sea of antisemitic and anti-Israel discourse across the country, a nuanced approach that allows for measured and thoughtful questioning and critique would provide an outlet to those who disengage for fear of reproach, and avoid a potential backlash from those feeling silenced.

Today we are presented with a unique opportunity, as surveys show a “surge” in overall Jewish engagement in America since October 7. By embracing a broader vision of Zionism, our community can ensure inclusion and shared definitions that lead to a sense of belonging within the pro-Israel community.

A recent survey by the Jewish Federations of North America revealed a stunning fact: While 90 percent of American Jews believe Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish state, and 91 percent support Israel over Hamas in the current war, only 46 percent identify as Zionist—with another 32 percent saying they “don’t know” whether they are Zionist, as well as 17 percent who call themselves “non-Zionist” (only 5 percent identify as “anti-Zionist”).

It is safe to assume that those who support Israel’s right to exist, but don’t know whether they are Zionist, come mainly from the liberal flank of the community (though some are likely from the Ultra-Orthodox community)—as do many who say they are “non-Zionist.” This provides an opportunity to promote a more complex interpretation of Zionism that can lead to most of the 90 percent of American Jews who embrace Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state to identify as Zionists. My preferred definition is “support for a secure, Jewish, democratic state of Israel.” Surely more than 46 percent of American Jews would support this.

A wider definition of Zionism would be, in many ways, a return to what once was. The Zionism of my grandfather’s generation was centered around one goal: the establishment of a flourishing Jewish state. My grandfather’s Zionism expressed itself through his learning the Hebrew language, smuggling Iraqi Jewish refugees into Mandatory Palestine in the wake of the farhud pogrom, raising an Israeli flag atop his synagogue in Tehran, and ultimately moving to Israel to fight in the newly created IDF. Certainly his story is an extreme example, but he coexisted, mostly peacefully, with religious Zionists, cultural Zionists, labor Zionists, and others who did not subscribe to an identical worldview of what Israel should look like, at a time when the stakes were arguably higher than they are today.

My Sabba, who ended up aligning with the Revisionist Zionism movement founded by Vladimir Jabotinsky (the forerunner of today’s Likud), might have choice words for other approaches to settling the Land of Israel—but to him there was no question that we were all one community. The understanding of all the Jewish people being part of the Zionist project in its many forms will support our ability to make space in the tent for those who demand openness to questions about the current reality.

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There still remains the question of how to put this broader-tent strategy into practice. One path will require the inclusion of Palestinian perspectives in our community’s approach to education and dialogue. This cannot be achieved through tokenizing the few Palestinians with whom we entirely agree or who identify as pro-Israel, but rather platforming voices that make us uncomfortable. Nationwide, 81 percent of American Jews feel empathy for Palestinians (a mere 1 percent lower than the rate for non-Jewish Americans), so this should not be perceived as controversial by large swaths of the community.

Another crucial component of including the liberal camp in the Zionist discourse is building connections between Israeli and American Jews who share the values of equality, democracy, and pluralism. This solidarity movement will address a growing American-Jewish perception that Israelis are exclusively represented by their hawkish and even far-right leadership. The protest movements in Israel have done a tremendous amount to fight back against this narrative and to showcase the resilience of Israeli society and the distinction between the government and its people. If young liberal American Jews can seek out, collaborate, and build relationships with Israelis who share their values, it will highlight the contrast between Israel’s government and its people—a necessary task after over a decade of Israeli leaders for whom most American Jews would never vote.

Change is always risky, particularly for a minority community like ours. And yet, we have more to lose by risking the credibility of Zionism, if it cannot contain the divergent views of many pro-Israel Jews, and even alienates those who should fit neatly into the movement but have been left out. I am heartened by my work with incredible partners at American Jewish organizations around the country who are similarly concerned with recent trends and committed to advancing a nuanced approach to Zionism and Israel programming. This leaves me hopeful that there is a growing commitment to elevating the discourse and broadening the scope of our work when it comes to Israel.

The Jewish community is generally exceptional at embracing diversity of thought on religion, philosophy, and a range of other topics. We continue the legacy of Israel’s founding leaders who embodied vision and courage. Should we choose to carry the torch of those who risked their lives in the name of Jewish peoplehood and sovereignty, we will surely see a more resilient and durable Zionism, one that fulfills our obligations to the next generation of Jews around the world.

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Global Digital Launch Event: On Tuesday, January 28, Alissa will be joining me, along with other Young Zionist Voices contributors Shabbos Kestenbaum, Adela Cojab, Shanie Reichman, and Oz Bin Nun, as well as Z3 Project director Rabbi Amitai Fraiman for a moving online conversation about 10/7 and the Jewish future. Click here for info and to sign up!

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Alissa Bernstein is the Assistant Director of American Jewish Committee (AJC) Los Angeles, where she manages the region’s political outreach, legislative advocacy, and interfaith and intergroup coalition building. Originally from Palo Alto, California, she graduated cum laude from Occidental College with a degree in Psychology and Spanish, where she spent her time advocating for Jewish issues and creating educational opportunities with the administration about campus antisemitism.

The following is an exclusive reprint from the anthology Young Zionist Voices: A New Generation Speaks Out, edited by David Hazony. Copyright © 2024 Wicked Son. Reprinted with permission.

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Young Jews Are Finally Learning to Fight Back

The myth of Jewish security has been shattered—and young Jews are meeting the moment.

Alissa Bernstein

Faced with an acutely stressful situation, we have three choices: fight, flee, or freeze. Since I was a young girl, I never really understood fleeing or freezing up. Maybe there’s a neural connection that never quite developed, making me prefer head-on confrontation. Whatever the reason, I’ve always been a fighter.

It took me many years to discover that many people are not. When called to action, many freeze, conditioned to remain quiet to avoid retribution. This is particularly true for minorities who have been told both to put their heads down and to blend in if they wish to achieve success.

The Jewish community has been a prime example. After the Holocaust, standing out was not an option for most Jews, who came to the United States from countries that sought to exterminate or to ethnically cleanse them. Being loud in the face of antisemitism meant putting oneself at risk.

It has been eighty years since the worst atrocity the Jewish people has ever faced, yet so many in our community have continued to freeze up in the face of anti-Jewish and anti-Israel hate. This is particularly true of the younger generation—my peers, who have been uncomfortable speaking out or identifying as Zionists in public.

I often wondered why. Perhaps we were grasping for some kind of self-preservation tactic, albeit temporary and, in my opinion, largely ineffective. Although the Jewish community has historically been at the forefront of societal change, particularly in the United States, in recent decades we have foregone advocating for ourselves for the sake of advocating for others, many of whom have little to no interest in doing the same for us. We have adopted ideologies that put us directly in harm’s way for the sake of keeping our friends. We have often done this at our own expense, shaking off a public Jewish or Zionist identity to appease others.

I think this has been, in part, a result of a false sense of security. Many young Jews didn’t recognize the real threats facing our community and Israel, not having lived during a time when they were threatened. We believed that through the success of the Zionist movement and our cultural assimilation in the decades following the Holocaust, we—and Israel—were untouchable. Thus, we helped create communities defined by ideology, and we ended up ostracizing ourselves from the very communities we had built.

Now we find ourselves caught in a maze.

Here’s the thing. This false sense of security is just a symptom of a much deeper problem the Jewish community has faced for decades, and which has inspired conversation across denominations, practices, and cultural backgrounds. FBI statistics, after all, show that Jews have not been secure, as antisemitic hate crimes have tripled in the last three decades.

So where did Jews get the idea that they were so secure? The answer may have to do with their efforts to distance themselves from their cultural, religious, and traditional identity. This distancing may even have taken place because, in part, the Jews are known to be a historically targeted people. With each step away from their traditions, Jews believed they were becoming more secure, even when evidence suggested the opposite.

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The United States population has become less religious in recent decades as a whole, and Jews are no exception. In the last decade alone—according to a 2020 Pew Research Study—Jewish denominational identity has moved towards larger participation in the Reform movement, and away from the once-dominant Conservative movement. The same study shows that American Jews are less likely to attend religious services than other faith groups in the United States. In fact, almost a third of American Jews don’t identify with religion at all.

Nor is the distancing expressed only in terms of religion. Only about a third of Jewish families send their children to Jewish summer camps, and the less religiously committed Jewish families are in this country, the less likely they are to send their kids to a Jewish school. As a community, we are distancing ourselves from the ancient sources of our unity and identity.

I was raised in a Conservative, Zionist, Jewish household that kept kosher, celebrated Shabbat every week, sent me to Sunday school and Jewish summer camp, and encouraged involvement in Jewish youth programs. Throughout the most formative years of my life, my strongest social networks were in Jewish spaces. Being raised in a home where Jewish history, culture, and tradition were celebrated, and having friends who had similar upbringings, cultivated a strong sense of Jewish and Zionist identity and a connection to the broader community. My upbringing is what made me an advocate; I understand that to love something is to fight for its strength and protection.

For many years I felt out of place among some of my Jewish peers—particularly those with whom I attended secular public school, who had vastly different Jewish upbringings than my own. Later, I noticed that Jewish friends from college who did not have a similar upbringing lacked a strong sense of Jewish identity, both as individuals and as part of a broader community. Many of them like to say they are “Jew-ish,” like they are talking about the color of their hair—something they were born with but which could be easily changed. Often they are disconnected from, or adversarial towards, Israel and Zionism, and seem to have no interest in being advocates for either our community or our homeland.

In place of tradition and observance, which are incredibly important markers of our ethnic and historical background, many Jews see Judaism as simply a “culture.” We have moved from Tanakh, Talmud, and Mishnah to tzimmes, whitefish, and matzoh. Adopting the notion that we are simply a “culture” not only prevents us from understanding who we are in all of our beautiful diversity and depth, it also makes us less capable of educating others. As a result, we allow non-Jews to decide for themselves who they think we are—with the inevitable scapegoating that results. I believe we have come to an era of reckoning that is forcing us to accept that our generations of assimilation have done far more harm than good.

When I was ten, a classmate told me that he wanted to finish what Hitler started and to kill the rest of the Jews. I lived in a town with a strong Jewish community; to be Jewish was an immense source of joy and power. It came as a shock to learn that some people thought that being Jewish is bad—that the world should be rid of us.

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When I started college, it didn’t take long to discover how lackluster the campus Jewish community’s relationship with Israel was. With close to one hundred active student clubs, two were Jewish, and one of them explicitly anti-Israel. That group dominated the campus discussion of Israel and had a knack for drowning out Zionist voices—so much so that when a group of Jewish students was publicly lambasted by the student body for speaking up against a terror attack in Israel, the administration demanded they apologize for their statement. Several of them were harassed and intimidated at events on campus for weeks to come.

Reeling from the antisemitism I watched spreading across my campus, I met with a coalition of concerned Zionist Jewish students who felt as enraged as I did. Yet, none of them felt these incidents warranted action.

I knew that if I wanted anything to change, I would have to do something. After graduating, I sprang headfirst into a career focused specifically on Jewish and Israel advocacy through the American Jewish Committee (AJC). According to the AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America 2023 Report—which assesses and compares the Jewish and general population perceptions of, and experiences with, antisemitism in the United States—no fewer than 94 percent of American Jews feel antisemitism is a problem in the U.S. today. Since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 77 percent of American Jews feel less safe in the United States.

My peers have begun to understand the growing threat against our community, and many seem to have disabused themselves of the notion that we are in any way protected from antisemitism in contemporary society.

In the months since October 7, the Jewish community has been a punching bag for global rage against Israel—because, and only because, the Jewish state is defending itself. Many young Jews seem to be waking up to this fact; I see more Jewish pride, Jewish joy, and resilience than I could have ever expected. I see my peers demanding justice. Finally, I see the global Jewish community aflame with determination. Finally, my community is realizing that neither fleeing nor freezing will stop evildoers from attempting to destroy us.

So why, all of a sudden, is such a large part of the Jewish community so activated, determined, and resolute? What was it about the Hamas attack that triggered our fight response?

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The myth of Jewish security has been shattered. Many young American Jews are witnessing a war which poses an existential threat to their homeland for the first time in their lives. On October 7, they watched as Hamas, an Iranian proxy, launched missile attacks in Israel’s South, and brutally murdered and raped more than a thousand Jews. They watched as hundreds of civilians from Israel, America, Thailand, and many other countries were stolen away and taken hostage underground.

For the first time, young American Jews understand the threat that antisemitism poses not just to Israel, but to Jews around the world. For the first time, they are experiencing real, direct, and dangerous Jew-hatred. They see it in their social media feeds, on their campuses, in the media, and in their places of work. They finally understand that no matter how much they try to distance themselves from their Jewish or Zionist identities, our adversaries will threaten us all the same.

Today they realize that to be a Jew and a Zionist requires action. Many of the same people I knew to be quietly Jewish and Zionist before October 7 are now proudly wearing a yellow ribbon to raise awareness of the hostages, or a Star of David to feel more connected to their identity. Many of them are now educating their peers about the ongoing war. Many are also attending synagogue regularly, keeping Shabbat in a way that feels authentic to them, and seeking Jewish community wherever they can find it.

Since October 7, many young Jews have begun to identify with, and to feel a deepened connection to, their homeland. They understand that “Zionist” is not a dirty word, as we’d been taught by many of our non-Jewish peers. They understand that to be a Zionist is to fight hate actively, to stand up for our community, to educate our non-Jewish friends, and to shake off those who oppose our very identities.

Young Jews are waking up to the fact that simply being Jewish isn’t enough to safeguard our people. If we want to see the Jewish people thrive, and if we want to protect and maintain the Jewish homeland whose neighbors want it gone, we must practice Judaism and Zionism actively. We must find ways to feel connected to our historical, traditional, religious, and spiritual roots, so that we feel capable of empowering and strengthening our community for generations to come.

I am proud to watch my peers understand that to be a Zionist is to be a fighter for the Jewish people, a unifier, and an advocate. To be a Zionist is to stand up in the face of hate, to tell our adversaries that we will not cower, to show the world that we will not be destroyed. To be a Zionist is to tell the world that we always have been, and always will be: Am Yisrael, the people of Israel.

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David H.—The Z3 Project and Wicked Son books are proud to present The Case for Dual Loyalty: Healing the Divided Soul of American Jews by Nolan Lebovitz, Z3 Adjunct Fellow and senior rabbi at Valley Beth Shalom in Los Angeles.

This remarkable manifesto reopens the question of Jewish loyalty. Judaism, he argues, begins with loyalty to the Jewish people, which is a pillar of our faith and, in the modern era, includes a profound connection to the State of Israel—a loyalty that not only doesn’t contradict loyalty to America, but weaves into it and ultimately strengthens it.

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Praise for The Case for Dual Loyalty:

“In his courageous and profoundly moving manifesto of Jewish pride, Rabbi Nolan Lebovitz offers keen insight into the dilemmas confronting American Jews in the post-October 7 world. Lebovitz responds to rising antisemitism the way our ancestors did: by reaffirming Jewish loyalty. Written with passion and grace, The Case for Dual Loyalty deserves a space on the short shelf of indispensable books on contemporary American Jewry.”

– Yossi Klein Halevi, Senior Fellow, Shalom Hartman Institute, Jerusalem

“At this critical moment in history—and Jewish history—how lucky we are to have Rabbi Nolan Lebovitz’s courageous, unapologetic, cry for American Jews to develop a ‘proud dual loyalty.’ He justifies this timely, compelling call by taking us on a fascinating, learned journey into Jewish history, American values, and Zionist thought.”

– Gil Troy, author of To Resist the Academic Intifada: Letters to My Students on Defending the Zionist Dream

“With both eloquence and erudition Rabbi Nolan Lebovitz makes a powerful case for American Jews to care for—indeed to love—both America and Israel.”

– David Wolpe, Max Webb Emeritus Rabbi of Sinai Temple, author of Why Faith Matters and David: The Divided Heart

“Anyone whose Judaism was startled awake on the morning of October 7, 2023, would do well to grapple with Rabbi Lebovitz's call to radically rethink the ways in which our commitment to living Jewishly informs and deepens our love for America, and vice versa. As great moral leaders ought to do, Rabbi Lebovitz offers us hard questions and harder challenges, the sort, hallelujah, that may yet rekindle our hope and accelerate our efforts to fashion a more promising future for American Jews.”

– Liel Leibovitz, Editor at Large, Tablet Magazine

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David H.—We are at a turning point in Jewish history. Across the world, Jews are rethinking their core survival strategies, in the process asking the deepest questions of identity, religion, and community. Leading the way is a new generation of activists, thinkers, and writers—those who responded to the post-10/7 crisis not with paralysis and fear, but with a powerful sense of mission. Young Zionist Voices brings together more than thirty of them, and I am proud to join them in events such as the Jerusalem launch we held at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center this past Tuesday, January 14.

Many thanks to participants Eylon Levy, Maia Zelkha, Noah Shufutinsky, Avi Gamulka, and Ofer Chizik. Thanks also to Paul Gross of the Begin Center as well as the Z3 Project that cosponsored this unique Jerusalem launch of Young Zionist Voices. Would love to hear your thoughts! See the full video here:

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Upcoming Young Zionist Voices Events