Episode 43: Reconstructionist Jews and the Struggle Over Israel’s Future
Description
Confused, angered, and heartbroken by the push to weaken Israel’s independent judiciary? Not sure what to think? Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D., Reconstructing Judaism's CEO, and Rabbi Maurice Harris, its Israel affairs specialist, don't claim to have all the answers. Yet, they’ve each just spent extended stays in the country immersed in conversations about its future as well as its relationship with Diaspora Jewry. In conversation, they make an impassioned, moral defense of sustained engagement with Israel, even as they take a principled opposition to the government's attempts to strip away the country’s democratic character.
Harris and Waxman describe what it’s like to be in Israel, and taking part in demonstrations, as this all unfolds. They explain the Reconstructionist commitment to a multi-vocal, multi-perspective conversation about Israel/Palestine as exemplified by the running debate on Evolve itself. Our guests also respond to several Evolve essays putting Palestinian suffering front and center. This is a grounding, not-to-be missed conversation about some of the most pressing questions facing the Jewish world today.
Theme song, “Ilu Finu” by Rabbi Miriam Margles. Her album This is the Day is available for purchase at CDBaby: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/miriammarglesandthehadarensemb
Visit our home on the web — Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations: http://evolve.reconstructingjudaism.org
Subscribe by Email at http://subscribebyemail.com/evolve.fireside.fm/rss
Read these show notes on the web at https://evolve.fireside.fm/1
This podcast is produced by Reconstructing Judaism. Visit us at ReconstructingJudaism.org.
Special Guests: Rabbi Deborah Waxman, Ph.D. and Rabbi Maurice Harris.
Links:
- Rabbi Deborah Waxman on Israel, Kaplan & Diaspora Jews
- Read Rabbi Maurice Harris' Evolve essay, "My Israel/Palestine Learning Curve Is a Zigzag"
- Evolve's coverage of Israel/Palestine
- The Situation in Hebron is Oppressive
- Rabbi Maurice's Evolve Podcast episode on Israel and Ben & Jerry’s
- From the Trending Jewish archives: "The Accidental Rabbi"
United States
