Sometimes those of us who love Israel feel alone. Our homeland is attacked with words, with accusations, with efforts to delegitimize her. We struggle to have the right words at the right time to defend her.
Sometimes those of us who love Israel feel surrounded and supported. That was the experience I had in being at my first AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington with 16,000 others who share a concern for our holy land (among them 600 clergy and 35 Charlotteans). Dozens of us from Temple Beth El, Temple Israel, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte came to show we care.
Global leaders from around the world shared their commitment to supporting Israel as the only liberal democracy in the Middle East and their view of Israel as a critical asset and ally.
The progressive values which Israel supports were highlighted.
Israel supports Women’s Rights, LGBT equality, democracy, education for all, political leaders who recognize that natural resources such as clean air and water are limited and need to be protected. The majority of Israelis support a two-state solution.
Buoyed by non-Jews’ awe of and respect for the land; inspired by the courage of college students standing up for Israel in tough times on their college campuses; moved by the Palestinian son of a Hamas leader named Mosav Hassan Yousef, who saw the anti-Israel violent terrorism for what it was, and worked with the Shin Bet (Israel’s secret service) to save countless lives; I return to Charlotte recharged and ready to advocate for our holy land. AIPAC has worked hard to ensure that their tent is open to include the progressive camp for whom the pursuit of peace, equality, coexistence, and democracy are the highest values. We were 140 Reform Rabbis strong!
Supporting Israel takes courage. Supporting Israel takes strength.
Supporting Israel takes knowledge so that you can have the right words at the right time. If you find yourself lacking the words or background to advocate for Israel, come to us as clergy to study or consider coming to the AIPAC Conference in the future. The food for thought provided from the world’s greatest Israel experts will give you the sustenance you need.
In Washington, we met an Israeli artist, Yaron Bob, who takes rockets launched from Gaza towards his home (which almost killed him) and crafts them into flowers and Judaica. These beautiful miniature sculptures serve as a message that Israel wants peace.
Through our advocacy, may we help turn rockets into roses, swords into plough shares, terrorism into tatters, and prayers for peace into treaties that make that peace real.
[Written at AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) Policy Conference in Washington, DC, March, 2015
One Response
Dear Rabbi Judy…One trusts that the Beth El community is among many Jews, and Christians, earnestly praying for God’s whisper of wisest words and most powerful truths into the ear of Benjamin Netanyahu today as the PM presents Israel’s case to congress, and the world.