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One of the greatest strengths of the Jewish community has always been its diversity of background, thought, and belief. Yet lately, a single political perspective seems to dominate the public voice of our community, often presented as though it speaks for every Jew in town.
It does not. And deep down, even our leaders know that.
The message reaching the broader world, and sometimes even our children, suggests that Jews are a political monolith aligned with one ideology. We are not. And pretending we are does a disservice not just to the community, but to the values we hold sacred.
Judaism has always valued argument—healthy, honest, even heated debate.
Study Talmud or Mishnah and you will see it firsthand. The very model of Torah learning requires at least two people, a chevruta, often a student and a rabbi. The Hebrew words for “to teach” (lelamed) and “to learn” (lilmod) share the same root. Because teaching and learning are inseparable. As Pirkei Avot 6:6 teaches, a person should study Torah because it is the right thing to do, and when he does, he should teach others. And when he teaches, he must keep learning himself.
And when we study in chevruta? We argue. We challenge. We push back. The sages of the Talmud argued constantly, sometimes fiercely, and that is how wisdom was sharpened.
That is exactly how we should approach our communal discourse today. Every voice in the community deserves to be heard. Every viewpoint deserves a seat at the table.
The entire community should also be united on one core principle. Zionism is not a political stance but a core belief of Judaism going back to the Babylonian exile. Our connection to the Land of Israel is embedded in our prayers, our texts, and our holidays. Look no further than Purim, a story born in exile, where survival and return to the land were intertwined. Zionism is not up for debate. It is part of who we are.
My biggest issue right now is with social justice warriors who pick controversial causes that make headlines, but stay silent when it matters most. They are loud on trendy issues and silent on tragedies like the Syrian genocide of the Druz. No vigils. No protests. No statements. Just silence.
We need a real community conversation, one that reflects the full range of who we are. We are not a monolith. And that is something worth protecting.
