The Jewish Excessive Holidays got here and went this previous month, and I discovered myself craving extra observance of the vacations than I’ve in years, and even a long time. There are a number of anti-zionist congregations across the nation (none in Atlanta), so I streamed providers from a reconstructionist congregation in Philadelphia. It was surprisingly emotional, and in addition fairly nourishing, to see different anti-zionist Jews performing lots of the similar rituals and singing lots of the similar prayers that I grew up with. They had been simply… being Jewish. Observing the Excessive Holidays. Like I did yearly for my total childhood and younger maturity.
Besides, it was completely different. In contrast to each different synagogue I have been to, there was no Israeli flag displayed within the sanctuary. The rabbi wept as they delivered the sermon, throughout which they talked in regards to the absolute bodily and emotional devastation of the previous yr. Lots of the aliyot (blessings) earlier than and after every part of the torah, historically reserved as an honor for mates, household, and members of the neighborhood, had been supplied to individuals who have protested in help of Palestinian liberation, in addition to folks whose lives have been impacted by different types of oppression.
It was the identical, nevertheless it wasn’t the identical. Identical to I, after the previous yr as an anti-zionist Jewish lady, am additionally not the identical.
It was an instance of how observance of Jewish rituals can exist, and even thrive, with out being tied, in any method, to the state of Israel. There was laughter, tears, neighborhood, prayer, solemnity, and lightheartedness. There was a dedication to collective liberation. There was an honoring of all folks’s humanity, not simply the individuals who look and sound like me. It felt, to me, what faith ought to really feel like.
Whereas I proceed to struggle for Palestinian liberation and work in the direction of discovering widespread floor with family and friends who strongly disagree with me, I discover solace in realizing that there’s one other solution to observe Judaism than what I’ve beforehand skilled. That, as Jews, we nonetheless share many widespread parts of how we observe Judaism, greater than many people may understand, and that Judaism might be significant with out Israel.
Our neighborhood has loads to reckon with and atone for. And, perhaps, simply perhaps, we are able to discover our solution to a extra radically trustworthy and inclusive solution to observe our faith and rectify the harms which have been dedicated in our title.
