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Marking two years after that deadly assault of the events of October 7th, which deeply affected world Jewry like no other occurrence following the creation of the Jewish state.

For Jews it was profoundly disturbing. For the state of Israel, the situation represented a profound disgrace. The entire Zionist endeavor was founded on the assumption which held that Israel would prevent such atrocities repeating.

Some form of retaliation was inevitable. Yet the chosen course Israel pursued – the widespread destruction of the Gaza Strip, the deaths and injuries of numerous of civilians – was a choice. This selected path made more difficult the way numerous American Jews grappled with the October 7th events that set it in motion, and currently challenges the community's remembrance of the day. How does one honor and reflect on a horrific event against your people in the midst of a catastrophe done to a different population connected to their community?

The Difficulty of Grieving

The difficulty surrounding remembrance stems from the fact that there is no consensus about what any of this means. In fact, within US Jewish circles, the recent twenty-four months have experienced the collapse of a decades-long agreement regarding Zionism.

The origins of a Zionist consensus within US Jewish communities extends as far back as a 1915 essay authored by an attorney who would later become supreme court justice Justice Brandeis called “The Jewish Question; Addressing the Challenge”. Yet the unity became firmly established after the six-day war in 1967. Previously, US Jewish communities contained a vulnerable but enduring coexistence across various segments holding diverse perspectives concerning the necessity for a Jewish nation – pro-Israel advocates, non-Zionists and anti-Zionists.

Historical Context

This parallel existence endured during the post-war decades, in remnants of socialist Jewish movements, within the neutral US Jewish group, in the anti-Zionist Jewish organization and other organizations. In the view of Louis Finkelstein, the head at JTS, the Zionist movement was more spiritual rather than political, and he did not permit performance of Hatikvah, the Israeli national anthem, during seminary ceremonies in the early 1960s. Additionally, Zionism and pro-Israelism the central focus of Modern Orthodoxy until after the six-day war. Jewish identitarian alternatives remained present.

But after Israel routed its neighbors in that war that year, taking control of areas including the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights and East Jerusalem, the American Jewish connection with the country evolved considerably. The triumphant outcome, coupled with enduring anxieties about another genocide, led to a developing perspective about the nation's critical importance to the Jewish people, and generated admiration regarding its endurance. Language about the remarkable quality of the outcome and the “liberation” of land assigned Zionism a religious, even messianic, significance. During that enthusiastic period, much of previous uncertainty toward Israel vanished. During the seventies, Commentary magazine editor Podhoretz declared: “We are all Zionists now.”

The Unity and Its Limits

The Zionist consensus left out the ultra-Orthodox – who generally maintained a Jewish state should only be established via conventional understanding of the Messiah – however joined Reform Judaism, Conservative, contemporary Orthodox and nearly all non-affiliated Jews. The common interpretation of this agreement, what became known as progressive Zionism, was established on a belief regarding Israel as a democratic and free – though Jewish-centered – state. Many American Jews viewed the occupation of Palestinian, Syrian and Egyptian lands post-1967 as provisional, assuming that an agreement was forthcoming that would ensure a Jewish majority in pre-1967 Israel and regional acceptance of the state.

Several cohorts of American Jews grew up with support for Israel a fundamental aspect of their religious identity. The state transformed into a central part in Jewish learning. Israel’s Independence Day became a Jewish holiday. Blue and white banners adorned most synagogues. Youth programs integrated with Israeli songs and learning of modern Hebrew, with Israeli guests instructing US young people Israeli customs. Visits to Israel increased and achieved record numbers through Birthright programs in 1999, offering complimentary travel to the country was offered to young American Jews. The state affected virtually all areas of Jewish American identity.

Changing Dynamics

Paradoxically, throughout these years post-1967, Jewish Americans became adept regarding denominational coexistence. Tolerance and communication between Jewish denominations expanded.

However regarding Zionism and Israel – that represented pluralism ended. One could identify as a rightwing Zionist or a liberal advocate, yet backing Israel as a Jewish homeland remained unquestioned, and criticizing that position categorized you outside the consensus – an “Un-Jew”, as one publication labeled it in writing in 2021.

Yet presently, under the weight of the destruction of Gaza, famine, young victims and anger regarding the refusal of many fellow Jews who avoid admitting their complicity, that consensus has broken down. The centrist pro-Israel view {has lost|no longer