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Two years have passed since that mass murder of the events of October 7th, an event that profoundly impacted global Jewish populations like no other occurrence since the creation of the Jewish state.

Within Jewish communities it was profoundly disturbing. For the Israeli government, the situation represented a significant embarrassment. The whole Zionist endeavor rested on the presumption that the nation would prevent similar tragedies occurring in the future.

A response seemed necessary. However, the particular response that Israel implemented – the obliteration of Gaza, the casualties of numerous of civilians – represented a decision. This selected path made more difficult the perspective of many US Jewish community members understood the attack that triggered it, and presently makes difficult the community's observance of the day. In what way can people grieve and remember an atrocity against your people in the midst of devastation experienced by other individuals connected to their community?

The Challenge of Mourning

The complexity of mourning lies in the circumstance where little unity prevails about the significance of these events. In fact, within US Jewish circles, this two-year period have experienced the breakdown of a decades-long agreement about the Zionist movement.

The beginnings of pro-Israel unity across American Jewish populations extends as far back as a 1915 essay by the lawyer who would later become Supreme Court judge Louis D. Brandeis called “Jewish Issues; Addressing the Challenge”. Yet the unity became firmly established subsequent to the 1967 conflict that year. Previously, American Jewry contained a fragile but stable coexistence between groups which maintained different opinions regarding the necessity for a Jewish nation – Zionists, neutral parties and opponents.

Background Information

Such cohabitation persisted through the mid-twentieth century, through surviving aspects of socialist Jewish movements, through the non-aligned Jewish communal organization, among the opposing American Council for Judaism and comparable entities. In the view of Louis Finkelstein, the chancellor of the theological institution, pro-Israel ideology had greater religious significance than political, and he forbade performance of Hatikvah, Hatikvah, at religious school events during that period. Furthermore, Zionism and pro-Israelism the centerpiece for contemporary Orthodox communities before that war. Different Jewish identity models remained present.

Yet after Israel defeated its neighbors during the 1967 conflict in 1967, taking control of areas including the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights and East Jerusalem, the American Jewish relationship to Israel underwent significant transformation. The military success, along with longstanding fears about another genocide, resulted in a growing belief in the country’s essential significance within Jewish identity, and generated admiration for its strength. Discourse concerning the extraordinary quality of the success and the freeing of territory provided Zionism a religious, even messianic, importance. In those heady years, much of existing hesitation regarding Zionism disappeared. During the seventies, Writer the commentator declared: “We are all Zionists now.”

The Consensus and Restrictions

The Zionist consensus left out strictly Orthodox communities – who generally maintained a Jewish state should only be ushered in via conventional understanding of redemption – however joined Reform, Conservative, Modern Orthodox and most non-affiliated Jews. The predominant version of the consensus, later termed left-leaning Zionism, was based on a belief about the nation as a progressive and democratic – though Jewish-centered – nation. Many American Jews considered the occupation of Arab, Syria's and Egypt's territories post-1967 as temporary, thinking that a solution was imminent that would maintain Jewish demographic dominance in pre-1967 Israel and regional acceptance of the nation.

Two generations of US Jews grew up with support for Israel a fundamental aspect of their identity as Jews. The state transformed into an important element of Jewish education. Israel’s Independence Day evolved into a religious observance. Blue and white banners decorated many temples. Summer camps became infused with national melodies and learning of modern Hebrew, with visitors from Israel instructing American youth Israeli customs. Trips to the nation grew and reached new heights via educational trips by 1999, when a free trip to the nation became available to Jewish young adults. The nation influenced nearly every aspect of US Jewish life.

Evolving Situation

Ironically, during this period after 1967, Jewish Americans became adept in religious diversity. Tolerance and dialogue between Jewish denominations grew.

Yet concerning support for Israel – there existed pluralism found its boundary. You could be a rightwing Zionist or a leftwing Zionist, but support for Israel as a majority-Jewish country remained unquestioned, and challenging that perspective categorized you outside mainstream views – an “Un-Jew”, as Tablet magazine termed it in writing in 2021.

Yet presently, during of the devastation within Gaza, famine, young victims and outrage over the denial of many fellow Jews who avoid admitting their responsibility, that agreement has broken down. The moderate Zionist position {has lost|no longer