Dear John, Martin Luther King, Jr. said: "The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people." Our traditions have always included storytelling, seeking wisdom and guidance from the experience of over five thousand years of Jewish life. We rely on the Talmud to interpret the teachings of the Torah. We tell the story of the Maccabees at Hanukkah, of the ten commandments at Shavuot, and of liberation at the Passover seder. We rely on the commonality of our language and our shared history to act as a lodestar to help us forge our way into the future. We rely on our collective strength to enable us to survive challenging moments as a people. Today, we are facing one of those challenging moments, perhaps the most challenging for many of us in our lifetimes. Some days it’s hard to know which way to turn - to the gut-punching news coming out hourly here in the US, and not knowing whether our government of the people will hold or will fall to the authoritarian regime in office. Or to the horrifying news from Israel about the war, wondering what comes next for Israel and Palestine. Or to the grief that has struck all of our hearts as we witness the agony of the hostages and their families, stuck in an unending loop of loss and horror and the unknown. At New Jewish Narrative, we know our job in these tense times – to keep going, to fight the alternating tides of dread and outrage competing for our attention every day. To raise our voice in opposition to Occupation, in opposition to anti-democratic dicta, and in support of a better future for all Israelis and Palestinians. One of the challenges we face is the growing generational divide over Israel, one that leads to an intractable breakdown in communication in our homes and our communities. For some, we no longer know what to say at the Passover table. There has been a dramatic shift in the American Jewish community in the aftermath of October 7 and the brutal Gaza War. Never a monolith, we are finding ourselves splintering further. Some close their eyes to the reality that the actions of the Israeli government are no longer those that reflect a democratic society but one that is deep in a struggle to realign power in an ultra-right-wing formation. At New Jewish Narrative, we do not shy away from the truth. We are clear-eyed about what’s ahead. And we keep true to the warning of Dr. King – we never remain silent. Because silence is complicity. Instead, we raise our collective voice and call on our elected officials to ensure that US policy towards Israel is consistent with our laws and our values. We make it clear that “supporting Israel” does not entail supporting the bad actors in today’s Israeli government as they work to destroy any hope for a peaceful solution with the Palestinians. And we call out our own community, demanding accountability and actions to speak truth about both the US and Israeli governments – and to work towards peace. We use our voice in every forum, every day, to work towards a better tomorrow. Please support the work of New Jewish Narrative today. We are building a movement across the country to speak out and support a future in which Israelis and Palestinians can live safely and in peace. We are building a movement to fight back against antisemitism and against those who would weaponize it for their own political goals. We are building a movement whose leadership will carry us all into the future. We are living in precarious times. But New Jewish Narrative was built for these times. We are here, every day, fighting to get past the name calling and point scoring and to instead speak with clarity about the difficult issues of the day. We are telling a new story about our countries, our people and our future. And with you by our side, we know that we will persevere. Please support New Jewish Narrative with a generous gift today. Please join us in speaking out against injustice and division. Together we will fight the silence and push back against the forces of oppression. May the conversations around your table engender new stories that lead to deep discussion and commitment to action. B’shalom,
Rabbi Esther Lederman |