www.reformjudaism.org.uk

MANNA 108: Summer 2010

Written by Rabbi Dr. Tony Bayfield Tuesday, 17 August 2010

Mick Davis is one of the most powerful and determined figures ever to lead UJIA. He is forthright about the centrality of Israel to Jewish identity and clear that the future of British Jewry is inextricably bound up with the future of Israel. He puts his considerable energy and resources behind these views.

In a remarkable speech to his Patrons in June he declared that the current malaise in implementing the two state solution for the Israel-Palestine

problem cannot be allowed to continue. Israel must “define a strategic solution and develop tactical implementation in terms of what is right, moral and legitimate about the Jewish state rather than what is wrong with her neighbours.” “Jews in the Diaspora must recognise that we have a proper and legitimate role to partner Israel in developing that strategic design and we must seek a proper place to do that.” “We must not retreat into a defensive circle but open ourselves up with confidence to the challenge.”

Coming from the most powerful Zionist voice in Britain today, that is a clear and welcome signal that a changing world demands changing Zionist affirmations. So MANNA now urges the British Progressive community to affirm, or reaffirm the following loudly and clearly.

One. We love Israel with all our heart, all our soul and all our might. In a world in which there are growing attempts to de-legitimise Israel, we have to renew our efforts to argue the case even though it should need no arguing. We must also demonstrate our love of Israel on an individual, family and community-by-community basis. There are many ways of doing this and no one way will work for everyone. That is why the Reform Movement website details a range of initiatives and organisations working for Israel and for good relations between Israel and the Arab world, Jews and Palestinians. No single organisation is the answer for everyone but every Jew is obliged to connect in some positive way.

Two. We are equally strongly committed to the two state solution. It offers the only realistic way of achieving a just settlement and security for both Jews and Palestinians. We will back Israel government policies which pursue a strategy for achieving peace. We will question and challenge Israel government policies which do not appear to further the cause of peace. We will oppose those who cling to dreams of a greater Israel for secular, nationalist reasons. We will oppose equally strongly those who place ‘Biblical’ claims before the rights of others and before the overriding claims of justice and peace. We will do so publicly because all who are friends of Israel need to hear this commitment.

Three. We hold firm to the rabbinic principle “kol Yisrael areivim zeh ba’zeh, every Jew is a surety for every other Jew”. The future of the Jewish people worldwide is bound up both ethically and physically with the future of the Jewish people in Israel. That is why we not only assert our right to engage in the debate but see it as a religious obligation to do everything that we can to further the cause of a secure peace based upon a two state solution.

Four. We recognise that there are profound differences between living in Britain and living in Israel where people face the dangers and incur the cost of the struggle every day. Nevertheless, we in the Diaspora have something particular to offer. Many of Israel’s allies and also its enemies live outside Israel. Living amongst them, we can often understand how they see the situation. We can offer an insight and a perspective that may be a useful balance and corrective to the view from the front line or from inside the bubble.

Five. When all is said and done, no one sees Israel in quite the same way as Jews, be they citizens of Israel or citizens of Britain. We love Israel with all our heart, soul and might. Why would or should anyone else? Up to now, we have tended to regard anyone who does not share our view of Israel and the situation in the Middle East as an enemy, a source of suspicion to be shunned. Though understandable, that has not proved to be a fruitful attitude. It does not make practical sense to give up on potential friends. Turning one’s back on one’s opponents is not a clever thing to do. Anti-Semitism is widespread and some of it masquerades as anti-Israel feeling. The recent resolution of the Methodist church is a powerful case in point. A Palestinian Christian pressure group exploited a range of feelings within the Methodist church. Christian “bias towards the poor and dispossessed”, a very British sympathy for the underdog, the long-lived Lawrence of Arabia romance, an inability to stomach Jews unless they are victims. All the rational arguments, all our skills at intervention had no effect. An outrageous resolution was adopted.

This illustrates a growing reality in Britain which is deeply troubling. But it also illustrates a strategic failure. The failure has been to invest sufficiently in building partnerships and alliances with both religious and secular groups. It is obtuse to assume that everyone who does not see Israel as we do is an enemy and to turn our backs. We need to invest more of our time and our love of Israel in building alliances and sharing common projects. If we had worked with the Methodists on projects to alleviate deprivation both amongst Christians and Jews in the Middle East, the resolution might not have been brought or would not have succeeded. The same goes for the major aid agencies and non-governmental organisations. Alliances, collaboration promote greater understanding.

Six. We must never forget our fundamental values which flow from the Torah and are part of the modern western world. We must continue to be at the forefront of the pursuit of justice and the principle of equality – the conviction that all human beings are equally precious in the sight of God. However difficult and challenging, we must continue to remind all those involved in the Middle East struggle – particularly our enemies, whose cynicism and disregard for human life is a true evil – that in the words of Torah “justice, justice shall you pursue”. We must continue to resist being dragged down to the level of those who abuse not only their enemies but their own people.

MANNA applauds Mick Davis and offers those six points – love of Israel; commitment to a just and secure peace based on two states; the value of the Diaspora perspective; the continuing responsibility of Jew for Jew; the importance of partnerships and alliances; the non-negotiability of fundamental values such as justice and equality – as a six pointed star renewing Zionism for our time.