Tamrurim תַּמְרוּרִ֔ים

Tamrurim (Guideposts) are brief thoughts about Israel.

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  • In Memory: 12 Druze Children

    When I moved to Atlanta, the Counsel General (aka Ambassador) from Israel to this region was Reda Mansour. Mr. Mansour is a Druze-Israeli and brought to our community a deeper understanding of the lives of non-Jewish Israelis. He represented their commitment to a strong and lasting Israel for people of all faiths.

    Today, a Druze village (not his specifically) fell victim to a missile attack from Hezbollah. A rocket manufactured by Iran, fell on a soccer (aka football) field, killing 11 children and teens. Israeli citizens. Futures cut short by a regime aimed at wiping Israel off the map.

    More horror stories such as these aren’t told EVERY day because the anti-missle systems of Israel (thanks in part to support from the US) intercept dozens and dozens day and night, preventing the mass murder Iran proxies want. Today alone, over 100 missiles fired at Israel from Hezbollah, sadly this one got through the defense systems … and the consequences unimaginable.

    If you don’t support Israel’s right to defend itself, its children of all faiths, then what do you actually stand for?

    Ambassaor Mansour, please accept my condolences on behalf of your entire Druze community. May the memories of these children be a blessing to all who knew them and may their legacy be a lasting peace.

  • My Holy Tent of Dialogue

    from “Siddur for Youth” by Cantor Azi Schwartz.

    Ohalechka is often translated into “Tents” and Yaacov/Jacob’s other name was Yisrael. Jews are known as B’nai Yisrael – meaning the descendants of Jacob and
    inheritors of his covenant with God (which includes the Holy Land).

    A sanctuary is known as a place of holiness. The words uttered in them are sacred. Judaism extends that sacredness to all words, no matter where spoken, even those that are in disagreement. As someone who has conducted learning and dialogue about contentious topics for years, I always start by teaching the concept of Eilu v’Eilu … that “these and these” (ideas in conflict) are still all holy. I also always set the standard for what is outside the tent of holy words and ideas. 

    When it comes to talking about Israel or exploring concepts related to conflicts Israel is embroiled in, my tent is super wide and open for a lot of holy disagreement, but there are still basic ill -conceived concepts that fall outside of what I can deem holy and as acceptable dissent.  This graphic displays some of the most polarizing ones:

    In order for me to be in conversation – there is a level of emotional safety and respect that must exist as a baseline. However, when these unholy words and concepts are uttered or inferred, I automatically don’t feel completely safe and if I continue to engage, I do so with hesitation and trepidation.

    When I shared this with a few of my dear Muslim friends, they challenged me to consider that this is very one-sided and asked me what is outside the tent as it relates to Muslims and “Palestine” within the same holy debate. As a result, I have created this new graphic which illustrates statements I have heard but that I shut down and also refuse further engagement with those who insist on these unholy assertions:

    I know that the tent is different for each person and I implore people to figure out what unholy words or ideas you won’t tolerate – about Israel and the Palestinian people, or about any other complicated situation and then set those boundaries very clearly.

    There is a lot of room inside the tent for hard dialogue and challenging assumptions and pushing comfort.  Let’s be sure we stay in that space, and not step out into the unholy space outside the tent. 

  • The Attempted Un-Coupling of Zionism from Judaism

    I have been so distraught over educated, connected Jews (like rabbis and educators and Mandy Patinkin) calling for unilateral ceasefire, using words like “genocide” and similar (all against Israel).

    1/ Zionism began in 586 BCE. Read Psalm 137 for documentation on such. We (global Jewry) are known biblically as B’nei Yisrael (and the Quran even calls us this 20+ times). More modern (although also long history) is us being called K’lal Yisrael and Am Yisrael. Our central prayer – Shema – is specifically about being a part of this.

    • I saw one stat list that says:
      • Israel is mentioned over 2,500 times.
      • Zion is mentioned in the Tanakh at least 150 times.
      • Jerusalem is mentioned 669 times.

    2/ As such, Zionism a a central Jewish value. However, just like with other core Jewish values, people pick and choose. In some cases (like kashrut) our community has come to accept that as a relatively neutral choice. However, there are other core Jewish values (like taking care of the stranger among us, not murdering, not accepting another god) that when a member of our community outwardly rejects this value and acts on that rejection, the rest of the mainstream community looks down on them, may start to exclude them in some ways, removes them from the “mensch” list, etc. Zionism falls into the latter category. And in fact, Natan Sharansky refers to antiZionist Jews as “un-Jews.” The linked article is three years old but more relevant than ever.

    3/ I want to ask these folks: are you sure you are an antiZionist? Do you reject that the State of Israel has a right to exist, in HaEretz, for the purpose of providing a safe haven for Jews on our ancestral land? Or do you just have contention (as many of us do) with how many things have been handled the last 76 years? And if it’s the latter, you aren’t antiZionist and may need the option to connect with more like-minded people who want an amazing Israel in which all peoples have equality, dignity and freedom. Reach out to me and I can point you to them.

    You don’t want to be a Zionist, your choice (just like your choice to not keep kosher) but you don’t go out proselytizing folks to eat pork, so stop taking to the streets and social media to try and stop folks from being Zionist! Stop giving credence to the JewHaters who use this b.s. line of thinking to justify their behaviors.