Tamrurim תַּמְרוּרִ֔ים

Tamrurim (Guideposts) are brief thoughts about Israel.

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  • Naqba

    Today is the commemoration of what the Palestinian community calls Naqba.

    I have written many times how I feel the UN and UK have great responsibility in the events that unfolded and yet Israel is solely blamed.

    I also feel one failure of Jewish education is not teaching this event in any way. Ignoring it completely. But that is ignorant because we cannot ignore the inherited trauma of those who descend from the people whose lives were destroyed in the events of Naqba. And those people are our neighbors, our citizens, our potential partners in peace.

    Years ago, Rabbi Evan Traylor made reference to the two poems on his post of this day.

    What stands out to me most:

    In Darwish’s second stanza, he says not to forget those who seek peace when you are in the midst of war. I deeply urge people to follow the work of Roots/Shorashim/Judur, Tag Meir and Standing Together. These are the groups who have been in the work of pursuing peace for years.

    In Al-Qasim’s poem the message of “my country” acknowledges the historical, religious, and emotional ties for many peoples to haEretz. Why is this so hard for so many?

  • Rafah Invasion

    When anti-terrorism Muslim scholars (who are Palestinian rights activists) “get it” more than some Jewish leaders (who align supremely far left)….

    I can’t wrap my head around how some of my colleagues are fully blaming Israel for the tragedies within Gaza instead of holding Hamas accountable.

    I don’t deny that there is terrible suffering in Gaza and that entering Rafah will be a terrible. bloodbath.

    I don’t deny that Israel needed to handle civilians differently knowing Hamas uses them as human shields (I had some ideas, and I may write about this in the future, but not sure “hindsight is 20/20” is helpful right now.)

    I don’t deny that there are some wayward IDF soldiers and their COs doing unspeakable things.

    AND, I hold Hamas responsible that the IDF is there and that there is terrible suffering. And that they could have ended this (even not started this) at any point by surrendering hostages and either turning themselves in or negotiating an exit to somewhere else (if anyone would take them).

    My tent of pluralistic thought is pretty wide, but folks who don’t “get it” the way anti terrorism scholars do, I feel may need to ask themselves what they may be missing or why their beliefs may have shaped the way they have and could their thinking be flawed?

    Link to Eid’s article in Newsweek.

  • Personal Statement on Israel/Palestine

    My connection to Israel is both deeply intellectual and profoundly emotional. My work teaching, leading, and writing about Jewish identity over many years has shaped a perspective that holds multiple truths at once: an unwavering commitment to the security and dignity of Jewish life, a firm rejection of terrorism, and a critical awareness of the complex historical and human realities experienced by Palestinian communities.

    I believe Israel has a legitimate and enduring right to exist as a safe haven for Jews, a right rooted in Jewish history and in the reality that Jews have faced existential threats across the globe. I also believe that all civilians — Israeli and Palestinian alike — deserve safety, dignity, and opportunity in their daily lives. Hamas’ charter (like all jihadi groups), its attacks on civilians, and the ongoing use of terror tactics deeply wound my soul and affirm for me that terrorism must be rejected unequivocally. At the same time, my own education in Israel — including encounters with Palestinian citizens of Israel and long-term residents of the West Bank — has made clear that peace cannot be achieved without honestly acknowledging the grievances, aspirations, and hardships of Palestinian peoples.

    I strive to approach this topic with nuance and compassion, resisting binary thinking and valuing deep, respectful dialogue between people across communities. I recognize the suffering on all sides, and I am committed to advancing ethical, people-centered approaches that uphold human rights and safety for everyone. I reject narratives that deny Jewish self-determination or that excuse violence against civilians, and I also reject rhetoric that erases Palestinian humanity or simplifies lived experience into slogans. I support efforts to build understanding through education, critical engagement with history, and sustained, principled conversation.

    My values align with justice, integrity, historical honesty, accountability, and the sanctity of life, and I believe these values can guide constructive Jewish leadership in coalition with others — even where strategic and policy differences exist. I am committed to working with partners of good faith to reduce suffering, strengthen human dignity, and foster contexts in which lasting peace and security become more attainable for all.