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14 Questions for Progressive Jews

In a spirit of honest inquiry and intellectual challenge, I would like to pose a series of questions to that majority of American Jews who consider themselves progressive (that is, Jews on the left of the political spectrum).
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May 8, 2015

In a spirit of honest inquiry and intellectual challenge, I would like to pose a series of questions to that majority of American Jews who consider themselves progressive (that is, Jews on the left of the political spectrum).

1. How do you explain the fact that nearly all the Israel hatred in the non-Muslim world today comes from the left?

There are, of course, some neo-Nazi anti-Israel organizations. But, with very few exceptions, they are small and inconsequential. Essentially all antipathy to Israel today comes from the left: from universities, Europe’s labor unions, the Christian left, left-wing media, and from socialist and green parties.

To be clear, I am not talking about people who fight on behalf of Israel but who happen to disagree with any given Israeli policy or political leadership. I am talking about those who work to undermine Israel’s security whether through promulgating BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) against Israel, or by spreading the accusation that Israel is an apartheid state, or by blaming Israel rather than Hamas (or both equally, for that matter) for the Gaza death count in the last Israel-Hamas war. And, of course, I am referring to those who oppose Zionism outright, meaning people who do not believe Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish state.

2. Does this left-wing antipathy to Israel disturb you on any level?

How do you intellectually, morally and emotionally square your leftism with the fact that Israel hatred is almost solely located on the left? Do you see it as a sort of quirk of the left? Do you choose to ignore it? Do you feel that  because you agree with the left on just about every other issue, its antipathy to Israel is just something worth living with?

I would respectfully suggest that there is no clearer major moral issue in the world today than the existential threat to Israel. No other country in the world is targeted for extinction — by hundreds of millions of people, no less, and by a powerful country that seeks to obtain nuclear weapons.

3. Can you name any significant areas in which you believe that Judaism and your progressivism differ?

4. If you cannot name such an area, can you understand why many Jews have opted out of synagogue and all other aspects of religious Jewish life? After all, if liberalism/progressivism/leftism have essentially identical teachings to Judaism on all moral and social issues, why bother with Judaism?

Yes, Judaism offers beautiful things outside of moral and social teachings — a communal life, Shabbat and holy days. But most Jews are secular, and in order to gain any of those benefits, one needs to affiliate with, and, at least to a certain extent, practice things that are religiously Jewish. There was a time when secular Jewish life offered a rich Jewish communal life, but no longer. Given how fully American Jews are accepted by, and integrated into, American life, most American Jews no longer need all those fine secular Jewish groups — B’nai B’rith and Jewish country clubs, for example — that they once felt they needed. As a result, most Jews simply have decided that since there is no significant difference between Judaism and progressive politics, there is little need to stay Jewish.

5. Do you believe that it is possible not to be a “hater” — and even be a loving human being — while believing that marriage should remain defined as the union of man and woman?

In America today, those who continue to hold on to Judaism’s (and other religions’) man-woman definition of marriage are widely regarded as “haters” by those who advocate same-sex marriage. Do you share that view?

[READ: 15 ANSWERS TO DENNIS PRAGER]

6. Do you feel that there is any room in Reform, Conservative or Reconstructionist Judaism for a rabbi who holds the traditional Jewish definition of marriage as between a man and a woman? Or that holding such a position should automatically disqualify an individual from being a rabbi at your non-Orthodox synagogue?

Imagine a wonderful, learned, kind rabbi who applied to be a rabbi at your non-Orthodox synagogue. This man or woman appears to be ideal in every way. Among the many other things you like about the rabbi is that he or she made it clear that gay Jews, their partners and their children would be warmly welcomed into the synagogue. But then, just as you were about to hire the rabbi, you learn that he or she believes that Jews should continue to adhere to Judaism’s millennia-old affirmation of marriage as the union of a man and woman. Would that automatically disqualify him or her?

7. Would you prefer your child marry a non-Jew who shared all your progressive political and social views or a Jew who was a conservative Republican and therefore differed with you on virtually all social and political issues?

8. While on the subject of children, would you rather your child be fully Orthodox or fully secular (irreligious)?

9. Would you have any misgivings about hiring a rabbi who was obviously biologically male (that is, had undergone neither hormonal therapy nor sex-reassignment surgery) and wore a dress and other women’s clothing both at synagogue and everywhere else?

10. Do you believe that fundamentalists of all religions are equally dangerous or that fundamentalist Muslims today pose a significantly greater threat than do fundamentalist Christians or fundamentalist Jews?

11. How often, if ever, do you read or listen to conservative opinions?

Conservatives are regularly confronted with left-wing views — throughout their schooling, by mainstream news media, and on TV and in films. A person on the left, however, can go through life without almost ever reading, seeing or listening to conservative views: no talk radio, no Wall Street Journal editorial page, no conservative columnists or books, etc.

12. The only large pro-Israel events organized by non-Jews are organized by conservative Christian groups such as Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Given Israel’s increasing isolation, would you attend a CUFI event in your city — or would the fact that CUFI is a conservative Christian organization prevent you from you doing so?

13. Have you ever differed with the Torah and, as a result, reconsidered your position? Let me illustrate this question:

I have publicly debated professor Alan Dershowitz on four occasions. At the first debate (at the 92nd Street Y in New York), I announced in the middle of our dialogue — and repeated at each subsequent debate — that perhaps the greatest difference between us was that “when Professor Dershowitz differs with the Torah, he says that the Torah is wrong and he is right. When I disagree with the Torah, I say the Torah is right and I am wrong.” Professor Dershowitz agreed that this accurately described a major difference between us.

14. Which is more likely to keep you up at night — Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon or climate change? If you respond that they disturb you equally, do your children know that?

I would welcome written responses to these questions. Please send them to me either through editor@jewishjournal or directly to me at dennis@dennisprager.com.

Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk-show host (AM 870 in Los Angeles) and founder of PragerUniversity.com. His latest book is the New York Times best-seller “Still the Best Hope: Why the World Needs American Values to Triumph” (HarperCollins, 2012).

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