The Surprising Intersectional Opportunity to Engage

The Israeli government’s recent actions have ignited a heated debate within the American Jewish community and led some leaders to distance themselves from Israel, with some even contemplating a post-Israel era. Among others, former mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg, known for his unwavering support for Israel, publicly warned that Israel is courting disaster. Reports claim that key Jewish organizations like AIPAC, the AJC and the JFNA have decided to avoid meeting with the Israeli Minister of Treasury during his visit to the U.S., further emphasizing the divide.

But despite the apparent conflict, the current crisis presents a unique opportunity to strengthen the bond between American Jews and Israel. Here is why.

Over the past decade, the rise of identity politics in the U.S., specifically critical race theory and intersectionality, has posed challenges for Jewish communities and Israel.

Critical Race Theory (CRT) is a framework that argues that racism is deeply ingrained in social institutions and laws, perpetuating systemic inequalities and injustices. Intersectionality, a key concept in CRT, draws parallels between different forms of oppression attributed to an oppressive white establishment, with the aim of encouraging different minority groups based on culture, gender, religion or race to collaborate in forming “intersectional coalitions” against the dominant white power structure.

The widespread classification of Jews as privileged whites has resulted in their portrayal as being responsible for the mechanisms of white social oppression. As a result, Jewish individuals are not welcome in intersectional social spaces unless they denounce key identity elements, such as their support for Israel. This “Jewish erasure” has contributed to the recent rise of antisemitism by framing it as the problem of rich people, undermining the sense of urgency around it in American society. As a result, mainstream, moderate and centrist Jews who feel a strong connection to Israel (albeit critical) face significant challenges in navigating this discourse.

The difficulties of the Jewish community when it comes to dealing with this challenge is internal Jewish polarization, which evidences a complex Jewish identity challenge driven in part by an increasingly complex relationship with Israel. Against this backdrop, the Jewish struggle against erasure requires rebooting Jewish politics and focusing on building a political and social center.

Against this backdrop, the Jewish struggle against erasure requires rebooting Jewish politics and focusing on building a political and social center.

Meanwhile, the “black swan” of moderate mainstream centrist Israelis has been the formation of a religious-reactionary “Israeli intersectionality,” undermining the liberal secular orientation of the State of Israel. The alliance between national religious and ultra-orthodox parties, with the backing of many Masorti from the social periphery, is framed as challenging the order created by Ashkenazi (white) liberal state founders.

The public backlash in Israel is not solely about the proposed Judicial reforms by the government (which are at the heart of a legitimate debate), but rather reflects a broader frustration with years of conduct that demonstrates extremism and contempt for proper administration. This includes calls by a minister to burn a Palestinian village, the appointment of a Minister for National Security who has been viewed as a threat to national security, as well as sectoral policies of ultra-orthodox parties and personal legislation for individuals accused or convicted of crimes—all of which has contributed to this frustration.

Indeed, the political dynamic in Israel has led several American Jewish leaders to criticize the actions and statements of current government officials in an unprecedent way. Some of these critics have been speaking out in street protests in Israel. A space has been created for collaboration between pragmatic Israelis and American Jews who share similar values, who believe in democracy and Zionism, who reject radicalism, and who tend to be centrist.

This collaboration is not intrinsically political and could outlive the current unique sensitive circumstances. There are many similarities between the intersectional challenges both groups are experiencing, and both share the desire to rebuild the social and political center. Both groups are committed to democratic principles, human rights and the rule of law. By coalescing around these shared values, they can create a platform that will contribute to the revival of the framework of people-to-people relationships, of real peoplehood. By working together, large segments of American Jewry and Israeli society can create a more cohesive and resilient Jewish community that will weather the challenges of the 21st century.

Eran Shayshon is Founder of ATHALTA Institute and former CEO of the Reut Institute.