An unidentified member of LA Jews for Peace participates in a silent peace vigil protesting the Israeli-Hamas conflict in Gaza, outside the Israeli consulate in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
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My Jewish Identity and Gaza: Questioning Israel’s Actions
By Beth Midanik-Blum
In 1948, when the state of Israel was created, all of my family had already moved to Canada and the United States from Europe, luckily far before Hitler’s Nazi regime began. I am unsure of the sentiment my grandparents had – whether they were excited or ambivalent about Israel’s birth – but I do know that unlike many Jews around the world who made Israel their permanent home post-1948, my family stayed put.
Peace, As Defined by Judaism
By Alicia Ortiz
In the languages of Western culture, peace is a noun, not a verb. It is a goal and possibility for a future state of being. In Hebrew the word used for “Peace” is “Shalom,” both a common salutation and valediction. It is literally defined as wholeness and wholesomeness, integration and harmony, physical and moral well-being. In Judaism, the pursuit of peace is the obligation of the individual. Peace is the ultimate purpose of the Torah and central idea of Jewish culture; furthermore, “Shalom” is the name of God, the name of Israel, and the name of the Messiah.
Throughout the years, my grandparents and parents have all traveled to Israel, but never for an extended period of time. Therefore, although I was raised as a reform Jew, I have not been to Israel, nor do I feel an enormous connection to the land, as I know many other Jewish people do. Lacking this strong connection has had a huge impact on how I interpret the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict – most recently, in Gaza.
Most of my in-depth knowledge regarding the conflict has come from university classes, not from my Rabbi or Hebrew school – or from the news media. In this way, I feel as if my International Studies major has given me a chance to learn the historical significance and perspectives surrounding the conflict.
Consequently, as 1,300 Palestinians have been killed just within the most recent battle, my thoughts lie with these victims, or blatantly, I am mad at Israel. As a Jew, it is difficult for me to even acknowledge what my prior statement really means, yet all in all, mostly due to the humanitarian discourses which were the tone of my courses on Israel and Palestine, I am proud to say that I am a Jew who disagrees with Israel’s harsh actions. My identity is as an American Jew who has enjoyed the freedoms of challenging my religion, but it is still not easy to choose sides.