“Fractured Friendship”

In recent weeks, the policies pursued and the rhetoric employed by Israel’s new far-right government have drawn unprecedented and unvarnished criticism throughout the Jewish Diaspora – and not just from the “usual suspects”, but from the veteran Jewish establishment as well. Even prior to the current Netanyahu coalition, a growing distance had emerged between a largely liberal, pluralistic, and non-Orthodox Diaspora and an Israel marked by semi-permanent Occupation, increasing right-wing sentiment, and a zealously-guarded Orthodox monopoly on Jewish practice. That divide is now being laid bare. On Wednesday, 15 March, we’re joined by four panelists who have thought deeply, and written and spoken extensively on the state of Israel-Diaspora relations: Rabbi Sharon Brous – Founder and Senior Rabbi of the Ikar Spiritual Community Mikhael Manekin – Director of the Alliance Fellowship program Miko Zeldes-Roth – A leader with IfNotNow and PhD student at the University of Toronto Rabbi Andrea London (moderator) – Senior Rabbi at Beth Emet The Free Synagogue The moderated discussion was followed by time for Q&A with the Zoom audience.