Notes on "Liberal Zionism and the Troubled Committed" by Donniel Hartman

Introduction

• Author: Rabbi Dr. Donniel Hartman
• Position: President of the Shalom Hartman Institute
• Notable works: "Putting God Second: How to Save Religion from Itself"
• Themes: Challenges of Zionism, moral dilemmas, liberal Zionism discourse

Key Concepts

• Troubled Committed Zionist: Someone unconditionally committed to Israel but troubled by the gap between ideals and reality.
• Untroubled Committed: Committed to Israel but indifferent to moral issues associated with occupation.
• Troubled Uncommitted: Those who struggle with supporting Israel due to moral concerns.

Historical Context

• Post-1967 Six Day War: Bright future and hubris followed by challenges.
• Yom Kippur War (1973) and Lebanon War (1982): Shifts in perceptions.
• Oslo Accords failure and Gaza disengagement (2005): Disenchanted many Israelis.

Contemporary Issues

• Human Rights and Equality: Inconsistently applied in regions like Judea, Samaria, and Gaza.
• Occupation Concerns: Existing political status quo desensitizes the moral implications.
• Peace Efforts: Perceived lack of resolute pursuit of peace.

Changing Attitudes

• North American Jews: Remain troubled committed, some shifting towards troubled uncommitted.
• Israeli Politics: Majority moved towards untroubled committed.
• Impact of Politics: Alignment with or against political figures like Donald Trump impacts perceptions.

Factors Beyond Control

• Partisan Perceptions: Israel seen as aligned with Republicans, affecting Democratic support.
• Social Movements: Comparisons between Black Lives Matter and Palestinian Lives Matter.

Criticisms and Defenses

• Factual Defense: Highlights historical Arab aggression and rejections of peace.
• Antisemitism Defense: Critics seen as antisemitic, rejecting Jewish power.

Limitations of Current Discourse

• Factual and Antisemitism Defenses: Fail to engage with the troubled committed.
• Narrative Power: The power imbalance influences how narratives are constructed.

Liberal Zionist Agenda

1. Zionism and Self-Defense: Support for a Jewish state recognizing moral challenges.
2. Democratic Commitment: Equal rights for all citizens, Jews and Arabs alike.
3. Peaceful Resolution: Pursue political solutions, address occupation's moral issues.
4. Moral Expectations: Shift discourse to include moral expectations of Israel.
5. Open Discourse: Encourage open discussions without restricting criticisms.
6. Narrative of Power: Balance powers useful purposes against potential abuses.

Conclusion

• Challenge of the Narrative: How to sustain a liberal Zionist story amidst current realities.
• Engagement Strategy: Suggests North American Jews need to engage Israelis actively.
• Optimism for the Future: Emphasizes belief in the potential for change and improvement.