Jewish Feminist Justice Work: Focus on Israel/Palestine

Of all the work I do as a Jewish feminist, the most difficult and important is the small contribution I make to pursuing peace and justice in Israel/Palestine. The difficulty begins with the act of naming the work. In the institutional Jewish community, and even with other Jewish feminists, using the term “Israel/Palestine” rather than referring to the “Israeli-Palestinian” or “Middle East” conflict—thereby recognizing that Palestine deserves to be recognized as an independent entity—is a political act of rebellion or even treason. Framing this work as pursuing peace and justice in Israel/Palestine marks me as someone who cares more about finding a just solution to the conflict than safeguarding the future of the state of Israel and therefore a dangerous person. However, as feminists, we learned many years ago that what we call things is important, and the act of naming the work “pursuing peace and justice in Israel/Palestine” matters.

It also matters that I name the social locations from which I do this work. I do it first as a lesbian feminist committed to speaking out about issues of oppression and justice wherever they arise, but also a Jew and rabbi living in North America who now identifies as a post-Zionist. My status as a rabbi gives me the obligation and opportunity to “speak truth to power.” I speak as an American Jew because I reject the commonly held notion that I have no right to criticize Israel because I do not live there. The United States is Israel’s greatest ally in part because of the insistent and well-funded pressure certain Jews (and Christians) exert on American elected officials. For that reason, I believe it is up to American Jews and Christians to demand that our government use its power to pressure Israel into negotiating in good faith.

Although I have been critical of the policies of the Israeli government since my first extended stay there in 1969−70, I did not identify as post-Zionist until after the 2006 war in Lebanon.¹ At that time, the simple thought occurred to me, as it did to others, that it is impossible for Israel to claim to be both a Jewish state (which I identify as the primary Zionist goal) and a democracy. I believe that Israel must choose between those options. I have in recent times also seen myself as obligated to choose, and I have no doubt which of those Jewish values is more important to me. So I have chosen to cast my lot with those who are fighting for equal rights for everyone in Israel/Palestine. To my mind, the label post-Zionist best captures that position.

In this essay, I describe several places where feminist perspectives have nourished and challenged me in this work: the Jewish feminist network in Israel, the Jewish feminism that grounds the organization known as Jewish Voice for Peace, and the queer activism that has challenged “pinkwashing.” Each has provided inspiration, opportunities for action and solidarity, and raised questions that I face in this struggle.

The Jewish Feminist Movement in Israel

The Jewish feminist movement in Israel began in earnest in 1988 with the founding of Women in Black. After the First Intifada, Women in Black organized weekly vigils at key sites in every city in Israel. Every Friday, women dressed in black and stood in silence to protest the occupation and mourn the deaths resulting from the brutal response of the Israeli military to the Palestinian uprising. The power of this simple ritualized demonstration caught on and spread around the world; Women in Black now operates in twenty countries, protesting against the culture of war that produces violence against women. It is a powerful contribution that Israeli feminists have made to create this global activist network.

Over the years, dozens of other feminist groups in Israel have protested the occupation and engaged in activities such as providing legal assistance to Israeli conscientious objectors and working in solidarity with Palestinian women to develop networks of dialogue and leadership. They have created programs...