So I've been considering converting to Judaism. Been going to a synagogue for the past few weeks.
And it kinda bothers me the extent to which some jewish organizations support Israel.
Like I get it, I understand the history of zionism and why Israel was founded. But this isn't the 1940s anymore. While antisemitism still exists, jews aren't being massively persecuted in the west anymore. The state of Israel exists and it has been going strong for 75 years.
Its just really hard for me to see what the Israeli government is doing in Palestine, in regards to the occupation, and the violence and discrimination against Palestinians, and pretend that this is somehow in line with how G-d and the Torah want jews to behave.
Yet I've seen so many american synagogues that feel the need to openly state their support for Israel. Why? What does it mean to "support Israel"? Why should I, as an American(jew or otherwise), feel any loyalty to a foreign country? Israel isn't under attack, they have the backing of the american military and the people who oppose them have far weaker capabilities.
Anyways, I'm not on the side of Hamas. I don't think Israel needs to be "pushed into the ocean". I just think that the world is big enough for everybody, for Israelis and Palestinians, for Jews and Muslims. I know technically, I'm not a jew yet, but they are the people I've chosen to associate myself with. I think as the "chosen people", jews have a responsibility to try to create a better world for everybody.
I think part of that is that you have a responsibility to call out evil when you see it. I don't know what else you can call Israel's actions in the west bank, apart from evil.