Apr 3, 2022

congregation in Chicago becomes anti-Zionist

A synagogue in Chicago, Tzedek Chicago, founded in 2015, has just voted to confirm anti-zionism as a core value of their congregation. 

I was going to jokingly compare them to Satmar, but after looking at their website a bit I think that it isnt fair to Satmar to make such a comparison.

Until now they were considering themselves as non-Zionist but have now officially changed that core value to anti-Zionist. They say they appreciate the important role Israel plays in Jewish tradition, liturgy and identity but do not accept the fusing of Judaism with political nationalism. I am not sure how Tzedek Chicago categorizes itself, if at all, but its rabbi, Rabbi Brant Rosen, was ordained as a Reconstructionist Rabbi. Looking around the site a bit, including at Rabbi Rosen's profile, it seems pro-Palestinian activity is the norm and has been well before they were officially anti-Zionist.

additional sources for more background: Haaretz (paywall), Jewish Press

I guess they have to stand out from the crowd somehow. They themselves say that almost all synagogues in America are Zionist and they basically founded their congregation as a space for people who didnt identify as Zionists, and I guess now as anti-Zionists. 





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5 comments:

  1. I think the Satmar Rebbe and his followers have a lot in common with Rosen (WRT Israel):

    https://haemtza.blogspot.com/2022/04/loving-israel-hating-medina.html

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  2. The spirit of the American Council for Judaism is still alive in this congregation, but the teachings of Rabbi Mordechai Kaplan are obviously no longer alive in this Reconstructionist-ordained rabbi.

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  3. Not a rabbi and not a synagogue; just a mockery.

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  4. Go to their liturgy page, most of their "liturgy" are readings about helping immigrants or how terrible capitalism is.
    But take a look at the Purim Liturgy, they have a retelling of the Megilla where Ester is having an affair with Haman, but the wicked Mordechai plotted to kill him.
    Not sure how much you have to drink before the story makes and sense, but any connection to Judaism is purely coincidental.

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  5. Thank you to Michael Sedley and Anonymous @2:30am for bringing out the TRUTH about these apikorsim; the reconstructionists, who are even worse than the regular Reform mvmt.

    ReplyDelete