J Street, Hatikvah and our Progressive Israel Network partners gathered for a discussion featuring IKAR's Rabbi Sharon Brous and civil rights lawyer Evan Wolfson and moderated by Hatikvah delegate Talia Benamy to honor what we’re proud of – and what we continue to aspire to – in Israel.
"The hostage families now have been saying for the last 18 months, in no uncertain terms, that the number one priority of Israel's government must be to get these hostages home alive,” said Rabbi Sharon Brous. “But [in America], if you speak about prioritizing the return of the hostages over total victory, [...] you're considered a traitor. So this whole discourse is warped, and we have to change it."
"The Israeli government, this particular government, is catastrophic for Israel in the same way that our government in the United States is catastrophic for our country. But that doesn't mean we throw out America," said Evan Wolfson. "And the same way with Israel we lift up and celebrate what Israel should be for, should stand for and in many respects is, while at the same time noting the flaws, and most importantly, pointing the pathway forward to get Israel back on track."
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