October 6th vs. October 8th: At the Intersection of Before and After

This is the calling of our time. We must reimagine our identity not just as Jews in diaspora but as members of the global People of Israel – Am Yisrael. We must acknowledge that the challenges facing Israel are challenges facing us all. We must strengthen our connections to our heritage, our homeland, and each other. Like salmon swimming upstream against the current, we have always defied easy paths. Today’s struggles, both external threats and internal divisions, require the same determination and courage that have sustained us throughout our history.

A Global Zionist Citizenship
My hope is that we as a collective awaken, focus on what binds us rather than what separates us, and leapfrog Zionism into an era Herzl and our ancestors could only dream of. Moving forward will require us to let go of the past – not forgetting our past – but willing to move forward from it and into a globalized perception of self, a global Zionist citizenship.
As no longer a people scattered in exile, but as a nation among nations, we must see ourselves through a global prism. Only then will we be successful in reclaiming, redefining, and re-educating Zionism, our destiny, succeeding in the delivery of l’dor va’dor, from generation to generation.
The intersection where we stand offers a choice: fragmentation vs unity, despair vs hope, retreat vs engagement. By choosing to strengthen our collective identity, by prioritizing Tikun Israel, and by practicing ahavat chinam, we can ensure that Am Yisrael’s journey continues for generations to come.
The better days ahead aren’t guaranteed—they require our commitment, our action, and our belief that we, the People of Israel, will not only survive this historical moment but emerge from it stronger and more united than before.
Am Yisrael Chai is not just a slogan, it is a way of life

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Language Matters:

The current state of Israel education often emphasizes advocacy over education, creating a reactive rather than proactive approach. This paper argues for evolving Israel experiential learning to incorporate diverse opinions, create spaces for dialogue, and offer shared experiences that advance both universal and particularly Jewish values.

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Am Yisrael Chai: It’s not a slogan, it is a way of life

I remember growing up as a kid in Brooklyn singing the Am Yisrael Chai chant, we’d sing it with great excitement and with great pride. And then I remember myself as a young adult, growing into my career as a professional Jew working for various nonprofits, always ending my talks, and my social media posts,…

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Tikun Israel precedes Tikun Olam

A New-Old Approach At this very moment Am Yisrael finds itself at an intersection of existential proportions. October 7th, 2023 isn’t just any day, it is the day. It is the day when the People of Israel, Global Jewry, came to question their existence, again. How did we get here? Years of political instability and…

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