On Thursday January 19, Julie Bernstein of the Israel Action Network came and spoke about how the members of our community can advocate responsibly for the  State of Israel.  For those who missed it, you can get information at  www.israelactionetwork.org.  It is important for all of us to be educated about the  facts and the situation in Israel and the territories inhabited by Palestinians, but what is most important is that we emphasize the unified desire of all those who love Israel to help make progress in establishing a lasting and secure peace for the Jewish State and its neighbors.

Julie shared with us tips on how to have meaningful conversations with other Jews but also with the wider community.  The most profound part of her talk was when she addressed a question of differing perspectives and tactics by Jewish groups.  Instead of pitting one Jewish group against another, one Jew against his brother, she challenged us to think of all Jews as fitting into one of two categories;  prophets or guardians.

The prophetic voice calls on Israel and Jewish people to live up to the higher standard that our tradition demands.  We are called to be a light unto the nations, and therefore, at the same time that the prophets love Israel, they call on it to protect the needy, the orphan, the sick, whether Israeli or not.

The guardians are a different brand of patriot.  They stand at attention, ever-vigilant to the external and existential threats to the Jewish homeland. Both the ‘Prophets’ and the ‘Guardians’ love the State of Israel.  Israel is the reason they do what they do.  We each have a bit of ‘prophet’ and a bit of guardian in us.  It is a spectrum.  The balance between the voices and the wrestling of the two voices is what can lead to a vigilant but compassionate approach to the challenges and fears Israelis face everyday and the hardship that many individual Palestinians encounter.

So let us begin there.  We are all guardians and prophets.  We all must struggle with our love for the State of Israel.