Is there a rabbinic home for progressive politics?

The search for an authentic Jewish view of social justice must begin with our sources

My book, Judaism, Education and Social Justice, is out now! If you like the sound of a challenging, academic, philosophical read about faith, education and progressive politics, this is the book for you. It's available here for ￡26.

From my article in the Jewish Chronicle - read more here.

"Within the Jewish community, the conversation between progressive activists and mainstream Israel advocates is a dialogue of the deaf. Establishment values of Jewish solidarity, self-defence and pride in the IDF are perceived by the left as racist, discriminatory and militaristic.

The radical left, conversely, presents itself as faithful to the spiritual traditions of Judaism: anti-racist, non-violent and realistic about Zionism’s impact on the Palestinians and its failure to eliminate Jewish vulnerability. To the right this looks like a combination of treachery and naivety about what Jews need to do to survive in a hostile world.

More than ever, people like me who identify with both sets of values, who want to be proudly Jewish and unapologetically progressive, are experiencing a growing sense of desperation. We want to find a pathway back to a liberal, humanist Zionism that lets us be both pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian and, moreover, recognises that you cannot be one without the other...."