Josh Yunis: Should Jews focus more on Israel—or deliberately decentre it?

As the Western world grows more hostile to Jewish life—as exemplified by rising attacks on synagogues and Jewish schools, bullying and boycotts—one would think this strengthens the case for Israel's right to exist as a safe homeland for Jews. But Israel's existence, many anti-Zionists argue, is the very reason for so much antisemitism right now. On the flip side, several of those same anti-Zionists wish for Israel to disappear. But then where would the Israeli diaspora go? To the Western world—where they would open up Israeli stores that one can imagine being continued targets of protests and graffiti. These paradoxes have no easy answer. But for writer Josh Yunis, they raise the question of what it means to centre—or deliberately decentre—Israel in contemporary Jewish life. As he writes in a recent article, "On Collective Jewish Guilt", debates over Zionism, diaspora identity, and progressive politics are intensifying while many Jews feel increasingly alienated from leftist movements that once promised solidarity. Yunis joins Phoebe Maltz Bovy on the latest episode of The Jewish Angle to explain more. Credits Host: Phoebe Maltz Bovy Producer and editor: Michael Fraiman Music: " Gypsy Waltz " by Frank Freeman, licensed from the Independent Music Licensing Collective Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to The Jewish Angle