“It is a fuzzy line sometimes between when Israel acts on behalf of its own citizens or when it acts on behalf of the Jewish people, and Israel is still a young nation by historical standards with lots to work out about its own identity and its own place in the world.”
The Interviewee – Rabbi Scott T. Aaron, Ph.D. (Born 1966), the Executive Director of the Community Foundation for Jewish Education of the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. Born in Columbus Ohio, today lives in Chicago.
In your opinion, what importance, if any, does the existence of a Jewish state have to you personally and to Jewish people in general?
“A Jewish state is critical to global Jewish life both culturally and relgiously. For many Jews it certainly is a destination, the final landing place after a long journey of exile. For others, it is a safety net that allows them some measure of security where they live knowing they can head there if their current homes are no longer home-like. For me, Israel is a touchstone and a constant companion. While I am a proud and happy American Jew who is immensely grateful to my country for all it has offered me and my family, Israel is the center of the global Jewish world and the prism through which I process all that is happening with global Jewry. I see Israel as a Jewish state that unifies and links the Jewish people even as we continue to wander the world and evolve in our peoplehood.”
Do you feel committed in some way to defend the future existence of Israel?
“Absolutely but that commitment extends beyond just its physical existence. If Israel is truly a Jewish state, then it has to find a way to welcome all Jews regardless of ideology, philosophy or theology. I believe strongly that Israel’s existence is as dependent on the level of sophistication of its social and legal order, its moral compass, its ethical will as it is on the military sophistication of the IDF. World history is full of nation-states that had strong borders but weak societies, and those countries did not stand the test of time.”
Do you affiliate yourself with a specific denomination in Judaism? What is your view regarding the dominance of the Orthodox denomination in Israel religious establishment?
“I do not personally affiliate with a particular denomination as much as the particular theologies that the denominations are founded upon. To that extent, I have been profoundly influenced by Jewish thinkers from across the spectrum of liberal to traditional, and my own practice has evolved with time and experience as did many of theirs. I don’t think that Orthodoxy is the dominant denomination in Israel either. It is the controlling one that has the power of the state at its disposal by law to control national religious practice, but the majority of Israeli Jews do not identify themselves as ‘dati’ and hold to a wide variety of religious beliefs and views.
“I am a great admirer of Yeshayahu Leibowitz, z”l, who was a profoundly traditional believer and practitioner but saw the corrupting power of giving state authority to one religious viewpoint in a democratic country. He feared it would rot Israel’s soul and I share that concern. I personally think that the American system of separation of religion and state is a time-tested model that is not perfect but by and large works over the span of time for democratic nations, and I hope Israel will one day find a similar solution that works for it.“
Do you feel morally responsible for Israel’s actions (such as its management of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict)?
“I only feel morally responsible for Israel’s actions when it claims to act on behalf of the Jewish people. Israel is an independent country on the world stage and it elects its own leadership from amongst its citizens. It has every right to act for their benefit and to heed their collective will. Until I choose to become an Israeli citizen, I don’t have any right to tell it otherwise. When It chooses to act on behalf of the Jewish people though, then I have an obligation to speak out in either support or disagreement precisely because I didn’t elect and therefore authorize anyone there to speak in my name.
“It is a fuzzy line sometimes between when Israel acts on behalf of its own citizens or when it acts on behalf of the Jewish people, and Israel is still a young nation by historical standards with lots to work out about its own identity and its own place in the world. I expect Israel and the rest of world Jewry to step on each others’ toes a lot more before we find the right balance, but I am proud that we are trying to figure it out together.”
In your opinion, what is the main thing Israelis fail to understand about the reality of being Jewish outside of Israel?
“That being Jewish outside of Israel is a choice that has to be constantly made and has many variations to accommodate that choice. At least in the US, where individual choice and communal affiliation are competing values, Jews look for a Judaism/Jewish identity that fits their own life experience. Precisely because we have no official religious authority here to tell us who we are or are not, the onus is on each one of us to decide if we want to continue to be a Jew and, if so, how we want to express that to the world. While many Jews have chosen to not continue their lives actively as Jews and chosen other priorities in their identities as a result of that reality, there is an incredible vibrancy and creativity amongst those who choose to live actively as Jews here. That American drive for individual expression and the collective energy of Jews actively choosing to be Jews has resulted in an unprecedented period of creativity and quality of Jewish life that more than makes up for those who have chosen not to seize the opportunity. It is important to note also that both the literal land and the idealization of Israel has become a catalyst in this creativity as well.”
In your opinion, does Israel have an obligation to defend and help Jewish communities in need?
“Yes when they ask for its help, but it also has an obligation to support them in their growth and vibrancy too when ever possible. It is old thinking to only see Israel’s primary role as the protector and safe haven of imperiled diaspora Jews. I would love to see it embrace the role of exporter of Jewish culture and resources to the larger Jewish world much more than it does now.”
Have you ever been to Israel? if you have, can you summarize your impression from the Israeli reality?
“Many times including living there for a year. It is hard to summarize it other than to say that the more it changes, the more it stays the same.”
What was your best experience of Israeli culture in the past year (book, music, TV, movie, theater etc.)?
“Reading Etgar Karet’s latest work and watching some excellent Israeli films.”
Can you tell us a bit about the Jewish community in your hometown?
“I live in Chicago and work for the Jewish community here, and I think it is a wonderful American Jewish community that exemplifies the diversity and vibrancy of American Jewish life better than any other city in the country.”
