“I believe that the dominance of so-called Orthodoxy in the religious establishment in Israel is becoming less and less relevant to me and causing a further undermining of the relationship between American Jews and Israel.”

The Interviewee – Rabbi Kerry M. Olitzky (Born 1954), Executive Director, Big Tent Judaism. Born in Pittsburgh, raised in central Florida in a tiny Jewish community.

In your opinion, what importance, if any, does the existence of a Jewish state have to you personally and to Jewish people in general?

“Israel is central to my life as a Jew and critical to the Jewish people. Jerusalem truly is the center of my world, where heaven and earth touch. ”

Do you feel committed in some way to defend the future existence of Israel?

“Absolutely. But I recognize that my role in the diaspora is far different than those who are on the front lines defending the security of the state.”

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?

“At this point in my life, I would say that I live in the creative tension between the movements although I am a member of the CCAR and was ordained by HUC-JIR. I believe that the dominance of so-called Orthodoxy in the religious establishment in Israel is becoming less and less relevant to me and causing a further undermining of the relationship between American Jews and Israel, especially among liberal and secular American Jews.“

Do you feel morally responsible for Israel’s actions (such as its management of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict)?

“While I do not feel responsible, I do have a stake in it and feel an obligation to apologize for actions taken by Israel when I feel that these actions are either morally wrong or politically incorrect.“

In your opinion, what is the main thing Israelis fail to understand about the reality of being Jewish outside of Israel?

“In particular, how American democracy informs the way American Jews navigate being Jewish, It is also important to note that the millennial generation is the first generation of fully American, American Jews and thus the organized Jewish community means different things to this generation than it did to prior generations.”

How would you describe Israel’s policy (formally and in practice) regarding its relationship with the Diaspora?

“Misguided. There is a sense of superiority that Israelis have toward American Jews and Judaism—on all things Jewish.“

In your opinion, does Israel have an obligation to defend and help Jewish communities in need?

“Yes.”

Have you ever been to Israel? if you have, can you summarize your impressions from Israel?

“Many times, beginning when I spent a year in Israel when I was 16. And while my relationship with Israel is both indestructive and in explicable, many of the policies of the current government strain and complicate that relationship.“

Can you tell us a bit about the Jewish community in your hometown?

“If you mean where I currently live: this section of NJ is a swath of geography with little community integrity to it. Yet, our synagogue and the people in it provide community for us. Most of the Jewish communal institutions are not strong and there is a dearth of adaptive leadership among the Jewish communal leaders.”

If you could ask the Israeli readers of this project a question, what would it be?

“Why don’t you do more to disassemble the stronghold of the chief rabbinate on Israel?”