“As Zionists – as Jews we must be vigilant in our defense of Israel’s Right to Exist.”

The Interviewee – Rabbi Joseph R. Black (Born 1959), Sr. Rabbi at Temple Emanuel, Denver, Colorado. I was born in Chicago, IL in 1959. l Very active in the Reform movement. I have served as a Reform Rabbi for 27+ years.

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

“The State of Israel has a vitally important role to me, personally and to the Jewish people as a whole. I first experienced Israel as a 15 year old exchange student at the Leo Baeck School in Haifa. Living with a Egyptian Jewish family who only spoke Hebrew, Arabic and French, I soon became fluent in Hebrew. This increased my connected to and love for the Jewish State.
As Jews living in the 21st Century, the existence of a Jewish State profoundly impacts our lives.

“Politics aside, the State of Israel is central to our understanding of our national, historical and spiritual identity. The mutual and sometimes conflicting feelings of pride, love, fear, anger and disappointment that most of us feel vis-a-vis Israel are central to understanding Jewish consciousness.”

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

“Absolutely. While I don’t always agree with the policies of every government, the concept of defending Israel’s right to exist is both absurd and essential. Israel’s enemies around the globe are persistent in their attempts to vilify and delegitimize the State of Israel. As Zionists – as Jews we must be vigilant in our defense of Israel’s Right to Exist.”

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 am a a proud Reform Jew. The fact that the Ultra-Orthodox rabbinate has a stranglehold on religious practice in Israel is a disgrace. Ben Gurion’s historic compromise has led to the creation of a Chief Rabbinate that is riddled with corruption and hypocrisy.”

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

“No. I do not live in Israel. While I am not responsible for the policies of the Israeli government, I am responsible if I don’t speak up when I feel that certain actions are taken that are not in keeping with my Jewish values.“

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

“That for Jews in the diaspora, Jewish identity contains both a spiritual and a national component.”

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

“It depends on how you define ‘Israel’. If we are talking about the Rabbinate and the corrupt orthodox political parties, the policy is morally bankrupt and politically suicidal. If you are talking about the Jewish Agency – I believe that they are walking an on impossibly fragile tightrope that gets more precarious with each attack on non-orthodox Jewry by the Charedi politicians and the silence (and all-too often the complicity) of the Government makes it even worse.“

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?

“Too many times to count. Each time I return is different. Israel is a beautiful, frustrating, creative, dynamic country that I love with all my heart.”

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

“I serve as Rabbi of a large Reform Congregation in Denver, CO. Our population is very diverse. The vast majority is unaffiliated and there is a high percentage of intermarriage. There definitely is a generational split vis-a-vis understanding and experience in Israel.”

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

“How can we bridge the divide between the stated goals of Zionism and the tendencies of the current government to destroy the values upon which the Jewish state was formed – values of tolerance, Democracy and equality for all?”