[HANASHIR:11353] Reform Zionism

[Jeff Klepper <jeffklepper...>]

> the same holds true for rabbi david polish z"l  of beth emet the free
> synagogue in evanston, illinois.  in fact, some of polish's congregants,  just
> before or just after israel's independence, locked him out of the synagogue
> for being a zionist.  he prevailed, added "free" to the name, and held that
> post into the early 1980's.

A small correction:

Rabbi Polish was locked out of services at his PREVIOUS congregation
(Chicago's Temple Mitzpah) for his pro-Zionist stance, after which he and
his supporters left and founded Beth Emet - The Free Synagogue in Evanston,
in the tradition of Rabbi Stephen S.Wise.

Reform Jews can be very proud indeed of Rabbi Wise, who was an advisor to
President Roosevelt (and who urged the President to bomb the German
railroads, a plea that went unheeded). He was instrumental in rallying
American opinion in favor of Israel's creation.

After WWII, Reform attitudes toward Israel changed very quickly toward the
positive, I am happy to say.

Jeff Klepper

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