A Q&A with Rabbi Lauren
When someone says Zionism today, what does it mean for you? What does it mean for the community you represent?
For me, Zionism is ultimately about supporting and investing my energy in the ongoing project of building the Jewish national homeland. It means building empathy and deep partnerships with Israelis, learning from their lived experience and refusing to give up hope when the going gets rough.
For my community: This past fall, we codified our community’s core values into five statements, one of those being Ahavat Yisrael - Love for Israel and the Jewish People. This is the language we used: “We are inextricably linked with the whole of the Jewish people and to the land and the people of the state of Israel. We are a Zionist congregation that makes room for each of us to explore, ask questions, feel, and express our love in ways that are authentic and rooted in our values.”
At Or Hadash, Zionism means a wide range of commitments. For some, it means unquestioning solidarity with Israel and Israelis. For some it is about wrestling with the gap between the current reality of Israel and its aspirations. For some it is lived and expressed through Israeli culture, food, music, art, poetry, and for many it’s about their particular relationships with Israeli friends and family. We try to make space for all of these forms of Zionism.
I don’t think I can make many assumptions at all about what a person means by saying Zionism without asking more questions. So when someone uses that term, especially if there’s a lot of feeling involved - positive or negative - I immediately get curious and want to know more.
Is there anti-Zionism within your community?
For the last four months, I’ve been teaching a course on liberal Zionism at Or Hadash. And I’m really proud of the diversity in the classroom. We have Israelis and diaspora-born Jews, people ranging in age from 18 to 85 and representing every single generation in between. All of whom were curious about what Zionism means post October 7th. Some people joined the course and immediately said to me “you know, I’m a Zionist but I’m not a liberal,” and I said great - come on in. You are welcome here, as long as you’re willing to come in with an open mind and a commitment to learn from others in the room.
And I have one young adult in his mid-20s who is in the course with his parents, who said something like “I’m a liberal, but I’m not a Zionist. I’m here because I’m tired of being in my echo chamber, only hearing the voices that I agree with, and I want to get outside of it.” I said great - as long as you understand the foundational commitment to Israel that’s a deep value of this community, you are so welcome to be here.
I was a little nervous - okay, a lot nervous - about that first class. But the most gratifying thing was after everyone went around the room and shared why they were there, including that young man, some of his parents’ generation leaned toward him and said - we are so glad to have you here. We need you here in this room. We want to understand your perspective, and we want you to understand us.
It has not been easy, but I think building that capacity to learn and listen across difference is critical for our Jewish community right now, and I think the intergenerational synagogue community can be the perfect laboratory to practice that skill.
Regarding antisemitism: Security and openness are both Jewish values. How do synagogues and Jewish institutions stay welcoming while increasing vigilance?
I think it requires a kind of hyper-vigilance on both fronts. Our nervous systems are wired toward identifying threats, and we’ve been extra on-guard over the last three years. And we have to remember that our core mission is to provide care. When Charlie Citron Walker was interviewed after he survived being held hostage with his congregants in Colleyville, he said how he let in the attacker because he looked hungry and in need. And he said he’d do it again today, even after everything he went through. I’m not sure if I could have that kind of courage, but I hold him up as an example of the kind of welcoming and vigilant spirit we should aim toward.
How often are you hearing, seeing, or experiencing antisemitism?
Because my world is so Jewish - my kids are in Jewish preschool, I work in a Jewish institution, and most of my friends and family are Jewish, and because I try to minimize my time on social media, I’m keenly aware that I’m exposed to far less antisemitism than many of my congregants are. I try to remember that differential when my instinct might be to be more open and welcoming - that perhaps I don’t have the full picture of the threat that’s out there. I’m really grateful to our security team - volunteer and professional, and our Sandy Springs police officers - for their constant work to keep us safe.
What are the biggest opportunities for Jewish Atlanta in the next 3–5 years—demographically, spiritually, and civically?
More opportunities for Jewish young adults and young families to engage in deep and accessible Jewish learning - I think this is a great space for some collaborative partnerships between synagogues, Federation, PJ Library, and other organizations and foundations serving the Jewish community.
More immersive Jewish spirituality retreat experiences - this is a big passion of mine, and it’s been great to see national organizations like the Institute for Jewish Spirituality invest in building a presence in Atlanta as a hub for Jewish spirituality in the southeast.
Rebuilding old and new interfaith partnerships. I’m excited that we’re going to be welcoming a predominantly Black church, Rapha Church, into our Or Hadash building at the end of this month to share space with us through the summer, deepening our bonds and a sense of a shared mission to love God and care for each other and our neighbors.
Lightning Round:
Favorite Jewish philosopher?
I’m a big fan of Rabbi Shai Held!
Something that gives you hope specifically in Jewish life or Jewish leadership:
I’m really encouraged by all of the rabbis, Jewish educators, and mental health professionals in Israel and in America who are bringing a trauma-informed lens to their teaching, recognizing how much healing from trauma is still needed. The proliferation of Jewish meditation retreats and the growing field of Jewish mindfulness and spirituality gives me a lot of hope.
One word you want people to take with them tonight:
Interconnected.