The title sums it up. Curious to have a discussion about this and other dezionizing practices that may end up unfortunately being Ashkenormative, and what we could do to be more inclusive. Also tbh I just associate Modern Hebrew now with the evil genocidal things that Israelis say and I don't want to use it at all, especially because it was largely employed for the purposes of the Zionist project.

Please hold off on answering if you are Ashkenazi. I would like to hear from my Sephardic, Arab Jewish, Persian Jewish, Kurdish Jewish, African Jewish, Bukharian etc Jewish comrades first.

I'm agnostic/atheist but ive been interested in and learning about judaism for about 2 years now. I'm considering converting in the future but zionism has turned me completely off. I know a lot of people say zionism ≠ judaism but I've seen the statistics about how many Jewish people are zionist. Even a lot or Jews themselves say that they are. I've seen other people talk about if anti zionists can even convert and lots of people said they couldn't or that zionism is inherent to judaism. I'm still in the process of learning about the religion and I love it but I'm questioning if converting is even worth it. There's still a lot I need to learn and I'm not converting anytime soon. If u converted as an anti zionist, I'd love to hear your experience. If you were born Jewish and you're anti zionist, I'd love to hear what your experience in the community is like right now.

hi there! I was raised Jewish, but I’ve never felt super connected to the religion. I’m super spiritual, but I’ve never felt like my spirituality was tied to one specific religion. I love the cultural practices and traditions, the food, and most Jewish people I meet.

I’m not politically aligned with my family, and they love to call me a “self-hating Jew” because of my stance on what’s happening in Palestine and my unwillingness to blindly praise Israel. It’s created a rift between me and my Judaism, and I’d really love to learn more about the religion in an attempt to reconnect with my Jewish roots in my own way and find new meaning in it for myself.

Does anyone have any podcast recs (or article recs) for where I can start? I realize I don’t even really know that much about what Judaism teaches or what its belief system is, and I’d love to learn more!

Mods, if this violates the not centering Jews rule, please delete. Not sure where else to ask this question, so apologies if it isn’t allowed.

My maternal great grandma and great grandpa were Jewish, but both passed when my grandma was young. She was adopted by a Catholic family and married my grandpa who was also Catholic. She never talks about her past, but my mom told me that she was abused in her adoptive home (unclear if this is due to antisemitism or just shitty people) and worked in a sweatshop until she started having kids. I have always been curious about this part of my ancestry and interested in the Jewish faith, but nothing is really known about this side of my family as she never talked about it and nobody asked (and she now is very sick so I wouldn’t want to put her through remembering a painful past).

I am very interested in exploring Jewish spirituality and philosophy, but am also very hesitant to do so because a lot of Jewish spaces are aggressively Zionist and supportive of the IDF and that makes me uncomfortable. Also, I feel weird coming into Jewish spaces as I’m not Jewish (though I guess some would consider me to be?).

I guess what I want to know is how welcoming would a typical shul be if I were to attend a service as an outsider by myself/are there any indicators that a shul is antizionist or otherwise more welcoming to outsiders?

I still believe in God, in something greater. One God, no partners, but many aspects.

I derive great personal value from certain mitzvot, and absolutely none from others.

Jewish holidays are the only ones that resonate with me. But it’s less and less now.

I don’t believe the Torah is the word of God. I think it is valuable but I don’t think it’s literal. I don’t feel comfortable with a lot of it but I think it contains important lessons.

I believe in an empty afterlife.

I don’t care about having a Jewish partner. I don’t care about raising my kids Jewish. I want them to have Jewish values (generosity, perseverance, curiosity and questioning), but I don’t care if they go to shul.

I barely go to shul myself anymore. You can guess why.

I’m a convert. Judaism is the closest religion I’ve found to my beliefs. A lot of it is valuable to me but I would leave a lot behind, to be honest. Jewish culture resonates deeply with me. But I wasn’t born with it.

Where do I fit?

I’m not very spiritual at all, but this is a vague spiritual post. Please don’t be nasty, but I do welcome debate and discussion. This is all from a Jewish POV, so that’s why it’s centered on Jews, but I also welcome discussion from other religions as I find it fascinating.

Being a genocide historian myself, I’ve heard all manner of theological reasons why the Holocaust happened from a Jewish perspective. They’ve never sat right me, as I can’t worship a god that knowingly does this to people, especially to people this god supposedly created in his image.

However, increasingly, I’ve felt the Jewish people are in an age of Avodah zarah and that as a whole, we are worshipping Israel as a golden calf.

I’ve never liked to assign meaning to genocide. There is no meaning or lesson learned for 6 million dead Jews or thousands of dead Palestinians. They don’t die to teach people to be better, and despite what many Jews think, you don’t become a better person for having experienced it.

I’ve been toying with the idea that the Holocaust was our great test, and now we are being tested again in a different way and are worshipping a golden calf instead of being on the path we should be. I don’t know that the correct path is worshipping Hashem as I don’t know that there is a god (or if there is that it pays attention to us).

I’m trying to put this delicately because I do agree that people are not murdered for a greater purpose and I don’t believe Palestinians are being murdered to test us, but this is a byproduct of our moral failing. One could argue the Holocaust is also the result of a failure of European society in their own test, which turned into our test.

Anyway, this is just some stuff I’m toying with. I’d be interested in your take.

Perhaps this is also self-soothing behavior on my part after seeing so many people I know become radicalized after October 7. I have always adored being Jewish and it’s always been integral to my identity, even when assholes questioned it. I’ve been trying to keep traditions alive, but recently I’ve been ashamed of it, and I’m trying to separate those feelings of being ashamed of our community instead of my heritage and beautiful religion.

Hi all, I’m moving to a new place and strongly considering painting watermelons on a mezuzah cover for my outside door.

I’m wondering if, in your opinions, this is virtue signaling in a bad way. For me, the mezuzah is a very strong symbol of my faith, but I also don’t want to be assumed to be a Zionist by my neighbors. Jew=Zionist is still a common view even though mezuzot aren’t Zionist. I want my mezuzah to be a stand, something that calls out my position in a small way, that tells more of my story. But given that I can’t offer much material support to Palestinians at this time, is this self-righteous?

Edit: I’m using an old, cheap mezuzah case for this project. Not spending hundreds on smth pretty and then pretending I don’t have money lol.

I do apologise if the question seems a bit open-ended. I've considered converting to Judaism since I was a teenager, and I'm wondering just how uncommon anti-Zionist converts/gerim are in Jewish circles.

Thank you in advance.

I started attending a progressive and anti-genocide synagogue a year ago. I love my synagogue. I was not raised Jewish but have started considering conversion and have informed my rabbi.

However I've been given pause by whether I'll truly be accepted by the larger Jewish community. My conversion would not be seen as legitimate to Orthodox Judaism. On top of that, the mainstream Jewish institutions: most synagogues, Jewish Federations, Hillel, et al. are Liberal Zionists at best and are supporting or involved in pro-Israel activities that I cannot support. Synagogues having national flags on the bimah, Jewish Federations and Hillel organizing and sponsoring activities featuring IOF soldiers, sending aid to the IOF (one synagogue in town even organized care packages for the IOF), organizing talks or events that reiterate the need to defend Israel as a Jewish state, etc.

I feel that as great as American Jewish institutions can be for cultural programming and community building they can also promote a lot of centering Jewish feelings, which as someone not raised Jewish I feel uncomfortable calling out since I feel I will be labeled as a fake Jew or an imposter. And to be clear there is very real antisemitism out there that needs to be countered. And here's where it gets very tricky. Because there are instances where demonstrations have gone too far in what they've said or done and at the same time organizations being demonstrated against have in some way participated in activities that I cannot support. So I don't want to isolate Jewish organizations or their members who have to contend with real antisemitism and at the same time I don't want to rush to make a public defense of an organization that has participated in Zionist activities just because the larger Jewish community in the area is asking to "stand" with xyz organization.

It has been impressed upon me that I cannot and am not supposed to practice Judaism alone. I very much want to find community and belonging. But if I seek it among mainstream American Jewish institutions I run the risk of being alienated and feeling out of place at best or potentially being ostracized if I'm too vocal in my criticism. I am lucky to be in a city where there is some anti-Zionist Jewish presence and groups. But those groups tend to be very focused on planning political campaigns whereas I'm looking more for a ritual community (also totally respect those who see their political organizing as an expression of Jewish practice - just saying that for me that can't be the only thing).

Again I am very grateful that I even have anti-genocide synagogue I can attend. But I feel like I essentially have to leapfrog from scant anti-Zionist lily pad to anti-Zionist lily pad and don't feel like I belong or have a place in mainstream Jewish institutions and plan not to participate.

My question is whether it is right for someone to convert to Judaism (which is also joining the Jewish people at large) when that person has no intention of participating in the larger Jewish institutions? I feel so conflicted because the American Jewish community is already so small and the need for these larger institutions is real. But why does it feel like my only choices are alienation/ostracization or checking my morals at the door for a sense of belonging?

Looking to start going to a synagogue again. I want my son to learn his culture, religion, and be bar mitzvahed but am worried he will learn the same propaganda I had to unlearn.

Any suggestions? Willing to drive!

TIA :)

Hello there, as said in the title over the last two years I (22M) have embarked on a journey which has led me now to seriously consider conversion, I've kept kosher for about six months now, I daven everyday and generally I'm trying to incorporate as many mitzvot as I can living in a catholic household. Obviously, I know Brit is inextricably part of the deal and will go for it, however I've heard and read mixed opinions and stories about adult circumcision and its potential hazards, ranging from people who had the best of experiences to absolute horror stories. I wonder if any of you in the sub can relate to my situation (maybe fellow gerim?) and give their take and experience, or share data on the matter so that I may find reassurance.

Many thanks

I'm trying to buy my partner a necklace with her name on it in Hebrew but every place I'm finding that makes that says "made in Israel" on their website. Does anyone know of any Judaica jewelers in the US?

Hey there! As a leftist I see a significant portion of activism as actively calling out bigotry, racism, and other forms of hatred. Now, one of the fundemental principles of Jewish spirituality, as put in the book of mishlei -

כַּמַּיִם הַפָּנִים לַפָּנִים כֵּן לֵב הָאָדָם לָאָדָם

And reflected in teachings of Ba'al shem-Tov, Rambam, and other great spiritual leaders, is that all evil you see in other people is evil that exists within you. Do you see those two as conflating? How do you navigate that?

The Secret World of Hasidic Jews Who Take Psychedelic Drugs to Get Closer to God

Damn, that's not a sentence I ever thought I'd read! Fascinated to learn more if anyone has access. Also, sooooo nice to be sharing something not Israel-related!

Greetings lovelies, for context I’m mainly Hispanic and Indigenous to North America, however my mother had Jewish ancestry from Spain, and when i was younger remember us celebrating Hanukkah although my father being antisemitic stopped us at some point. Anywho I don’t actually know much on Judaism but I want to reconnect with that part of me, I want to learn and all that but, I don’t have a framework to rlly like learn throughly it seems without running into Zionist ideology and just like all of that in general. if anyone could please help it would be greatly appreciated, thank u so much

Miggy💕

I have really been wanting to go back to synagogue for regular services, but so many are either too religious or uncomfortably zionist. Any recommendations?

Fascinating, uplifting, and depressing all at once.

Peace.

I am a muslim whose been doing research and learning about the role of demons and spirits in this world and am very interested in what the jewish perspective is.

PS: I come in peace.

I’ve grown up my whole life knowing I was part Ashkenazi. For my family, the faith simply died out once they came to the states. I took initiative to join local temples, and was feeling called to the right path spiritually. Then, events in October occured three years ago that shifted my entire approach to Judaism and what’s in the Torah.

I’m struggling now to find what being Jewish looks like for me. I am surrounded by Shuls that continue to uphold a Zionist lens with their faith. Zionism does not resonate with my soul.

I have found a few congregations I am going to reach out to who are very vocally Anti-Zionist. However, what can I do in the meantime? Should I just start reading from a Siddur? Should I go back to the Torah and also look for study groups that don’t involve Zionism? Can I study and recite daily prayers/pray for Shabbat while studying? If I literally have to work and make money every weekend, is it practicing Shabbat in bad faith if I continue to use electronics?

Any advice/tips would be greatly appreciated. I don’t want to continue to let my own fears or the narrative of other people block me from building a proper relationship with God

I’ve been a bit dislocated from my Judaism, as my family who were most practicing have passed and I moved to a place where there aren’t really synagogues or Jewish community.

I’m wondering if there are any online services or community spaces that anyone would recommend? Ideally reform spaces that are inclusive etc. can anyone recommend? Thanks in advance.

I’m curious to know how other Jews of Conscience are approaching the upcoming holidays. I don’t live near my Jewish relatives and would like to build more Jewish community in my city. I figure Rosh Hashana is a good place to start.

However since 2023 I’ve felt pretty homeless regarding congregations. The prayer services for the holidays have always been extremely important to me and I have never missed them no matter where I’ve been in the world. While there is an anti-Zionist congregation in my city it feels very uncomfortable for me because it’s reconstructionist and on these holidays I deeply value the traditions and quiet you would find in other denominations. Not to mention the reconstructionist congregation in my city is fairly cliquey and unfriendly.

I’m tempted to just go to another shul and just ignore the politics and sermons but I hate to stomach the cost of the donations for tickets and wondering where my money is going, especially given the Zionism of most congregations.

I’m not sure if I’m looking for any concrete answers I just wanted to see if anyone else struggles with this this time of year.

May you all be written in the Book of Life. Happy New Year, comrades,, and may this be the year in which we see a free Palestine.