Why My Jewishness Compels Me to Stand for Justice in Palestine

A Jewish American author reflects on their journey from Holocaust remembrance to activism against the Israeli-Palestinian occupation, highlighting how their Jewish values of justice and compassion compel them to advocate for Palestinian dignity. The narrative contrasts two divergent paths in modern Judaism: one rooted in fear and insularity, and another in social justice and nonviolent resistance. The author's personal transformation—from a sheltered upbringing to witnessing the horrors of the Holocaust at Auschwitz-Birkenau, followed by exposure to Palestinian suffering in Hebron—illustrates the tension between Jewish identity and ethical responsibility. Their activism with IfNotNow and the Center for Jewish Nonviolence underscores a growing movement among young Jews who reject complicity in occupation, seeking to reconcile their heritage with universal human rights.

Buckner, E. (2017). Why My Jewishness Compels Me to Stand for Justice in Palestine. Tikkun, 32(2), 75–77. https://doi.org/10.1215/08879982-3858467