Co-Authored with Rabbi Robyn Fryer Bodzin, MSW

We are writing as Jews, as Zionists and Rabbis from two different movements to reflect upon Jay Michaelson’s thoughtful and provocative response in the Jewish Daily Forward to Rabbi Menachem Creditor’s piece about his shifting perspectives and deep commitments in the Huffington Post. Before we develop our thoughts on Mr. Michaelson’s response, a bit of disclosure is necessary. We spent the week beginning July 8th in Israel together with Rabbi Creditor and 16 other rabbis. While in Israel, we spent countless hours in meetings, staying glued to media reports about the unfolding violence and ran into bomb shelters. Together we were, time and time again, shaken by the perilousness of the situation and the human suffering on both sides of this conflict.

Not only do we know Rabbi Menachem Creditor well, but we are in awe of his deep compassion for all of humanity. We take issue with the claim that Rabbi Creditor’s response was “emotional tribalism” that lacked reasoned analysis.

That Mr. Michaelson leveled that criticism at Rabbi Creditor suggests that he does not know his “friend” as well as he might think. Moreover, the author seems to suggest that an emotional response, by definition, precludes thoughtful analysis and meaningful discourse. This is anything but the case. To put it bluntly- Rabbi Creditor is one of the most reflective people we know both in person and on social media.

Read more: An Article Filled With “Yes/But” When the World Needs “Both/And” | Daniel M. Cohen | The Blogs | The Times of Israel http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-article-filled-with-yesbut-when-the-world-needs-bothand/#ixzz3As3tmy2K 
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JULY 30, 2014, 9:55 PM

I have had a Facebook account for quite some time but only used it sporadically. Over the last six months to a year, my engagement with Facebook has grown; I not only used it to keep up with family and friends, but I have also been working to build a Facebook presence for both my synagogue and for my technology blog. My week in Israel at the beginning of July saw a huge uptick in my use of Facebook, which has continued to grow. While in Israel, I had the opportunity to spend that week with 19 rabbinic colleagues on AIPAC’s first ever Rabbinic Mission. As I’ve written previously, the first day we arrived in Jerusalem we encountered a Red Alert as missiles were fired at Jerusalem for the first time. Two days later, we were in the Foreign Ministry when there was another Red Alert. We stepped outside to find that Iron Dome had intercepted two missiles headed our way. It was an incredibly powerful experience and something I wanted to share with my community. Facebook let me do so

Read more: The Day That Facebook Removed the Word “Standards” from Its Dictionary | Daniel M. Cohen | The Blogs | The Times of Israel http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-day-that-facebook-removed-the-word-standards-from-its-dictionary/#ixzz3As3YIUzr 
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JULY 18, 2014, 10:20 PM

Snapshot: Jerusalem Friday Afternoon Friends and I have a welcome break after three days of non-stop meetings.We grab some lunch, sit in wonderment at the ability of Israelis to be running into shelters one minute and dancing in the streets the next.On the way back to our hotel to prepare for Shabbat we pause to take a “selfie.” Looking back now it is clear that our selfie silliness was, in large part, comic relief from the serious tone of our many meetings and the stress of waiting for the next Red Alert. I am reminded that it is our connection to one another that, more than anything, brings holiness into our lives. 

Read more: Snapshots From Last Shabbat | Daniel M. Cohen | The Blogs | The Times of Israel http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/snapshots-from-last-shabbat/#ixzz3As2z4fbR 
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JULY 2, 2014, 4:35 AM

Mr Ben-Ami-

I am not a member of J Street, but I have many dear, pro-Israel friends who are. As a congregational rabbi I have made a point of encouraging members of my synagogue to become involved in Pro-Israel activism, and I have made it clear that I care less about WHERE their involvement takes place and more about the fact THAT they become involved. So while I welcome them to become involved with me in AIPAC, I also encourage them to support J Street if they so choose. I have also taken strong stands against those who look to demonize J Street as such efforts are counterproductive. Our Pro-Israel energy and resources are finite, and we cannot afford to shift any of them from what should be our primary focus – the health, security and well-being of the State of Israel.

Read more: An Open Letter to Jeremy Ben-Ami | Daniel M. Cohen | The Blogs | The Times of Israel http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/an-open-letter-to-jeremy-ben-ami/#ixzz3As2CwtO3 
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