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Should synagogues remove the Israeli flag from bimahs now? How a New York shul made the decision

JL;DR SUMMARY Central Synagogue in Manhattan has decided to remove the Israeli flag from its bimah, where it had been displayed since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

Jewish CustomsJewish IdentityHostagesSymbolismIsraeli FlagCentral SynagogueBimahAngela BuchdahlSynagogue Debate

Places mentioned

New York, United States
"Central Synagogue in Manhattan had displayed the Israeli flag on an empty chair since the attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, along with a count of the days since Hamas killed 1,200 people in Israel and took about 250 hostage."
Israel
"The Reform synagogue had committed to keeping the flag up until they all came home, Rabbi Angela Buchdahl told CBS News."
Woodlands, Texas, United States
"Congregation Beth Shalom of the Woodlands in Texas explained in a June statement that the Reform synagogue displayed both American and Israeli flags to express our gratitude and love for both countries, quipping that, We also love Texas, but there is not enough room on the bimah for another flag."
Washington, Washington DC, United States
"For Rabbi Hannah Goldstein of Temple Sinai, a Reform synagogue in Washington, D.C., the Israeli flag can have multiple meanings."

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Cairo Item ID 64344
Cairo Source ID 35
Retrieved 2025-10-22 05:30:56 UTC
Curated 2025-10-22 08:31:08 UTC