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What a 30-year-old fight over God can teach Reform Judaism about ordaining anti-Zionists

JL;DR SUMMARY Rabbi Asher Knight discusses a historical parallel in the Reform Judaism movement, grappling with boundaries of inclusion concerning God and now Zionism. 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

ZionismReform JudaismAnti ZionismInclusionJewish PeoplehoodRabbinic LeadershipCovenantJewish ObligationGod And TheologyReform Movement Boundaries

Places mentioned

Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
"Congregation Beth Adam, a Humanistic congregation in Cincinnati, sought membership in the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, now the Union for Reform Judaism."
Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
"Peoplehood is the claim that Jews in Charlotte and Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and New York, Dallas and Paris, Buenos Aires and Madrid, are responsible for one anothers future."
Jerusalem, Israel
"Peoplehood is the claim that Jews in Charlotte and Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and New York, Dallas and Paris, Buenos Aires and Madrid, are responsible for one anothers future."
Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv District, Israel
"Peoplehood is the claim that Jews in Charlotte and Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and New York, Dallas and Paris, Buenos Aires and Madrid, are responsible for one anothers future."
New York, United States
"Peoplehood is the claim that Jews in Charlotte and Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and New York, Dallas and Paris, Buenos Aires and Madrid, are responsible for one anothers future."
Dallas, Texas, United States
"Peoplehood is the claim that Jews in Charlotte and Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and New York, Dallas and Paris, Buenos Aires and Madrid, are responsible for one anothers future."
Paris, Île-de-France, France
"Peoplehood is the claim that Jews in Charlotte and Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and New York, Dallas and Paris, Buenos Aires and Madrid, are responsible for one anothers future."
Buenos Aires, Argentina
"Peoplehood is the claim that Jews in Charlotte and Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and New York, Dallas and Paris, Buenos Aires and Madrid, are responsible for one anothers future."
Madrid, Madrid Province, Spain
"Peoplehood is the claim that Jews in Charlotte and Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and New York, Dallas and Paris, Buenos Aires and Madrid, are responsible for one anothers future."

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Cairo Item ID 84934
Cairo Source ID 42
Retrieved 2026-06-16 05:31:01 UTC
Curated 2026-06-16 08:30:56 UTC