‘Which homeland?’ American Jews do not have to choose between Israel and US - opinion

In this opinion piece, Charles E. Savenor reflects on the 250th anniversary of the United States and the relationship between American Jews and Israel. He recounts a childhood memory of the Entebbe rescue in 1976, when his father told him, 'This is why we have a homeland.' The author argues that American Jews do not need to choose between their American and Jewish identities, and that a strong Israel and a confident American Jewish community are not rival projects. He introduces 'American Torah at 250,' a collection of sermons and Torah reflections co-edited with Rabbi Menachem Creditor, marking the anniversary. The piece notes that the question of belonging has become more urgent since October 7, and that the blurring of anti-Zionism and antisemitism has demonstrated how attacks on Israel's legitimacy become attacks on Jewish history and American Jewish identity.