"An Update on Democracy in Israel" with speaker, Rabbi Eliana Jacobowitz
Summary and Additional Resources to Learn More and Get Involved
Summary from Matt Liebman:
Many congregants have expressed interest in better understanding the history and current status of political events in Israel. To that end, on August 29, 2023, the Congregation was briefed on the Status of Democracy in Israel by Rabbi Eliana Jacobowitz of Temple B’nai Brith of Somerville. She was born and raised in Israel, and studied law at Tel Aviv University, ordained at Hebrew College and has been Rabbi at TBB Somerville since 2010.
Because of her legal background in Israel, she provided special insights on the current situation in Israel. Rabbi David, who spent two weeks in Israel this summer, introduced Rabbi Jacobowitz, and provided firsthand descriptions of the weekly protests in Israel.
Rabbi Jacobowitz focused on the cause of the protests -- the proposed judiciary overhaul by the recently elected government of Israel. She provided a short, but important, history lesson on how Israel got to this point in time, especially on laws passed by the Knesset (Israeli parliament) that checks the power of the independent Supreme Court. On September 13, the Supreme Court is expected to rule on the constitutionality of some of these new anti-democratic laws.
In her view, these laws, and the attempt to overhaul the judiciary have further opened historical rifts in Israeli society between secular and religious groups, Ashkenazi and Mizrahi Jews, pro-settler and the anti-settler movements, and protections for women, LGBT and Palestinians. Rabbi Jacobowitz described real world examples of these grim conditions, including growing violence towards protestors. There is even talk about splitting Israel into two countries!
Please watch the video to learn more details, and how the situation is personally affecting Rabbi Jacobowitz’ family in Israel.
Additional Resources
Rabbi Jacobowitz also provided additional resources to learn more and get involved.
To learn more:
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Conversation with retired head of the Supreme Court Justice Aharon Barak, explains in his own words.
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This letter is to be signed by Israeli academics outside of Israel. If you know someone in this category and can pass this along to them before the Supreme Court Session, that would be great. You can read it in English following the Hebrew and Arabic.
IL academics abroad Supreme Court support letter - Google Docs
Other Actions and Social media resources:
- Boston for Democracy in Israel website:
Home | Boston4DemoIsrael (boston4democracyinisrael.com)
- Kaplan Force website - the Israeli demonstrations organizers in Israel. It also has a button to donate to them from the US and tax exempt. https://www.kaplanforce.com/en-us
- Invite to the WhatsApp silent group that sends messages about protests and actions in the Boston area in English. WhatsApp Group Invite
- Defend Israeli Democracy: https://defendisraelidemocracy.com/ and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DefendIsraeliDemocracy
- UnXeptable Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/UnXeptable
Jewish Gifts!
Rabbi Jacobowitz’ Etsy Shop 
https://www.etsy.com/shop/NagilahJewishGifts