On Monday, my son was inducted into the IDF. He started thinking about joining as a hayal boded, a “lone soldier” (someone who makes aliyah alone with the intention of serving) while in high school. After his friend was murdered by Hamas terrorists at the Nova Festival, his decision became clear. The time was now. As a Zionist, a rabbi, and a father watching my son come into his own as an adult, I’m deeply proud of him.

On the same day as my son was handed a rifle and a Bible and sworn in, I made my way down from Westchester County into Manhattan, to join hundreds of other concerned rabbis, American Jews, and Israeli Americans to protest outside the Israeli consulate. We called for Israel to let a surge of food and other aid into Gaza now, for the hostages to be released unconditionally and immediately, and for an end to the war. I had never spoken at a rally before, but when Rabbi Jill Jacobs of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights invited me, the time felt right.

This might seem odd. But in fact, it makes perfect sense to........

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