On Passover, Jews around the world gather to retell the story of liberation. The story of a people who moved from oppression to freedom, from dependence to self-determination. It is not just a story about the past. It is a framework through which Jews have understood their place in the world for generations.

However, I am finding, much to my dismay that for many American Jews, especially those who identify as progressive, that story lands differently.

You can sit at the Seder table, speak about freedom and justice, and then look at Israel’s current government and feel a profound sense of dissonance. For some, that discomfort has led to a more fundamental question: if this is what a Jewish state produces, is a Jewish state still necessary at all?

Is it an honest question? Maybe for some. But it rests on a flawed premise.

Because it assumes that the State of Israel is defined by its current government, rather than by the role Israel plays in Jewish life, history, and survival.

Progressive Jews, more than most, understand the difference between a country and its leadership. Many spent years opposing policies under administrations they believed violated their values. Policies on immigration, race, or........

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