An Open Letter to Monroe Temple Beth-el

To Monroe Temple Beth-el community,

We are former students of Monroe Temple Beth-el’s religious school, former participants in Monroe Temple Beth-el’s youth group, and children of current or former members of Monroe Temple Beth-el. We have a diversity of opinions on Zionism and the state of Israel. Still, we can all agree that we are deeply ashamed of Monroe Temple Beth-el’s unwavering support for Israel as it commits genocide against Palestine and ethnically cleanses Gaza. 

Some of us grew up at Monroe Temple Beth-el. From Mentsch Makers to confirmation class, this community helped raise us. We trusted your teachers to educate us, your clergy to guide us, and your congregants to support us. For some of us, we were the only Jews in our secular schools and Monroe Temple Beth-el was our only Jewish community, providing formative Jewish experiences and functioning as an extended Jewish family. This community nourished us.

In return, we came back to chant Torah, lead youth group, pray together for High Holy Day services, babysit your children, or help out in religious school classrooms. We invested in this community; some of us joined choir, Sisterhood, or other committees we cared about. We chose to support and engage in the community we called home.

But this community has since betrayed us.

Many of us were infuriated to see Monroe Temple Beth-el’s Israel statement made earlier in 2023 that affirmed a commitment to Zionism, Israel’s national sovereignty, and a continued relationship with Israelis as they fight the BDS movement. In this statement, Monroe Temple Beth-el insisted, “Although we support diverse and pluralistic views regarding Israeli policy, we oppose efforts to demonize Israeli national sovereignty and delegitimize Israel’s right to exist.” While we knew anti-Zionists were often harassed and belittled at Monroe Temple Beth-el, this statement confirmed the synagogue’s stance: you can criticize Israeli policy, but you must stand behind Israel. Anti-Zionists are no longer welcome. Effectively, you exiled many of us.

This week, as Israel begins an invasion into Rafah as a final stage of the ethnic cleansing of Gaza, Monroe Temple Beth-el decided to promote a “Special Shabbat Service” honoring the Jewish National Fund and Monroe Temple Beth-el Sisterhood’s “generous donation” to the JNF’s Trauma Therapy Fund. This Shabbat will center, “how the war has impacted every Israeli,” with no mention of the murder of over 28,000 Palestinian people and the trauma the IDF has inflicted upon Palestinian civilians for months. 

As we watch our beloved community devolve into nationalistic fervor and genocidal apologia, we’re devastated, ashamed, and angry. Where is Monroe Temple Beth-el’s sense of justice? What happened to the community that taught us to stand up against discrimination? The community that taught us “never again” for anyone, as we stood up against genocide in Darfur? The community that demanded we take action and not stand by while others suffer; that instilled within us a lifelong commitment to Tikkun Olam? 

But we know Monroe Temple Beth-el can do better. We've seen it before.

Back in 2020, Monroe Temple Beth-el was deeply receptive and concerned about internalized biases and racism in the Jewish community. When we approached Monroe Temple Beth-el with the Not Free to Desist letter that demanded Jewish institutions commit to unlearning racism and addressing racist behaviors in the community, they were quick to act. The congregation drafted an anti-racist statement that still lives on the Temple's website. We worked with the congregation through a series of anti-racist workshops where congregants shared vulnerable feelings and learned new skills. Anti-zionism IS anti-racism. We must embrace both in our Jewish communities. 

We are ashamed and deeply disappointed in Monroe Temple Beth-el’s decision to stand on the wrong side of history and support Israel unconditionally. We have been betrayed by the Jewish community that raised us. We, the undersigned, share this letter in hopes that we can reach the humanity of at least one person from the community that raised us. In our wildest dreams, we would hope it would ask our community to interrogate and work toward unlearning Zionism and systems of oppression that promote Jewish supremacy. 

We deserved better, and all members of Monroe Temple Beth-el do.

Signed,

Elana Lipkin

Jessie Sander

Lindsay Lipkin

Julia Auerfeld

Dovy Ehrenreich

Micah Sander

Eliana Drier

Caelin Eisenberg

Aileen Eisenberg

Rachel Cook

Sam Sander-Effron

Grace Sander Effron 

[Additional signatories from MTBE, feel free to reach out to us to be added by emailing makingmensches@gmail.com]