Some feel isolated and ostracized within their communities for holding critical views of Israel, while others find support and solidarity among like-minded peers. The generational divide in attitudes toward Israel continues to widen, with younger Jews increasingly questioning and challenging traditional narratives.
As Jewish teens navigate their identities and beliefs in a complex and polarized landscape, their voices and perspectives serve as a reminder of the diversity and complexity of Jewish experiences and opinions. Whether supporting Palestinian rights, advocating for a two-state solution, or critiquing Israeli policies, these young activists are shaping the future of Jewish engagement with Israel and the broader world.
The rain continued to fall as Natalya McConnell and her peers stood outside Bellevue Square Mall, holding signs and chanting for peace in the Middle East. Despite the challenges and pushback they faced, their commitment to justice and solidarity remained unwavering.
The future of Jewish activism and advocacy may look different than it has in the past, but one thing is clear: the voices of Jewish teens will continue to be heard, demanding a more just and equitable world for all.
And as the rain subsided and the sun began to peek through the clouds, the sense of hope and possibility filled the air, a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always the potential for change and transformation.
Regenerate S.E., a Jewish teen from New York City, hesitates to share their pro-Palestine views with Jews in their community, and asked only to be identified by their initials.
“I’m afraid of the blowback, and that’s a weakness of mine. I shouldn’t be afraid. I should stand in what I know to be true,” said S.E., who uses they/them pronouns.
S.E. is involved in their progressive synagogue where left-leaning beliefs on Israel are common. “One thing I love about the Jewish community that I grew up in was that there was quite a diversity of opinions on Israel in the synagogue’s population,” they said.
Yet S.E. worries that their support for the Palestinian cause might put them at odds even with the liberal Zionists who might support a two-state solution or who think it is inappropriate to criticize Israel during wartime. “I believe that the religious beliefs towards the state of Israel and the Jewish people being indigenous to the state of Israel are real and valid. I also believe that Palestinians are indigenous to the land where the state of Israel currently resides,” says S.E. “To me, Palestinian liberation means respecting that indigeneity in a way that the current state of Israel does not.”
At the same time, pro-Palestinian activists are often critical of any approach that recognizes Israel’s legitimacy. “It’s very polarizing to know that sometimes your opinion might not be accepted by either side at all,” said S.E. While S.E. still identifies as a Zionist and believes in the importance of a Jewish state, they believe the importance of an independent Palestinian state — separate from Israel — is something that needs to be recognized.
There have been a few conversations with family members where S.E. felt it was safe to share their opinions. “If I can muster the energy and bravery to do it, I argue with family members,” S.E. said. “We were able to have a really productive conversation where we were able to understand each other’s perspective and surprisingly agree on more than we thought we did.”
In an agitated conversation with their sister, S.E. realized the significance of labels such as “Zionist” and “pro-Palestinian.” “Our beliefs are fundamentally similar, but sometimes we disagree on the language used,” they said.
“This [labeling] leads people to think Jews are a monolith in our opinions, which we’re not.” says S.E. “To me, the idea that either you unconditionally support or denounce Israel is a false dichotomy.”
However, others believe labels to be a key facet of how they identify as support for Palestine. To Natalya McConnell, the options are absolute: Being ethical means being in full support of an independent Palestinian nation, even if this is not possible alongside an independent Israel.
“Right now, the only way for Israel to exist, where it currently is, is by pushing other people off of that area,” says McConnell. “There should be one state that can be a safe place for all persecuted people, Muslim, Jews, Christians, anyone, to feel safe in that area.”
These views are ones that McConnell strongly stands by, despite backlash. “Even if it’s not favorable, even if it’s not popular opinion, even if you’re called a terrorist, which I have been called before, and even if it’s scary, it’s important to me to live up to the values of Judaism, and that means speaking up,” says McConnell.
McConnell attends a Reconstructionist synagogue that aligns itself with “movements to end the Israeli occupation.” The liturgy read at services has been changed to no longer say “Israel” but rather “our people” or “community,” according to McConnell.
McConnell sees this environment as having a direct impact on her views regarding Israel and Palestine. She feels unwavering support from the many Jews around her with similar perspectives.
“There are so many people in my community that I think are really impactful in why I support Palestine,” said McConnell.
“Obviously when people discuss the Torah or Bible, they’re interpreting it,” she says. “So we think it’s really good to interpret it in a modern way that seeks to be inclusive to everyone and doesn’t oppress others.”
S.E. rejects the idea that they are somehow disloyal or alienated from their sense of Judaism. “I’m proud to be a Jew, not just religiously. I will always call for the preservation of Jewish culture along with that of Palestinians,” says S.E. “I’m no less proud of being a Jew as I ever was, and I know that Jews around the world have the ability to think critically about the conflict.”
Since Oct. 7, Beinart has struggled to confidently label his ideal solution for the Israel-Palestine conflict. (His father, journalist Peter Beinart, is widely known for having given up on the traditional two-state solution and arguing that Zionism and liberalism are incompatible.)
Besides wanting to see an end to Israeli occupation in the West Bank and treatment of the Palestinians that he compares to apartheid, “I realized that I don’t feel that comfortable waving an Israeli flag or waving a Palestinian flag that much,” says Beinart. “Neither of them really work for me anymore.”
And Beinart finds it difficult to leave behind the Jewish values taught at his day school and largely accepted by his peers. “It’s tempting to be a Jewish nationalist and think about how we have been oppressed for 2000 years,” says Beinart. “Sometimes I catch myself drifting into that and it makes a lot of sense to worry about yourself first, but I don’t think this is necessarily the right way of thinking.”
1. The doctor recommended a specific cream to help regenerate the skin cells after the burn injury.
2. The forest floor was slowly regenerating after the devastating wildfire.
3. The company implemented a new marketing strategy in order to regenerate interest in their products.
4. The athlete underwent a series of treatments to help regenerate the damaged muscle tissue in his leg.
5. The community banded together to plant new trees and flowers in an effort to regenerate the local park.
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