The SAPIR Debates: Does Zionism Have a Future on the American Left?

In the shadow of the war in Gaza, shifting ideological fault lines and coalitions are redefining the boundaries of progressive politics nationwide. The normalization of rhetoric on the Left that questions Israel’s legitimacy has become a source of growing discomfort, if not concern, for Zionists across the political spectrum. Likewise, actions of the Israeli government – before and since the recent war – have prompted those on the Left to reevaluate their association with and support for Israel. Nowhere is this phenomenon more pressing than in New York City, home to more Jews than any city in the world. On both a local and national level, many are asking: can one be both proudly Zionist and firmly on the Left, or has the divide grown too wide to bridge? Moderated by SAPIR Editor-in-Chief Bret Stephens , this second of the SAPIR Debates featured four distinguished voices: Kathy E. Manning , board chair of the Democratic Majority for Israel and former two-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives Yehuda Kurtzer , president of the Shalom Hartman Institute and host of the Identity/Crisis podcast James Kirchick , contributing opinion writer to the New York Times and best-selling author of two books Batya Ungar-Sargon, author of three books, including the forthcoming The Left and the Jews , and host of Batya! on NewsNation The SAPIR Debates is a new series that features a spirited but civil exchange of views on the most consequential issues facing the American Jewish community. Watch this SAPIR Debate on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g-ftd9gNjw Read SAPIR essays relevant to the Debate: To Err is Human; To Disagree, Jewish - by Rabbi David Wolpe: https://sapirjournal.org/cancellation/2022/to-err-is-human-to-disagree-jewish/ Zionism and Liberalism in America - by Michael Koplow: https://sapirjournal.org/resilience/2024/zionism-and-liberalism-in-america/ Pro-Israel Progressives with Rep Ritchie Torres: https://sapirjournal.org/friends-and-foes/2024/pro-israel-progressives/ Saving Israel for Democrats - by Ronald Radosh: https://sapirjournal.org/zionism/2022/saving-israel-for-democrats/ Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/theo-gerard/monsieur-groove