I just hopped off an incredible Word on the Street Live with Brad Lander days after his decisive Democratic primary victory in NY-10 to discuss what the campaign’s implications are for the future of the Democratic Party, the American Jewish community and the increasingly difficult conversation over Israel and Palestine.
Brad and I have known each other for more than 25 years, and one of the things I appreciated most was hearing him reflect on the long arc of his own journey. He shared the story of a “you-never-told-me” letter he wrote decades ago to his synagogue teacher after discovering parts of Israel’s history he felt had been left out of his Jewish education – a story that echoes the questions so many younger Jews are asking today.
He also talked about how a 2018 retreat for progressive Israeli and American political figures hosted by J Street and the New Israel Fund helped draw him back into speaking publicly about Israel-Palestine after years focused on local government.
We explored why he still identifies as a progressive Zionist, why that label has become more complicated, and why he believes Democrats need a deeper reckoning over Gaza without abandoning the idea that Israelis and Palestinians are bound together by a shared future.
One of the most powerful moments came when Brad described young Israeli activists practicing “protective presence” in the occupied West Bank, placing themselves between Palestinian families and violent settlers. For him, they embody the idea that shared humanity is something deeply Jewish and on which our activism has to be based. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
