Beyond Zionism and Anti-Zionism: A Future of the American Jewish Left and the Negation of the 'Negation of the Diaspora'.

This essay examines the challenges and future prospects of the New Jewish Anti-Zionist Left in America, exploring how anti-Zionism has emerged as an expression of progressive Jewish identity and how it is itself shaped by the prior Zionization of American Judaism. It traces the historical evolution of Jewish political and religious thought from early 20th-century Zionism through the New Left era, Liberal Zionism, and the recent rise of explicit anti-Zionism among younger Jews disillusioned with Israel's policies and identity. The author argues that contemporary Jewish anti-Zionism often reflects a refusal to center Jewish identity on fidelity to the Israeli state rather than outright opposition to Israel's existence, and suggests that the Jewish Left's future lies in moving beyond both Zionism and anti-Zionism toward a new form of Radical Jewish Diasporism—one that embraces diverse spiritual and cultural expressions independent of Israel. This proposed shift aims to re-center Jewish life in the Diaspora, fostering progressive, universalist values while maintaining a commitment to justice in Israel/Palestine without making Israel the defining locus of Jewish identity.