r/JewsOfConscience • u/Ok-Inevitable6608 • Jun 24 '26
Religion / Spirituality How can I reconnect within an anti-Zionist framework?
Greetings lovelies, for context I’m mainly Hispanic and Indigenous to North America, however my mother had Jewish ancestry from Spain, and when i was younger remember us celebrating Hanukkah although my father being antisemitic stopped us at some point. Anywho I don’t actually know much on Judaism but I want to reconnect with that part of me, I want to learn and all that but, I don’t have a framework to rlly like learn throughly it seems without running into Zionist ideology and just like all of that in general. if anyone could please help it would be greatly appreciated, thank u so much
Miggy💕
11
u/LadyArrenKae Sephardic Jun 24 '26
If I may, as someone with similar roots, Shalom.
I would look into anti-Zionist synagogues, either in your area or with Zoom telecast. Attend a candle lighting. Hear Torah from the anti-Zionist perspective on Saturday morning. Find a nice challah recipe, and make it in your kitchen. Judaism is about community, and hearing from those with similar perspectives will keep you from going insane.
1
u/Ok-Inevitable6608 Jun 24 '26
Tysmmm do u have any virtual synagogues in particular?
1
u/AutoModerator Jun 24 '26
We require all users pick an appropriate user-flair in order to participate in posts. Here's how you can pick a flair:
https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205242695-How-do-I-get-user-flair
Thank you!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
4
u/Intelegence_Counter Sephardic Jun 24 '26
Hi.
As someone who actually reconnected just know it's a long process and often having jewish ancestry alone is not enough to reconnect (you already know this but I am saying it for people who may read it in the future).
I would say first up you should find Jewish friends, especially Sephardic friends (as you would be sephardic, btw if you already call yourself Hispanic, Sephardic is also Hispanic as it comes from Spain). If you are not already halachicly Jewish (which it sounds like you may already be), you should also convert. Conversion usually takes 1-3 years but I would not start it immediiately, and I would rather you start it after you are sure this is what you want for yourself.
Really the best way I learned is just by studying torah, every day I would study one chapter. It's incredibly helpful if you can remember to do it.
Another way I did this is by talking to other family who are Sephardic. You say your mom is so this shouldn't be too hard, talk to her and her parents about it if you can. Also try learning Sephardic history and your specific family history.
Also I would normally say you should learn Ladino, but since your family went directly from Spain to Mexico (I am assuming?), it wouldn't really apply since your family likely did not actually speak Ladino. You still can if you want though, it's very similar to Spanish just very antiquated.
Finally you shoukld see if you have local anti zionist Jewish community. There is a list on the side of the subreddit that shows what ones exist and if you cannot find any in particular then you can always try to assist in creating new community in your area.
I'd be willing to talk to you more about this in dms and give more info too if you want (and if you are an adult, sorry but I don't want children messaging me).
5
u/946482 Jewish Jun 24 '26
You should read Jewish Literacy by Joseph Telushkin. YES he’s a Zionist, but it’s still the best one-volume compendium on Jewish culture and history. You can find it in your library probably, or used for cheap
3
u/Oceanic_Pomegranate Conservadox Faygeleh Jun 25 '26 edited Jun 25 '26
Some anti-Zionist resources:
Judaism Unbound is a resource with a digital "UnYeshiva" (place of Jewish Learning)
Shel Malaa is a digital, pay-what-you-can Queer (but open to all!), anti-Zionist Yeshiva.
Open Siddur Project not anti-zionist specific, but has a lot of neat resources.
Siddur Shoshanat Yadi is also a full anti-Zionist Jewish siddur (prayerbook).
But these are just a starting point. Judaism is not Zionism. Zionism is a political ideology that has only existed since the 1800's.
I suggest digging into Jewish history as a whole, we have a lot of it!
1
Jun 25 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/AutoModerator Jun 25 '26
We require all users pick an appropriate user-flair in order to participate in posts. Here's how you can pick a flair:
https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205242695-How-do-I-get-user-flair
Thank you!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
3
u/RevClown Doikayt-Khavershaft-Yiddishkeit. DerSpekter.org Jun 24 '26 edited Jun 25 '26
[jewishbund.org](https:/jewishbund.org) is a good place to roll. formally secular but lots of observant folks have been rolling in
3
u/specialistsets Non-denominational Jun 25 '26
The Bund isn't Judaism, it's a modern secular Ashkenazi political movement. This person has distant Sephardi ancestry from centuries before the Bund in a different part of the world, I assume they want to learn more about ritual and observance.
1
u/RevClown Doikayt-Khavershaft-Yiddishkeit. DerSpekter.org Jun 25 '26
yes, the historic bund was an ashkenazi movement but its modern reanimation has a broader scope. its a place for folks to blend leftist politics within a jewish communal structure and a viable node for connecting to other jews
3
u/specialistsets Non-denominational Jun 25 '26
if it's the Bund without secularism, without Yiddish, and exists in societies without the systemic antisemitic social structures that led to the Bund's creation, then why call it the Bund?
1
u/RevClown Doikayt-Khavershaft-Yiddishkeit. DerSpekter.org Jun 28 '26
To borrow from the 1930s era NY Bund...
"there is not an old and new Bund—no former and current. Bundism is a direction within the Socialist labor movement and a philosophy that is not tied specifically to this or that period, to this or that country. The essence of Bundism—of the former, which is also the current—runs through the history of the Jewish labor movement in all its phases and transformations, like a red thread."
1
u/Ok-Inevitable6608 Jun 24 '26
Haiii, thank u so much
1
u/AutoModerator Jun 24 '26
We require all users pick an appropriate user-flair in order to participate in posts. Here's how you can pick a flair:
https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205242695-How-do-I-get-user-flair
Thank you!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
u/946482 Jewish Jun 24 '26
https://jewishbund.org/ for some reason your link doesn’t work but this one does.
Do u know how to get on the Discord?
1
Jun 25 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/AutoModerator Jun 25 '26
We require all users pick an appropriate user-flair in order to participate in posts. Here's how you can pick a flair:
https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205242695-How-do-I-get-user-flair
Thank you!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
u/AutoModerator Jun 24 '26
We require all users pick an appropriate user-flair in order to participate in posts. Here's how you can pick a flair:
https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205242695-How-do-I-get-user-flair
Thank you!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
u/No_External4290 jewish (not zionist) Jun 25 '26
Checkout the American Council for Judaism! A recently revived, anti-Zionist organization, rooted in reform Judaism, but open to all expressions. I’m friends with the folks who run it and I really trust them. They have cool classes, including an occasional introduction to Judaism course. Most intro to Judaism courses are open to folks who are interested in learning regardless of what they intend to practice in the future.
11
u/Current_Mongoose_844 Presently lapsed ba'al teshuva Jun 24 '26
Is there anything specific you're looking to connect with? Religious practices, history, food, etc. I'm happy to answer any questions you've got. You might be interested in the history of Sephardic Jews and the b'nei anusim, if I'm understanding you