In the fall of 2014 our mixed-faith delegation met with Edo Konrad--of the "972" magazine in Israel--around his reporting of the Israel-Palestine conflict and cultural crises in Israeli society. Edo struck most of us as a brave, clearheaded journalist, a young man with a passion for the truth and a deep commitment to truth-telling as political practice.
This is a letter Edo has written as part of his work for "972." Like Edo himself, it seems brave, honest and hopeful. I find nothing here inherently anti-Semitic or anti-Judaism. Instead, I find a brave intellectual struggling to communicate his deep concern and enduring hope. For my part, I wish to be a faithful ally to Edo in the work he's doing and in the courageous witness he's offering.
Along these lines, it's been a difficult week for me, adjusting to intense criticism of my role in hosting an April conference around peacemaking, nonviolence and the economic strategy of boycott and divestment. (DOES BDS UNFAIRLY SINGLE OUT ISRAEL?) I find myself at odds with dear friends, long-time allies and partners in social justice work. What Edo Konrad captures here, I hope, is a shared concern. Injustice anywhere, said Martin Luther King, is a threat to justice everywhere. Thank you, Edo. For believing in the power and integrity of a word well written.
