Diary of a Local Protestor: In the Streets (Country Roads) to Save Israel’s Democracy with Rabbi Amy Klein

Since coming into power following the November 2022 elections, Israel's extreme right government has prepared a blitz of legislation that will turn Israel into a dictatorship. A people’s protest has arisen to protect Israel's (imperfect) democracy. The movement involves demonstrations at 150 local intersections “from Gome to Eilat,” central demonstrations in Tel Aviv and other major Israeli cities, and protests abroad, together with special “shut-down” days and targeting of parliament members with the potential to switch sides. The government's announcement of a "pause" in legislation was merely a pretense of willingness to negotiate and primarily to stall in order to build public support for the legislation. The morning after the "pause," the coalition brought to the speaker of the parliament's desk a law that will grant it a majority on the committee that appoints supreme court and lower court judges. That single law is enough to set in motion the destruction of Israel’s democracy and can be passed at any time once the parliament reconvenes on April 30th for its summer session.

Amy Klein is a graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College and former director of RRC's Israel Program. She has been living in Israel since 1997. She is a volunteer co-coordinator of the Upper Galilee-Golan-Sea of Galilee region for the current protest to save Israel’s democracy, representing the region in the central protest headquarters. Her local protest site is “Gome,” featured regularly in Israeli media. In this session, Amy will explain the diverse motivations and legislative aspects behind the attempt to turn Israel into a dictatorship. She will describe the protest movement, including goals, strategies, and various challenges around message, broadening support to include the moderate religious right and minority populations, whether to include issues such as the occupation and more. Amy’s personal experiences include organizing in the periphery, relations with the local police, protesting in Kiryat Shemona (a known Netanyahu stronghold), dealing with verbal violence (and a bit of physical) and participation in major demonstrations from the Balfour Protest of 2020 to now. Primarily, she will be happy to answer your questions.

With SAJ-Judaism that Stands for All, West End Synagogue, and Dorshei Tzedek