American Jews and Faith in Israel

Palestinian statehood is in diplomatic mothballs, while the world focuses on crises in Syria, Egypt and other parts of the Middle East. On Sunday, Israel denied entry and deported several dozen pro-Palestinian activists who flew into Tel Aviv's airport. Hundreds of police and security personnel were deployed, although the protesters said their goal was to plant trees in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. Meanwhile, an observant Jew and well-known journalist, Peter Beinhart, has created a firestorm with a book called The Crisis of Zionism. He argues that Israel's expanding settlements violate the Jewish commitment to equality and democracy. He concludes that a new generation of liberal American Jews is faced with a contradiction that the Jewish establishment fails to recognize. Will they support a state that's not living up to its founding ideals, or adhere to liberal Zionism while their support for Israel withers away?