A growing number of prominent Jewish voices in the UK are raising serious concerns about the direction of Israeli politics and the consequences it may have not just for Israel itself, but for Jewish communities around the world. At the forefront of this debate are Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Rabbi Josh Levy, co-leaders of Progressive Judaism, who argue that criticism of the Israeli government is not betrayal but a moral and religious obligation rooted in Jewish tradition.
Their intervention comes at a moment of deep unease. Israel’s current political leadership, particularly its far-right elements, has drawn widespread international criticism. But what makes this moment especially significant is that the critique is coming from within the Jewish community itself, grounded not in hostility, but in a commitment to Jewish ethical principles.
Baginsky has warned that Israel’s current trajectory could become “incompatible with Jewish values,” raising a profound question: what happens when a state that claims to represent Jewish identity begins to act in ways that many Jews believe contradict the moral teachings at the heart of Judaism? This concern is not abstract. For many diaspora Jews, the actions of the Israeli government increasingly shape how Jewish identity is perceived globally, sometimes with troubling consequences.
Levy reinforces this point, arguing that Judaism has always been defined by rigorous internal debate. To question power, to wrestle with moral dilemmas and to challenge injustice are not deviations from Jewish tradition; they are central to it. In that sense, engaging critically with Israel is not disloyalty but continuity: part of a “millennial conversation” about ethics, responsibility, and justice.
Their recently launched book, Progressive Judaism, Zionism and the State of Israel, brings together dozens of Jewish voices reflecting a wide spectrum of perspectives. Some contributors remain committed Zionists; others are more critical of the concept itself. What unites them is a shared belief that Jewish identity cannot and should not be reduced to uncritical support for any government.
This distinction is crucial. Too often, criticism of Israeli policy is framed as hostility toward Jews as a whole. But voices like Baginsky and Levy challenge that conflation directly. They argue that when the actions of a state are seen as representing all Jews, those actions inevitably reverberate far beyond Israel’s borders, sometimes exposing Jewish communities elsewhere to backlash, misunderstanding, or even danger.
That is where their warning becomes particularly sharp: when political decisions in Israel are perceived as reflecting Judaism itself, they risk distorting how Jews are seen globally. In this sense, the issue is not just political, it is existential, touching on the integrity of Jewish identity and values.
Importantly, both rabbis reject the idea that there is a single “correct” Jewish stance on Israel. Progressive Judaism, they emphasise, is built on pluralism and openness. There is no required political position, no orthodoxy of opinion. Instead, there is a commitment to dialogue, complexity, and moral accountability.
This openness has not come without cost. When Baginsky and Levy called for a ceasefire and a path toward Palestinian statehood at a rally for Israeli hostages, they were met with hostility from parts of the crowd. The incident highlighted the deep divisions within the Jewish community itself, divisions that mirror the broader global debate.
Yet both remain steadfast. They point to the many voices within and beyond the Jewish community that have expressed support for a more nuanced, justice-oriented approach. For them, the path forward lies not in silence or conformity but in the difficult, often uncomfortable work of ethical engagement.
At its core, this is a debate about responsibility. If Israel claims to act in the name of Jewish peoplehood, then Jews everywhere have a stake in how that power is exercised. And if Jewish tradition is to mean anything, Baginsky and Levy argue, it must include the courage to speak out when those values are at risk.
Far from weakening Jewish identity, such debate may be its greatest strength.
