A Zionist Jewish Rabbi's Perspective on the War in Israel-Palestine: Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger

Hanan Schlesinger is an Orthodox rabbi and teacher, and a passionate Zionist settler who has been profoundly transformed by his encounters with Palestinians and the Palestinian People beginning in late 2013. Originally hailing from New York, Rav Hanan immigrated to Israel on his own at the age of 20 and has lived in Alon Shvut, Gush Etzion, for almost 35 years. His family background is Reform, but already at the end of high school he began delving into observant Judaism. Following his B.A., he spent over 10 years in advanced Jewish study, primarily at the Har Etzion College of Jewish Studies and in the M.A. program of the Dept. of Jewish Philosophy at the Hebrew University. In early 2014, Ali Abu Awwad and an Israeli partner Shaul Judelman, together with Rav Hanan and other Israelis and Palestinians, founded Roots/Judur/Shorashim. Rav Hanan currently serves as its Director of International Relations. He also is the founder of the American Friends of Roots, a multi-faith organization dedicated to supporting the work of Roots/Shorashim/Judur. Rav Hanan frequently speaks in the USA together with one of his Palestinian partner about the amazing work that Roots/Shorashim/Judur is doing in Judea/Palestine.
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[@chad_stewart]

I'm so thankful for all of the interviews provided by Preston on this topic. I have not seen anyone else offer such balance, breadth and depth.

[@moyergirl4886]

I am thrilled to have something so profound, educational and compassionate to share on social media. Thank you both!

[@jenna2431]

What about 4,000 CHILDREN murdered by the IDF? What did they do?

[@MarikaMoonPie]

I am glad I landed on this video. It has been very confusing for me because everyone wants to take a side and only want to share one side of stories and not listening to the other side. Which didn't make any sense to me. I am glad to find people who can listen and see views of both sides equally. We need more people like him to move forward to end this conflict. I think if we can sit and talk and listen to each other without any violence it would be win win for both sides. Thank you Preston for the hosting.

[@blakewidmer]

Thank you so much Preston, you continue to find and give platform to voices we rarely hear. Bless you! This was so helpful and hopeful to me. I just listend to "On Palestine" by Israeli historian Ilan Pappe along with famous Jewish American intellectual and MIT professor, Noam Chomsky. Wow, so enlightening. We must shift from the "fool's gold mirage of a '2 State solution" and in earnest recognize that the only path forward is a "single state from the river to the sea" that provides equal dignity and rights for all of its citizens, regardless of religion, ethnicity or language. Yes it is messy, but reconiliation and sharing with our fellow humans has never been easy. But it is worth it. My Rabbi said "it is better to give than to receive"

[@briannes.5943]

Okay here we go. I really like this balanced approach and perspective, it helps people understand that there are two reasonable perspectives on the different sides. But I don't think there is any legitimacy to taking land from people because of your beliefs and identity tying your ancestors there. This all happening mostly in the 20th century is baffling to me. Borders existed. Centuries of family history in the land. And if it had all ended with Jewish people legitimately buying land in Palestine because they felt tied to the land and were going home, fine, but that's not how it happened. It became occupation, colonization, displacement, abuse, murder. So while I think there is a lot of balance in this conversation and it is helpful to learn about these perspectives, it is also extremely important to see that a person's belief that they belong somewhere their ancestors lived 2,000 years ago doesn't give them the right to go occupy and take someone else's land. My grandmother was Cajun, aka Acadian. Her family had been forced out of Acadia in the great expulsion. Acadia no longer exists, it was previously in what is now Canada/USA. I my grandma and our family had absolutely zero right to go back to that area and claim ownership. And that expulsion happened from 1755-1764, so 250 years ago instead of 2,000. Just as an example.

[@patrickmiller9030]

Preston, this was a great conversation, thanks for having him on. A very balanced perspective.

[@lbamusic]

An Iranian friend of mine told me that there were about 100,000 Jews living in Iran in the 1930-40s, next door to his town. They have never left but the community has grown smaller as Elders have passed away, and some younger Jews have moved away.

[@sheilabright2091]

That was beautiful. Thank you so much! Going on the website and supporting this work! 🙏🏻🌺🙏🏻🌺

[@jillchristine1561]

Great interview. Thank you for addressing current issues in a balanced manner. 🙏

[@anqilarana9651]

Thank you for this interview. It was so enlightening. I respect the fact that he took the step to engage in this process of dialogue, listening and discussing. I hope and pray that this situation gets diffused and peace comes to that land and both the people of Palestine and Israel accept each other as inhabitants of the land and are treated equal. The leaders like Netanyahu have to look at this and approach this with a spirit of reconciliation.

[@tosin8401]

I feel like everyone that cares about this issue should listen to this interview

[@mathateuo1653]

Great interview and so honest and transparent.

[@pennymacias5702]

Another great interview!

[@awife7581]

This was so far your BEST interview on this matter. Showed both perspectives. Great conversation. I pray for God to work and bring peace to both nations and that they would come to know Jesus who is the prince of peace.

[@lbamusic]

Excellent interview - I learned a lot.!! thank you!!

[@bobtaleb9029]

If the jews can claim the land of palestiniane because they claim they were there 3 thousand years ago even thought those jews left or reverted to islam.than its only fair that America be returned to the native Indians, and Australia be given back to the aborigines.

[@israelsilva9750]

You cannot impose your beliefs upon others, you have no claims to the land just because there were kingdoms of jews more than 2000 years ago. You must obey International Law, which is secular. Your beliefs are your own. This whole thing of Zionism would just be irrational, if not for the Holocaust and the Stalinist purges. That's the only way I understand Zionism.

[@m135b]

"We have to find a way to fit two truths into one heart." What a line!

[@FreebornLivingWoman]

Have we all forgotten ..... We are guardians of the land, air and waters ...... NO ONE OWNS ANYTHING !!! We have been gifted this blessings from our creator 🙏💖🙏