Until recently one, myself included, could have convincingly argued that the American Evangelical community spoke in one unified voice on Israel issues, with no variation, of staunch unconditional support for Israel advocating a position to the political right of many in our community.  However, this past week the Evangelical community publicly broke ranks and divided into two separate Israel camps, each lobbying President Bush in public letters this week: one camp being led by Rev John Hagee and his organization Christians United for Israel and one camp being led by Rev Ronald Sider, President of Evangelicals for Social Action, and 34 more politically liberal Evangelical leaders.  Rev Hagee, whose support for Israel has always been received cautiously by the Reform Movement, is now vocally lobbying President Bush to support a one-state rather than a two-state solution – a stance in opposition to that of the Reform Movement and calls for a change in both American and Israeli stated policy.  Rev Ronald Sider’s letter took a strikingly different tone advocating for a two-state solution, a position embraced by the Reform Movement.  Although Sider’s letter also contained references that are problematic for the Reform Movement, it was encouraging to hear another voice on Israel emerging from the American Evangelical Community. 

As a progressive Jew I long ago realized that I can support a two-state solution and remain a Zionist.  One can only hope that this is a reality which our friends in the American Evangelical community will also learn to identify with.