Conflict Erupts at Beth El Synagogue Over Israel Signage

A significant schism has emerged within the Beth El congregation in New Jersey, fueled by ongoing disagreements concerning the conflict in Gaza and the concept of Zionism. These tensions reflect a wider fracturing occurring across American Jewish communities, as reported by Eyal Press.

Congregant Felder attempted to display a sign visible to the community, including parents attending the synagogue’s Hebrew school. Before worshippers arrived, however, South Orange Police Department officers intervened following a complaint about a trespasser.

The officers confirmed Felder was a member whose children attended the Hebrew school. They warned him that posting signage without prior approval was forbidden, threatening arrest and potential banishment from Beth El if he did not comply. Felder relocated his sign to the public sidewalk but refused to remove it.

Felder's Motivation and Zionist Background

Felder mounted the "We Stand with Israel" sign approximately one year after the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, which resulted in the murder of twelve hundred people and the abduction of two hundred and fifty-one others. This attack marked the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.

Felder’s connection to Israel is deep-rooted. His maternal grandfather, an ardent Zionist, sold his Long Island home in 1975 to move to Beersheba, Israel. Felder himself participated in the progressive Zionist youth movement Habonim Dror.

After high school in 2001, Felder spent a year in Israel, living on a kibbutz and in Karmiel during the tense period of the second intifada suicide bombings. This experience instilled in him a profound understanding of Israeli insecurity, which resurfaced following the October 7th carnage, particularly concerning kibbutzim like Nir Oz.

Moral Concerns Over Gaza Crisis

Despite his solidarity, Felder feared the attack would lead to excessive violence against Palestinians. He felt that being Jewish required adherence to specific moral precepts, especially regarding the protection of human life, which he considered the most sacred Jewish tenet.

Concerns grew last spring when reports indicated famine was worsening in Gaza due to Israel blocking humanitarian aid. Felder worried that congregants displaying the sign might be perceived as condoning this blockade, which contradicted his grandfather's teachings.

Felder emailed Beth El’s senior rabbi, Jesse Olitzky, and associate rabbi, Rachel Marder, expressing distress and requesting reconsideration of the sign. He was informed the sign would remain displayed.

A Call for Humanitarian Action

Two months later, Felder contacted the rabbis again. By then, experts warned half a million people in Gaza faced starvation, and the Rabbinical Assembly urged immediate civilian relief efforts. Felder suggested the rabbis send a congregation-wide email directing members to relief groups or encouraging advocacy with Congress.

No such communication was distributed by the synagogue leadership. By late August, Felder, an architect, decided to stage a demonstration, despite his aversion to public attention. He meticulously designed a white banner using the blue shade of the Star of David, focusing the message on a core Jewish value rather than direct criticism of Israel.

Immediate Backlash and Dialogue

The sign immediately provoked strong reactions. One man shouted, "Go fuck yourself—you’re trash!" while another yelled, "Get a life!" Many members were angered by the insinuation that the congregation endorsed actions contributing to the famine in Gaza.

However, others engaged Felder in constructive dialogue. Before arriving, Felder had texted a photo of his banner to a WhatsApp group for members distressed by the destruction in Gaza and the lack of discussion at Beth El. An hour later, a photo showed several group members standing in support alongside Felder outside the parking lot entrance.

The National Landscape of Jewish Division

The events at Beth El highlight a national lack of unity following October 7th, despite the shared goal of bringing home the twelve U.S. citizen hostages. For some American Jews, the Hamas atrocities and subsequent campus protests spurred a renewed sense of Ahavat Yisrael (love for the Jewish people).

Conversely, for others, Israel’s extensive military response in Gaza, which has killed over seventy-two thousand Palestinians, and increased settler activity in the West Bank, have created alienation from the Jewish establishment and Zionism itself.

Evolving Definitions of Zionism

The term "Zionism" now incites fierce debate. Classical Zionism aspired to build a Jewish national home in Palestine, a goal few American Jews today meet by choosing to reside elsewhere. For many American Jews, Zionism evolved to mean supporting the existence of such a home due to ancestral ties and historical persecution, culminating in the Holocaust.

This foundational Zionism remains strong, especially within the Modern Orthodox community, where rejecting it is often viewed as sacrilege. Yet, increasing numbers struggle to align beliefs in equality and social justice with support for a government led by a far-right alliance under Benjamin Netanyahu, which promotes Jewish supremacy.

Statistical Polarization and Rabbinic Fear

Some Jews now condemn Israel as an illiberal "ethno-state" that oppresses Palestinians and advocate for its abolition. A Washington Post survey last October revealed a near-even split: 46% of American Jews supported the Gaza war, while 48% opposed it. Furthermore, 39% believed Israel had committed genocide.

These disagreements have strained families, friendships, and congregations. Last fall, Angela Buchdahl, senior rabbi at Manhattan's Central Synagogue, confessed in a Rosh Hashanah sermon that she feared discussing Israel due to alienating worshippers.

Rabbi Buchdahl articulated the dilemma: stating her love for Israel and its struggle against Hamas might cause some to stop listening, while condemning the civilian deaths in Gaza and settler violence might cause others to tune her out. She described navigating these fault lines as "the most painful experience of my rabbinic life," noting the conversation was "ripping our community apart."

Post-Ceasefire Political Fallout

Even after a ceasefire agreement in October 2025, tensions persisted. Weeks after the halt in fighting, the mayoral campaign of Zohran Mamdani—who called the Hamas attack a "war crime" but described the Israeli response as "genocidal"—prompted over a thousand rabbis to sign an open letter. This letter condemned the "political normalization" of anti-Zionism, linking it to Mamdani's refusal to denounce phrases like "globalize the intifada." This sentiment was shared by prominent New York Jewish politicians, including Representative Jerry Nadler.