Where Do You Stand?: Lessons I Hope My Great-Grandfather Will Teach Me

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Keywords:

Palestine, anti-Zionism, social movements, reflective research

Abstract

In this piece, I reflect on my new research into my great-grandfather, an influential and controversial Rabbi who, beginning in the 1940s, lobbied against the establishment of a Jewish state. Part 1 considers the current crisis in Palestine/Israel alongside a sermon delivered by my great-grandfather 80 years ago. Part 2 reflects on the origin of this research, begun two years before the current escalation of violence, as well as the scope and potential contributions of this study to contemporary American history and to the field of social work. In Part 3, I interrogate why it has taken so long to begin this work, critically reflecting on what has held me back from engaging in anti-Zionist study and action.

Author Biography

Amie Thurber, Portland State University

Amie Thurber, PhD is Associate Professor, School of Social Work, Portland State University, Portland, OR (athurber@pdx.edu).

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Published

2026-04-29

How to Cite

Thurber, A. (2026). Where Do You Stand?: Lessons I Hope My Great-Grandfather Will Teach Me. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, 32(1), 93–107. Retrieved from https://reflectionsnarrativesofprofessionalhelping.org/index.php/Reflections/article/view/2159

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