Introducing Rabbi Iggy: Tshuva for Democrats

This is my friend Iggy, who I adore. We are bicoastal and every month or so, we get together to try to fix the world, but mainly to eat and talk about art and culture. Iggy is a New York-based Rabbi, a lifelong Democrat, and a professional expert on spirituality and addiction, among many other things. He has a completely unique way of relating ancient texts to modern everyday societal issues, and so amid the avalanche of discord and severing of family ties and friendships over this last election result, I asked Iggy in LA a week or so ago if he would write something for Blacklisted for all of my readers: lifelong Democrats who are angry at the world right now, and Trump voters or mere reality acknowledgers who are dealing with visceral reactions from their loved ones, and who are seeking to bridge the gap with compassion and understanding. I have had even more insight into these issues this weekend, and will put pen to paper on those very shortly, but for now I really want to let the Rabbi do the talking, and provide some thinking points to sit in before you come up with more potentially reactive and destructive talking points. Share it with your friends and loved ones, and hopefully in time there can be healing and growth.

Over to you, Iggs:

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Hey DNC, we need to talk.

Its time for a deep long Tshuvah. You are in need of a deep reflection and a long hard look at political repentance. 

Are you standing in front of the mirror after a defeat? Are you full of shame and guilt? Are you defiant? What do you see? What do you feel? What is the right thing to do when facing a humiliating failure? 

In Jewish life, in such moments we engage with the practice of Tshuvah. Central to Jewish tradition it's not merely about repentance; it is a disciplined, transformative journey toward truth, accountability, and ultimately, return. Tshuvah (Meaning; Repentance/ reflection, response, and Return) calls upon individuals to reflect on their actions, recognize their failings, and commit to change. In an age where political allegiances have grown increasingly polarized, the Jewish community, particularly those aligned with Zionist values, faces a poignant dilemma with the Democratic Party. The call for Tshuvah resonates not just for individuals but for communities and institutions, reminding us that even parties representing ideals can lose sight of their moral compass.

Lately, the Democratic Party has been aligning too closely with far-left ideas, accepting and even celebrating those that have engaged in or tolerated antisemitic rhetoric and compromised Jewish values. This alignment has left many Jews politically homeless, caught between the pull of historical Democratic ideals and an unsettling shift in discourse around Jewish identity and Israel’s place in the world. For Jews who see support for Israel and the safeguarding of Jewish lives as non-negotiable values, this drift has been painful and isolating. While still strongly holding to Jewish beliefs on issues like women’s rights, the challenge for Jewish voters only deepens.

So what if we applied the deeply personal process of Tshuvah to us as Democrats and the DNC ? Lets do it together DNC. I’m a rabbi who teaches and practices living by this and as a life long Democrat who lives by values of freedom, equality, compassion and care I worry that if we don’t do this now we will lose sight of what’s important. Can we undertake a deep hard look into the soul of it and start a communal Tshuvah? Urging it to address its relationship with not just the Jewish community but with itself and what it actually stands for! In doing so, reflecting on the broader values it claims to uphold. 

We must answer hard questions that will clarify how we missed the mark. We must challenge it and ourselves to face the truth, understand and embody its remorse and engage with the responsibility it has!

Truth:  Facing the Reality of Alienation.

Tshuvah begins with truth – facing one’s missteps unflinchingly. For the Democratic Party, this would mean confronting the reality of how certain aspects of its platform and discourse have alienated voters. Historically, the Democratic Party has championed civil rights, tolerance, and protection for marginalized groups. Noble pursuits that have also at timed created delusional aspects of championing the perceived under dog but disregard to context and history. Standing as a force for good has morphed into a sense of particularism that is always set on the micro, thus missing the larger picture. Truth requires us to look honestly at ourselves in the world and ask: what is my part in this? 

Have I been honest? Being challenged truly and not creating an echo chamber?

No doubt Israel is a complex, nuanced hot topic. Yes, criticism of Israel, in legitimate contexts is a healthy aspect of democracy! I have done so myself and have always been part of the left within Israeli politics. So it is particularly painful to see how at times within the American left we have lost the ability to speak about it with knowledge and complexity. So often in the last year or so it devolves into outright antisemitism, not just placing Jewish lives at risk but pushing some Jews to question their political loyalties.

Remorse: Recognizing Harm Done.

Who is affected by my actions and how are they affected? 

Remorse in Tshuvah is not merely an apology but a deep, sincere acknowledgment of harm caused. The principal focusing on the effects we have on those around us. In order to regain the trust of those around us, our allies our party and its supporters, we must confront the extent of the alienation. Alienation isn’t just emotional; it’s practical, too. Those who once identified confidently with a Democratic platform are now left without a home, forced to weigh which compromises they can endure. In these times, many feel they must choose between their identities as Jews for example and their political loyalties – a painful dichotomy that shouldn’t exist.

The lack of decisive, consistent voices within the Democratic Party condemning dangerous tendencies of hate and intolerance has left many Jews feeling unseen, their concerns unaddressed. 

The lack of clear leadership and policies that safeguard Jewish lives and the Jewish State send a message of weakness and disloyalty. Anything less than clarity of messaging only reinforces the impression that certain identities and fears are dismissed or minimized, and that commitment to diversity is conditional.

Jewish values demand accountability, both from ourselves and from those we align with. A genuine commitment to the Democratic Party’s espoused values of justice and inclusion would require it to be vigilant against antisemitism in all forms, not only because of political expediency but as a reflection of true moral clarity.

Responsibility and Return: A Call to Authentic Alignment!

Finally, Tshuvah is about responsibility and through it a return – a commitment to act differently and to realign with one’s higher values. For the Democratic Party, this would mean a commitment not only to reject antisemitism but to embrace and respect the full complexity of the Jewish experience, including its deep connection to Israel. This is not about blind allegiance but about understanding the existential significance of Israel for many Jews (American and global). 

Taking responsibility in the Tshuvah process is not only about correcting missteps but about building a path forward that fosters trust. The Democratic Party has the opportunity to reclaim its commitment to not just the Jewish community by creating a space where Jews feel their voices and values are respected but to many other voices that are so early heard. A recalibrated, inclusive stance could bridge the gap, affirming the party’s core principles without alienating those who have long been its stalwart supporters.

Tshuvah is not an abstract concept but a pathway for growth. The Democratic Party, if willing, could emerge from this process strengthened, having engaged in an honest and humbling reflection. Jewish voters, like all voters, seek representation that resonates with their values and aspirations for a just world. True Tshuvah would require the Democratic Party to engage with Jewish concerns not as a box to check but as a fundamental expression of its commitment to all of its constituents.

For Jewish Americans, the desire to belong politically is inseparable from the desire to belong as Jews, safely and fully. Tshuvah is at its core a quest to repair, to connect to something larger than oneself; to belong, not to to mercy fit in! 

The journey of Tshuvah is neither swift nor easy; it demands courage, humility, and a willingness to question one’s assumptions. In inviting the Democratic Party to take on this path together, we ask for accountability, not perfection, and for a recognition that respect for Jewish life and identity is not a partisan question but a moral imperative.

If the Democratic Party can answer this call, it may once again find itself a political home for Jews who believe deeply in justice, compassion, and the enduring power of Tshuvah to bring us all closer to a shared, ethical vision for the future.

IGM

Rabbi Igael “Iggy” Gurin-Malous is a renowned Talmud teacher, spiritual counselor, and lecturer. He is a sought after speaker and writer on subjects ranging from Talmud, Jewish text, spirituality, addiction, recovery, fatherhood and LGBTQI+ issues. Through the use of ancient texts combined with practical spirituality, he offers modes of healing that look at an individual’s actions, beliefs and values. His aim in providing spiritual counseling is to guide individuals in developing a life of meaning, joy and purpose, powered by spiritual practices and Talmudic wisdom. Rabbi Iggy serves on the board and faculty at the Academy of Jewish Religion Of California (AJRCA). Previously, he was the CEO and founder of T’Shuvah Center, in New York and the Director of Spiritual Counseling at Beit T’Shuvah in Los Angeles, CA.

You can follow Iggy @notyourrabbi on Instagram

Photo credit: Emil Cohen