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American Jews, Israel, and the United States:  The Ever-Changing Relationship

Israel has been in the news and clearly the relationship between Israel and the United States in this post-Trump, post Netanyahu era is changing.  As a Jewish community we must ask ourselves: how has our relationship changed over the years and what might the future bring?  How should American Jews understand the political and strategic forces at work in Israel and the region? What are the greatest dangers? How can the United States play a positive role?  Rabbi Andrew Straus will also give an introduction to J Street, the political home of pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy Americans.

Rabbi Straus now serves as the Northwest Regional Director of J Street,  based in Oakland, California.  Straus joins J Street after a successful career as a Congregational Rabbi - primarily in California and Arizona. Most recently, Rabbi Straus was the rabbi of Temple Adat Elohim in Thousand Oaks, CA, and before that, served as the Interim Director of Education and Associate Rabbi at Central Synagogue in Manhattan.  He has also served Temple Sinai of Oakland, Temple Emanuel of Tempe, and Peninsula Temple Sholom in Burlingame.

Throughout his life, Andrew has had a strong connection with and commitment to Israel. From his earliest days marching in Israel Day parades in New York City, to being in Israel at the time of the Entebbe rescue. He participated in the mass rally in Tel Aviv following the Sabra and Shatila massacre and led a delegation of rabbis to meet with President Carter following his publication of Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. As a result of that conversation, the president issued a press release reframing some of his views.

Rabbi Straus has lived in Israel for a year, led numerous congregational trips to Israel, and has worked to create healthy dialogue around Israel issues in his communities. His rabbinate was strongly oriented to social action, advocacy and interfaith collaboration. He has inspired many new social justice leaders. Andrew joined J Street so that he can dedicate his career full-time to helping others affirm their commitment to Israel, and advocating for a Jewish democratic Israel at peace with a Palestinian state.

Andrew and his wife Karen live in Oakland, and they have 3 young adult children.  He was ordained at HUC-JIR, the Reform Movement seminary, and holds a BA in History from Brandeis University.