Andy Levin's friendship with Rashida Tlaib gives him 'hope' for Israel

• Published date: 01 October 2021
• Author: RON KAMPEAS/JTA
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Levin's father, Rep. Sander Levin, whose seat Levin inherited, and his uncle, the late Sen. Carl Levin, were establishment Democrats who reliably supported the US-Israel relationship but, unlike some other Jewish lawmakers, did not make it a front-and-center issue of their careers.

Andy Levin, who represents a Detroit-area district, has set himself apart on both fronts.

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A former union organizer, he has distinguished himself as a leader among progressives as a member of the committee on education and labor, where he has been outspoken on environmental sustainability, workers' rights and reducing college costs. He is a deputy whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

And last week, Levin, 61, introduced legislation about Israel that included provisions criticized by some Israel advocates. Levin's proposed legislation would enshrine as law the US commitment to a two-state outcome to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but would also introduce strictures on how Israel spends US defense assistance, banning US funds from entrenching Israel's presence in the West Bank.

Levin told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency before he introduced the bill about why he believes US support for Israel, including US Jewish support, needs recalibrating. He also talked about how his Jewish faith informs his politics; his friendship with the most outspoken anti-Zionist in Congress, Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib; and why he's in it for the long haul. Here's what he told us.

On Mordechai Kaplan's influence on his legislation

"You probably never heard of Reconstructionist Judaism," Levin said, explaining how he was proud to be one of just two current members of Congress who have been presidents of synagogues. The other is Jacky Rosen, the Democratic senator from Nevada, and Levin said they bonded over dinner when they realized they had that in common.

Levin seems to delight in the denomination's small size and said his congregation, T'chiyah in suburban Detroit, is "tiny" but "it's growing."

Once Levin realizes that, yes, JTA is acquainted with Reconstructionism, he geeks out on the movement's founder, Rabbi Mordechai Kaplan. "His daughter was the first girl ever bar mitzvahed!" Then he goes onto Kaplan's sociological and theological teachings.

Kaplan "really came up with the idea that Judaism is a civilization, and this is actually super relevant to...