Pride and Progress
"That is the way to talk about Israel. The Pride and Progress conversation provides an answer to the question of can you be a progressive and a Zionist, and the answer is yes."
A U.S. participant in a The Pride and Progress conversation
Do you believe in justice and peace? Great, so are we.
In the Pride and Progress conversation (not a lecture!), we'll talk about the story less-told of Israel: not only the emancipation of the LGBTQ+ community but the grassroots movements defending democracy and the rule of law; not only becoming a climate power but the pursuit of religious freedom for all paths of Judaism; not only overcoming the racial disparities but the ongoing struggle for full racial justice and Israeli-Palestinian peace, even during the tragic war in Gaza.
In the post-October 7 world, it is more important than ever to develop a way to hold both commitment to liberal values, including diversity, peace, and justice; and supporting Israel's right to exist as the democratic nation-state of the Jewish people.
In this conversation, we will claim that progressives and liberals in the U.S. don't have to give up their values if they support Israel, and in fact - that progressive and liberal values and supporting Israel naturally go hand-in-hand.
You'll get the chance not just to hear about Israel's progress, but to ask the tough questions about the situation on the ground and the road that's still ahead, and what we - liberals and progressives in both countries - can do to pursue that road, towards a better, freer and more just Israel.