For the record, we sat down with Rabbi Johanna Hershenson at Congregation Ahavath Beth Israel on Thursday, Feb. 26. Little did we know that, less than 48 hours later, the United States and Israel would launch massive attacks on Iran, triggering retaliatory attacks on Israel.
Our conversation took a deep dive into the violence that bookends Jews; so we explored the question: "What is it like to be a Jew in 2026?"
Indeed, Hershenson is tasked with helping her congregation and the greater community to navigate the fine line between faith and geopolitics.
“The world sees us as people, not just a religion. That can be frightening because we become responsible for what the State of Israel does,” said Hershenson, who added she is willing to take on the role of helping her congregation steer through that dilemma. “Yet I can’t take it on in sound bites that are quick and easy."
In a wide-reaching conversation with Morning Edition host George Prentice, Hershenson talked about her own personal history, how and why she has served as rabbi in congregations across the world, and how she’s motivated by the truths often spoken by the younger generation.
“I love that the questions children ask are unfiltered,” she said. “They deserve honest, unfiltered answers. The younger generation, especially what I see in teenagers – they’re going to have to clean up some of the mess our generation made.”
Find reporter George Prentice @georgepren
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