andrew d. - Recognizing our Dual Histories
Andrew shuffles into a narrow room tucked away in the Omdim Beyachad office, apologizing for being late – it’s the day after the IDF rescued four Israeli hostages in Gaza and he’s been swamped. “I don't think we’ve ever faced this type of complexity at once,” he explains, “today was the first time I felt it to such a deep degree.” Omdim Beyachad, or Standing Together in English, is a grassroots Jewish-Arab coexistence movement fighting for peace, equality, and social justice in Israel-Palestine. Andrew joined their staff in February and serves as the organization’s Executive Assistant.
Earlier that morning, he was involved in releasing the organization’s official statement on the hostage rescue – a military operation that saved the lives of four innocent Israeli hostages at the expense of hundreds of Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes. “Omdim Beyachad finds itself in this extremely unique position because we're operating on both sides of this strict binary,” he shares. From Andrew’s perspective, it makes the work both rewarding and challenging, “people on both sides have critical things to say about you.”
“We know yesterday four hostages were freed after eight months in horrific captivity and the fact that they’re home now is a beautiful, amazing thing. But my Palestinian coworkers have to come to the office today knowing that people who could have been their children, their brothers, or their parents could have died,” he explains, identifying the latest challenge in navigating the impact of the war in Israel.
“We know yesterday four hostages were freed after eight months in horrific captivity and the fact that they’re home now is a beautiful, amazing thing. But my Palestinian coworkers have to come to the office today knowing that people who could have been their children, their brothers, or their parents could have died,” he explains, identifying the latest challenge in navigating the impact of the war in Israel.
“You can’t possibly put out a statement to make everyone feel okay. If you’re celebrating the hostages you’re celebrating the death of Palestinians, and if you’re mourning the loss of Palestinians you’re not celebrating the hostages. It’s impossible.”
The fatalities of the rescue operation represent a particularly sensitive example of the complexities Andrew encounters working at an organization focused on peace and coexistence in Israel-Palestine. “Everyone seems to have a problem, in some way, with this work. Which is why I think it’s the right one,” he confesses.
Some may say Andrew has landed quite far from his upbringing in Brooklyn, New York. “I wasn't really raised in America,” he explains. “I was raised in New York City in an ultra-orthodox community, in an extremely Zionist home. I went to Zionist Yeshiva where Israel was everything and defending Israel was everything. I was one of these people who was raised to believe that Israel could do no wrong.”
Across all sects of Judaism, many claim that advocating for Palestinian liberation and Jewish-Arab co-existence is antithetical to Zionism, otherwise known as the belief in a Jewish state within the boundaries of modern-day Israel. But Andrew doesn’t see it that way.
“I still have that in me,” he says. “I believe in the need for this country, in the beauty of this country, in the possibilities of this country, and it’s what moves me to do the work I do now.” For Andrew, working towards peace is a direct expression of his belief in the Jewish state, not a rejection of it.
“I think it’s important that Israel is a Jewish state, but with that said, whose Judaism are we talking about? For me, Jewish values are peace, love, acceptance, kindness, charity, and caring for others.”
Andrew’s faith in Israel runs so deep that he often finds himself grappling with what this country is and what he believes it could be– a gap that’s grown more severe since October 7. Before the war, Andrew understood that the status quo entrenched by the occupation and systemic inequality between Jews and Arabs was unsustainable and needed to be addressed. But it wasn’t the primary motivator behind his political beliefs.
The threats presented by Israel’s most radical, right-wing government to date and its attempted judicial reforms felt more immediate, particularly because the coalition’s anti-democratic agenda ran so contrary to his vision for the Jewish state. “I spent most of my time on internal Israeli politics,” he shares, “Bibi and the far-right were what kept me up at night.”
Then, the horrors of October 7 revealed the true cost of letting the status quo continue unchecked. The perceived viability of conflict management over conflict resolution shattered overnight, forcing millions of innocent people to reckon with the unbearably painful consequences of denial. “Since October 7, it’s clear we have this massive issue that no one in Israeli media or society is talking about– everyone is ignoring the reality that we’re living in a land where two nations exist at the same time.”
It’s increasingly obvious to Andrew that Israel’s most ardent defenders are doing the country a disservice by failing to recognize the dual history that exists here. “It’s in our best interest as Israelis and Jews around the world to acknowledge this,” he explains, “so we can address the internal issues plaguing us, like terrorism, violence in Arab communities, and inequality. There’s an entire reality operating here that we’re completely ignoring because it cracks our narrative.”
Despite working at one of the organizations leading the charge of the progressive left in Israel-Palestine, Andrew doesn’t fully consider himself a leftist. “I think of myself as a social democrat,” he shares, referencing both the American and Israeli political spectrums. “On most issues, I fall on the very left-hand side of things, but I've never really given myself a label.” He attributes this hesitancy to his ability to understand where many centrists are coming from. “I don't necessarily agree with their answers to problems,” he explains, but in many ways “I find myself sympathizing with [the] center-left.”
Andrew’s careful consideration of his political identity pre-dates his move to Israel. “When I was in America I was also a very politically-minded person. I knew I was gay, so when I got to a literary age where I was able to understand political issues, I cared about my own rights.” Frustrated by the inaccessibility of a career in American politics, he came to Israel in 2020 with “no idea about Israel’s internal politics or how the knesset (the Israeli government) was set up.”
He made aliyah (the process for Jews to become Israeli citizens) after completing an English teaching fellowship through Masa Israel Journey, an organization funded by the Israeli government and the Jewish Agency that offers long-term programs and internships for young, Jewish adults in Israel. Andrew then worked at Masa for two years, happy to take a break from his dreams of working in the political arena, until “Bibi got reelected, the judicial reform started, and everything [he] experienced with Trump was happening here.”
“It really disturbed me,” he shares, “everything I believed about this country was being taken away.” Committed to finding a way to join the pro-democracy camp, Andrew participated in a political consulting course run by Yisrael Hofsheet or Be Free Israel, an Israeli grassroots organization that promotes freedom of religion and pluralism as core democratic values. Equipped with a better understanding of Israel’s political ecosystem, he secured an internship in the knesset “with a lot of pushing and a lot of patience.”
From there, he found his way to Omdim Beyachad, where his ability to connect with people and make them feel heard serves him well. In his assistant role, he’s often tasked with explaining how the organization balances multiple beliefs, perspectives, and ideologies that may appear contradictory. “It’s an amazing thing,” he says, “but also very challenging.”
“We’re an organization of Palestinians and Israelis who come to the table with our own narratives, pain, and suffering,” he explains, identifying the four pillars that guide the organization’s work: peace, equality, social justice, and climate justice. “No matter what people believe, where they come from, or what their ideas for solutions are, we all come to this office and we’re here for those pillars. Nothing else really matters.”
When asked what his ideal future looks like, Andrew paints a vision of peace deeply grounded in coexistence. “I would love to see the Israeli government recognize the Palestinian narrative and I would love to see the Palestinian government recognize the Israeli narrative. I think it’s an integral part of peace,” he explains.
“I want a wealthy, successful, free, democratic Palestinian state, that Israel needs to play a part in. I want to live in a world where our neighbors [and] the people we live with have the same rights and access to all the wonderful things we get to experience,” he says, the “we” being Israeli Jews. Working towards Palestinian self-sovereignty is both an act of morality and strategic pragmatism; Andrew understands that the safety, security, and overall well-being of the Israeli people can only benefit from living next to a stable and democratic Palestinian state.
“I would love to live in a country where I can have children who aren't worried about terrorist attacks all the time [and] no matter who you are, you can love Israel because it doesn't oppress you.”
Andrew’s commitment to a better future is largely inspired by his ongoing religious faith. “I believe in God [and] I believe that this country has a very special place globally. The things that happen here reverberate everywhere, [so] it's imperative, not just for Jews, but for the whole world to have peace here.”
