Millennials “face a litmus test of being a progressive or a Zionist. We say it is a false choice and the imposition of that is inherently antisemitic,” Amanda Berman, founder and executive director of Zioness, told JI, adding that Jewish women who are both feminist and Zionist have “felt politically homeless.” In under three years, Zioness has grown to 34 chapters around the country, she said, from South Florida to Raleigh, N.C., Washington, New York and L.A.
Like many of her peers, Berman, 34, has a connection to Judaism different from older generations. “My connection is much more about values and activism,” said Berman, who noted that millennials are not joining synagogues and looking for alternative ways to connect to Judaism.