One can be a Zionist while objecting to the policy of the Israeli government

[question everything]

but in Chicago, the first non-Zionist congregation has been established.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-non-zionist-synagogue-met-20150911-story.html

I find it hard to believe that people feel pressure to blindly support Israel and its politics when they come to synagogue to worship.

[ellenrr]

1. I think people feel the pressure because Israel has conflated being Jewish and being Zionist.

Israel propaganda has made people think that any criticism of Israel is anti-Jewish.

As if criticising the politics of the Belgian government made me a "Belgian-hater".
it's ridiculous if looked at logically but it is also very effective.

Of course plenty of Jews, including observant Jews, and plenty of Rabbis are vocally critical of Israeli politics.
Take Michael Lerner for example.
He is a strong Zionist, believer in Israel, yet he gets death threats because he criticizes certain policies of the government.

of course on du one can be removed for criticizing Israel, which is why one does not see much of it.
Again-- totally illogical, and yet totally effective.

[Behind the Aegis]

2. It is a sad afterbirth of anti-Semitism.

Jews are not loyal to the US
Jews are more loyal to Israel.
Jews are interested in sowing the seeds of discontent in the Middle East via Israel.
Jews cause conflicts, then swoop in and seize power.
Jews are a "protected" species in the US and Europe.
Jews stile dissent in regards to Israel.
One can't criticize Israel without being called an "anti-Semite".

The above are all things I have seen or heard at one time or another, sometimes even here. The misuse of the word "Zionist" by bigots, and in some cases, but Zionists themselves, has led to the word almost being nothing but pure poison and therefore, some Jews, feel they must distance themselves from "Zionism" and Israel. In some cases, the above statements are actually coming from other Jews, likely to demonstrate just "how distant" they are from Zionism and/or Israel.

The fact they are billing themselves as a "non-Zionist" congregation is sad and predictable in regards to mainstream synagogues. The idea of "anti/non Zionist" synagogues already exist. Some are even favored for their radical anti-Zionism because they are anti-Zionist Jews, even though they are far-right fundamentalist orthodox, such as the Neturei Karta.

[elljay]

3. German Reform Movement

The original German Reform Movement was anti-Zionist, though the modern Reform Movement is not.