I first met Marcia Freedman in Israel in 1974 when I interviewed her for the Chicago Sun TImes because she was one of a group of “peace” candidates who had been unexpectedly swept into the Knesset in the 1973 elections. (Shulamit Aloni was among them and other luminaries of the Israeli Left.) I found Marcia exciting–a feminist and a peacenik on the Israel/Palestine issue. Both cutting edge and brave positions at that time (it may be hard to imagine now), especially for a woman. She so inspired me that I tried to persuade my husband for us to make aliyah to support this revolutionary group that was dreaming of making a progressive Israel.
Fast forward 28 years to 2002 when Marcia turned up as a leader of our new Brit Tzedek v’Shalom organization, again giving me hope and inspiration, this time for our work in the US (after the demise of Breira and New Jewish Agenda). She brought badly needed hope and energy. And she bravely entered the thicket that is internal progressive Jewish politics and hung in.
Carolyn Toll Oppenheim
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