Rabbi Joel Simonds discusses his path to social justice

Rabbi Joel Simonds, founder of the Jewish Center for Justice and a member of the Wilshire Boulevard Temple clergy, has identified key life moments that shaped his Zionism and Jewish identity.

Simonds noted that witnessing news coverage of the 1991 Persian Gulf War, specifically images of Israelis wearing gas masks during missile attacks on Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, had a profound impact on him as an 11-year-old. He also cited the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin when he was 15 as a pivotal moment that solidified his connection to Israel and Judaism.