Ethicist, Should I Let Go of My Zionist Friends? | Opinion

Ethicist: Should I Let Go of My Zionist Friends?

I am a Jewish and anti-Zionist student. Since October 7th, after becoming more vocal about my political beliefs, most of the Zionist friends I grew up with have either distanced themselves or stopped talking to me entirely. I still have a few Zionist friends, but I feel uncertain about how to maintain those relationships.

My friends are good people, I want to believe, but their Zionism taints my certainty of that — especially after two years of Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

The question arises: should I let go of my Zionist friends just as many of them have let go of me? Why do we care about the beliefs of those we call friends? At its core, friendship is a relationship based on shared affection.

Context and Reflections

This introspective dilemma is part of a larger discussion about political and personal boundaries, especially in deeply divided times. The tension between political ideology and personal relationships challenges how we connect with those whose beliefs conflict with our own.

Most simply, a friend is someone with whom we maintain a relationship based on shared affection.

Ethical Considerations

Can political beliefs undermine the foundation of friendship?
How do we reconcile affection for people with disagreement on critical moral issues?
Is it possible to maintain meaningful relationships despite profound ideological differences?

Conclusion

Balancing political convictions and personal bonds requires difficult choices about where to draw boundaries without compromising one's values.

Author’s summary: Navigating friendships amid deep ideological divides forces us to weigh affection against fundamental beliefs, making the preservation of such ties a complex ethical challenge.

The Harvard Crimson — 2025-11-06