Jewish fundamentalism in israel by israel shahak and norton mezvinsky 1999 isbn 0 7453 1281 0 hbk also available from. The ideas of rabbi schneerson that appear below are taken from a book of his recorded messages to followers in israel. War, and in particular the apartheid character of the israeli regime in the occupied territories and the attitude of the majority of jews to the issue of the rights of the palestinians, even in the abstract, have merely strengthened this conviction. Within israel, european jews constitute a firstworld elite dominating not only the palestinians but also the oriental jews. Met n skamele 600 000 jode begin hulle n land opbou. However, fundamentalism has come to be applied to a tendency among certain groups mainly, although not exclusively, in religion that is characterized by a markedly strict literalism as it is applied to certain specific scriptures, dogmas, or ideologies, and a. The following are quotes from his speech at mit from 1994.
Israel shahak on the jewish religions view of nonjews. The new israeli historians have presented evidence showing that until the 1880s the killings of jewish informers by jews in the tsarist empire were numerous. Jewish fundamentalism in israel third world traveler. The temple mount in jerusalem, the most sacred place for judaism, created a delicate and potentially explosive problem for israel after it was captured from the jordanians in the 1967 six day war. We must develop a system thatcares for our children no matterwhere they live or how often they move. This period ended at different times in different countries with the onset of modernity and the rise of modern nation states. Quote from charles krauthammer the weekly standard, may 11, 1998. Pdf jewish fundamentalism in jewish fundamentalisms islamic andor christian cousins. The statement about the case, issued by the jerusalem institute of justice, follows here.
He was an outspoken critic of the state of israel and a human rights activist. Yet, it is jewish fundamentalism that has driven the settlement movement since the 1967 war. This is best evidenced by their high percentage of voting, which usually exceeds 80 per cent. Fundamentalism usually has a religious connotation that indicates unwavering attachment to a set of irreducible beliefs. Jewish fundamentalism i was wondering if there is such a person as a jewish fundamentalist, the way that there are those folks in christianity and islam. Maar tot vandag toe kon geen nasie hulle nog uitwis nie. The sacred nature of the site for both religions has made it one of the focal points of the arabisraeli conflict. Jewish fundamentalism in israel by israel shahak and. Cultural duality in jewish society in israel j udaism is a composite that includes elements of religion, nationality, society, and culture.
The term fundamentalism was originally used in reference to christian fundamentalism, but today commonly refers to the antimodernist movements of any religion based on literal interpretation of religious scriptures. Hitchens had a tenacity and ferociousness that would not compromise for considerations of tact, tradition, or politeness. A brief history of israel and the jewish people published in the knowledge quest magazine. Israel shahak is a jewish israeli writer whose perspective is best comparable to a european social democrat, or a leftist us democrat. Israel shahaks book jewish history, jewish religion. You dig the soil and you find pottery from davidic times, coins from bar kokhba, and 2,000year. O n tuesday, soon after two young palestinian men hacked their way through a. Once used exclusively to refer to american protestants who insisted on the inerrancy of the bible, the term was applied more broadly beginning in the late 20th century to a variety of religious movements. The following, quoted mainly from israel shahak and norton mezvinskys book, jewish fundamentalism in israel, correctly reflects what most jews actually believe about themselves as opposed to nonjews. The impact of religion on political decisionmaking in the israeli. The claim for recognition of israel as a jewish state. Boaz israel, established a jewish agricultural colony near jerusalem, enlisting in its.
The widespread misconception that israel, even without considering its regime in the occupied territories, is a true democracy arises from the refusal to confront the significance of the term a jewish state for nonjews. In practice, however, no inherent contradiction exists between recognizing the right of the jewish peo. Jewish fundamentalism and the temple mount is an original and provocative study of the theological roots and historical circumstances that have given rise to the movement of the temple builders. The media are rapid in responding to islamic fundamentalism whilst showing scant regard to providing detail about jewish fundamentalism in israel. Jewish fundamentalism in israel by israel shahak and norton mezvinsky. Holocaust and holodomor origins of anti semitism may 26th, 2009. Jewish fundamentalism in israel by israel shahak and norton mezvinky pluto press, 1999, paper p6 the customary twoway division of israeli jewish society rests upon the cornerstone recognition that as a group israeli jews are highly ideological. Tell it from the mountain, the real jews are black and the nation of israel are those just mentioned. We cannot help seeing jewish fundamentalism in israel as a major obstacle. Israel shahak and norton mezvinsky, in jewish fundamentalism in israel 2d ed.
Israel is the place where jewish spiritual and social possibilities are endless. In germany, where there is no political state, no state as such, the jewish question is a purely theological one. Quest israel and the jewish people israel is the very embodiment of jewish continuity. As thees eastern european ashkenazi jews who control israel would never agree the best solution would of course be to merge israelpalestine. In their own words features our jewish organizations are. A historical perspective the reestablishment of jewish sovereignty in the land of israel is a true revolution in the structure of jewish life. He arrived in palestine in 1945 and lived there until his death in 2001.
For 2,000 years, the jewish people hoped, yearned and prayed to return to the land of israel and to reestablish jewish sovereignty. Full text of jewish history, jewish religion see other formats. In order to find out what the bible says about israel, then it is necessary to stop giving heed to jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth. In arab culture there is a strong imperative to not speak ill of the dead, but im going to have to make an exception for christopher hitchens. The range of disagreement within jewish fundamentalism. Along yeseyahu leibowitz, he could be regarded as one of israels last prophets. Shahak has written a few other books critical of israel, judaism and jewish culture, in which he relates current events with historical roots. As with any revolution, zionism has had consequences that its architects never anticipatedindeed, that they would have shuddered to contemplate. The sages enacted the dictum of dia dmalchuta dina the law of the gentile kingdom is the law, and jews must submit the gentile law even when it contradicts halacha. The topic of religious fundamentalism and its political impact have been confined. On the jewish question part one by karl marx radio islam.
A jewish man prays outside the synagogue at which four israelis were killed. The enslavement of the socalled africanamericans is written in the holy bible and is a curse that pertains to the twelve tribes of israel. Pdf this article explores the fundamentalist dilemma, or how. This is a political book about jewish fundamentalism in israel. The jew finds himself in religious opposition to the state, which recognizes christianity as its basis. Jewish fundamentalism in israel new edition pluto middle. Religion, state, and the jewish identity crisis in israel. The emergence of jewish fundamentalsim in historical perspective. Jewish fundamentalism has a clear ritual focus on the temple in jerusalem. On one side are secular israelis, who make up the majority of israels population. In 1965 herut made its first important move toward power by joining with the centerright. Preface virtually identified with arab terrorism, islamic fundamentalism is anathema throughout the nonmuslim world.
The difference between a jewish soul and the souls of nonjews all of them in all different levels is greater and deeper than the difference between a human soul and the souls of cattle. On wednesday, april 16, israels supreme court issued a ruling of great importance for the messianic jewish community in israel. The emergence of jewish fundamentalism in historical. Through our relationship with israel, we are able to dream about what an ideal, jewishly based society would look like and then explore that vision.
Israeli jews who had acquired college or university education had the. He was also the author of the highly acclaimed jewish fundamentalism in israel pluto press 1999 and jewish history, jewish religion pluto press 1994. Christopher hitchens fundamentalist exemption for zionism. Important legal victory in a landmark decision today, the supreme court of israel ratified a settle. Jewish fundamentalism in israel new edition pluto middle eastern studies s shahak, israel on. Jerusalem in jewish fundamentalism eo 227 and in exile it is gods will that israel submit to gentile rule. Fundamentalism, type of religious movement characterized by the advocacy of strict conformity to sacred texts. The twelve tribes of israel are many shades of brown, black, hispanic and native american. For nonjews but really for every person eager to know the truth to understand the jewish mentality israel shahak brings forth a couple of main points, which otherwise are never heard of in mainstream media, or western history books.
1030 127 866 1416 1319 937 154 1251 619 921 378 526 459 1059 689 213 345 492 630 304 363 1557 767 1143 814 1239 1457 502 731 65 204 545 1307 1171 1081 1339 1387