Reform jews against zionism book

In the wake of the 1967 war, serfaty expressed hope, in his 1970 article being a jewish moroccan and fighting against israel, that jews from the arab world, prisoners of zionism, will gain consciousness of their solidarity with the arab revolution and will help to shatter the last historical attempt to lock jews up in a ghetto. In 1841, at the temple dedication ceremony of that same beth elohim congretation in charleston, rabbi gustav posnanski declared that this country is our palestine, this. Zionism and its reform critics in america zionism within the central conference of american rabbis ccar, the professional association of the american reform rabbinate, a longtime bastion of reform antizionism. Judaism is an ethnoreligion of jews, the direct descendants of the people who were forced to leave the land of judea, modern day land of israel. For reform jews, the idea of zionism contradicted almost completely their belief in a universal judaism. Only when the reform leadership, on the eve of world war ii, reversed course did its antizionist faction break away, ultimately forming the council in 1942. Judaism and everything to do with zionism or rather antizionism, as thomas a. Ochs commitment to reform judaism, it should be noted, went very deep, and it entailed unrelenting opposition to zionism or even to the notion of a jewish people that transcended national. Presents the history of the only organized american jewish opposition to zionism during the 1940s. Reform judaism doubles down on zionism jewish journal. Although organized political zionism first appeared in the united states in 1898, it made little progress until world war i.

Reform judaism and the challenge of zionism occupied. Jews have been subject to persecution, especially in the west. Project muse promotes the creation and dissemination of essential humanities and social science resources through collaboration with libraries, publishers, and scholars worldwide. Reform jews and zionism 19191921 for henry berkowitz, one of the american reform rabbinates outstanding personalities at the turn of the century, zionism was book. Its most serious manifestation was the emergence in 1942 of a reform rabbinical resistance movement against zionism, in reaction to passage by the ccar of a resolution favoring creation of a jewish army in palestine. Reform judaism shares the universal jewish emphasis on learning, duty and obligation, rather than creed as the primary expression of a religious life. I invite reform jews to join jews throughout the world in hosting zionist salons this year.

In 1942, a number of dissident reform rabbis founded the american council for judaism, the first and only jewish organization created to fight against zionism and the establishment of a jewish state. Kolsky, a professor of history and political science at. Reform jews and zionism 19191921 for henry berkowitz, one of the american reform rabbinates outstanding personalities at the turn of the century, zionism was aug 08, 2011 reform judaism and the challenge of zionism. Jun 26, 2010 american jews who reject zionism say events aid cause. Judis new book on israel is right, but for the wrong reasons. The association of reform zionists of america is the american reform movements zionist organization. Gilbert brings this 1,400year history up to contemporary times with the rescue of the remaining 3,886 jews of syria in 1992. This book examines the neglected phenomenon of jewish antizionism, its roots, and its results. The american council for judaism, 19421948 is a 1990 book by thomas a. Reform zionism, also known as progressive zionism, is the ideology of the zionist arm of the reform or progressive branch of judaism. Every year, at least 800900 people undergo reform conversions to judaism, according to the movements records, and some 9 percent of all reform jews were raised as nonjews. Following the war, the reform movement formally embraced zionism. Zionism, a philosophy that advocates the creation of a separate national identity for the jews, was also viewed as potential solution to the russian jewish problem.

Across the usa and much of europe, the reform movement also remained firmly anti zionist throughout the early 20th century. As perceived by uk writer alan hart in his recent book zionism. An antiwar libertarian and a principled critic of jewish nationalism, jack ross seems the ideal author to have undertaken a biography of elmer berger 19081996, the reform rabbi who pursued a rearguard action against the zionist movement for more than 50 years. Jews against zionism has surprising resonance with the present. They refused to recognize jews as a separate political nation. Kolsky published this book twenty years ago that is, long before the rise of jstreet, peter beinarts analysis of young american jews disaffection with israel, and tony judts calls for a one state solution. The book is a useful addition to the historiography of jewish opposition to zionism, a topic that acquires growing relevance as more and more jews around the world, including israel, become. Jews against israel by gottfried, paul the american.

A new book explores the ties that no longer bind the jews. The american council for judaism, 19421948 thomas kolsky on. Zionism zionism is the belief that apostate jews have the right to repossess israel after. Author jack ross places liberal jewish anti zionism as opposed to that of orthodox or revolutionary socialist jews in historical perspective. History of reform judaisms attitude to zionism and israel. But the reform jews had been far from alone in embracing the antizionist myth that rejected the fact that the jews are a nation and that israel is the jewish homeland. Jews against the occupation is an organization of progressive, secular and religious jews of all ages throughout the new york city area advocating peace through justice for palestine and israel. General resources on the history of israel, zionism and the jews. Reform judaism also stresses equality between the sexes. With 20 maps by the author, this book will take its place as a classic on the subject. In 1942, a number of dissident reform rabbis founded the american council for judaism, the first and only jewish organization created to fight against zionism and the establishment of a jewish. This grants them more visibility, and thus more po. All other jews are apostate jews, also known as perfidious jews or unbelieving jews.

Among the apostate jews there are talmudic jews, agnostic jews, atheist jews, buddhist jews, newage jews, messianic jews, etc. Zionism took off in an organized fashion with the launch of the world zionist organization at the first zionist congress in basle in 1897. What is the difference between judaism and zionism. Read reform zionist texts like these, which appear in my book the zionist ideas. How, then, are liberal jews to relate to the jewish homeland when they feel unwelcome and discriminated against by the authorities. Although there were some early20thcentury reform jews who did put up a good fight against zionism, there were enough who yielded to the excitement of the new cause, to enable tipping the. One day nearly 20 years ago, stephen naman was preparing to help the rabbi of his reform jewish temple in south carolina move the. Last month, jews around the world woke up to the news that a group of reform jewish leaders in jerusalem for the ordination of the 100th israeli reform rabbi was treated harshly by security guards as they carried torah scrolls onto the plaza in front of the kotel, the western wall of the temple mount. Reform stresses that ethical responsibilities, personal and social, are enjoined by god. Their mission endeavors to make israel fundamental to the sacred lives and jewish identity of reform jews. Kolsky points out in his new book, jews against zion ism. Kolsky, a professor of history and political science at montgomery county community college, based on his doctoral dissertation at the george washington university. The false messiah clarity press, racist zionism represents an immense threat not just to the arab and muslim world but also to decent, anti. Guided by modern values of humanist universalism, reform held that the jewish people should remain in diaspora, where they would fulfill their divine commandment to be a moral light unto the nations.

A graduate of the hebrew union college and an enthusiastic adept of classical reform, he opposed zionism naturally, as did, then, most of his peers. Mainstream orthodox judaism, however, is definitely zionist in one way or another, though they may disagree in the details and in their politics. Zionism is a movement of national liberation of the jewish people, in the land of israel. Daniel gordis peels back some of the surface layers of the divide between israeli and american jews to reveal a deeper chasm of identity and. Also in the 1930s, the deteriorating international situation con tributed immeasurably to zionist progress. The term is broadly defined in the modern era as opposition to the state of israel or, prior to 1948, its establishment. Zionism and its reform jewish critics in america before world war ii the. Up against the clock and the constitution, new coalition is far from a done deal. Antizionism is not antisemitism, and never was by allan c. Brownfeld for many years there has been a concerted effort to redefine the meaning of the term antisemitism, which traditionally has referred to hatred of jews and judaism, to mean criticism of israel and opposition to zionism. Aug 12, 2005 the remnant of antizionist reform jews consider that the reform movement was infiltrated by zionists, rather than taking into account the possibility that reform judaisms program for an universalistic superantinationalistic judaism was unrealistic. Reform judaism is the most liberal of the major movements within judaism today.

This is the first fullscale history of the only organized american jewish opposition to zionism during the 1940s. Reform judaism and the challenge of zionism global research. Fetterman is literary editor of reform judaism magazine. New voices of liberal zionism are well positioned to explore the varied ways rabbis, scholars, activists, and students approach one of the most polarizing issues facing. Emphasizing the purely religious nature of judaism and unequivocally rejecting jewish nationalism, the council supported free jewish immigration. A reform rabbi, berger served throughout that period as the executive director of the american council for judaism, an antizionist organization founded by leading reform rabbis. Israels triumph stirred jewish pride and nationalism in jewish hearts from the soviet gulag to san francisco. Dont jew me down and dont be such a jew are linguistic legacies that attest to the attitudes and the facts about jew hate, not about jews. From the time of the first zionist congress in 1897 until the 1930s, reform judaism persistently opposed zionism and stood as its most formidable adversary in america.

A resurgence for american jews who reject zionism the. Elmer berger and american jewish antizionism, by jack ross. By ben lorber for over a century, jews around the world have maintained a robust critique of zionism and the state of israel. The false messiah clarity press, racist zionism represents an immense threat not just to the arab and muslim world but also to decent, antiracist, humanitarian jews throughout the world see. So one relatively small faction of orthodox jews are antizionist and they do have a religious rationale for their belief. Jews against zionism jaz wants a unitary, secular and democratic palestine, the return of palestinian refugees, and full and equal rights for palestinians, israeli jews, and all other people living in the whole of palestine. Despite extensive literature on the zionist movement, the jewish opposition to. This is the first fullscale history of the only organized american j.

An interdisciplinary journal of jewish studies on deepdyve, the largest online rental service for scholarly research with thousands of academic publications available at your fingertips. The first reform prayerbook eliminated references to jews being in exile and to a messiah who would miraculously restore jews throughout the world to the historic land of israel and who would rebuild the temple of jerusalem. Thomas a kolsky this is the first fullscale history of the only organized american jewish opposition to zionism during the 1940s. A resurgence for american jews who reject zionism the new.

Zionism and its reform jewish critics in america before world war ii the rebellion of the dissident reform rabbis the formation of the american council for judaism the councils wartime antizionist campaign between war and peace the search for compromise in palestine the emergence of israel. We, the french israelites, have a fatherland and we intend to keep it. But theres also political zionism, cultural zionism, and more. Elmer berger and american jewish anti zionism, jack ross, potomac books, 232 pages. Antizionist jews arent as common as their nonjewish comrades would like you to believe. The extraordinary intensification of zionist activities in the united states after the outbreak of the war in europe in 1939 provoked an american jewish antizionist reaction. Oct 01, 2018 although there were some early20thcentury reform jews who did put up a good fight against zionism, there were enough who yielded to the excitement of the new cause, to enable tipping the. Kolsky examines the neglected phenomenon of jewish antizionism, its roots, and its results.

The struggle against zionisms dominance over jews and palestinians wont be easy, but marqusee has made an important and captivating contribution to that fight. They just have more access to mainstream media especially leftleaning outlets, academic chairs, etc. Reform judaism and the challenge of zionism mondoweiss. Reform judaism is abandoning its universalist roots and. Elmer berger and american jewish anti zionism, by jack ross. While many in israel and in jewish communities here and in other countries now promote the idea that zionism and judaism are, in effect, the same, and that opposition to zionism constitutes antisemitism, the historicallargely untoldfact is that, for most of its history, zionism has been a decidedly minority movement among jews throughout the world. Reform judaism and the challenge of zionism global.

Ameu antizionism is not antisemitism, and never was. Kolsky examines the neglected phenomenon of jewish anti zionism, its roots, and its results. In the early 20th century, the reaction to zionism among both orthodox and reform jews was overwhelming. Emphasizing the purely religious nature of judaism and unequivocally rejecting jewish nationalism, the council supported free jewish immigration and equal rights for jews throughout the world. The many meanings and overtones of the word jew in english betray the history of racism and prejudice that has beset the jewish people for about 2,000 years.

They believe that traditional jews dont support zionism, an ideology they call contrary to jewish law and beliefs and the teachings of the holy torah. A great but fragile triumph of zionism frontpage mag. This action followed the governments suspension of an agreement made. The author was, quite simply, way ahead of his time. In this extraordinary book, alan hart has succeeded in elucidating for us the immediate and long term dangers involved in the unconditional western support for zionism and its oppressive policies against the palestinians. Jan 31, 2011 jews against the occupation mission statement.