Israel: Judaism & Zionism
- From: rhino@xxxxxxxxx
- Date: 15 Aug 2005 21:09:14 -0700
This is one of the most important (and hopeful!) pieces WWV has
circulated this year and, interestingly, not long after we suggested
that it was time for ordinary, decent, peace-loving Jews to expose the
Zionist agenda. Respected, non-Zionist Judaic spiritual leaders have
long maintained that:
1) the 'holy' land was NEVER to be taken by FORCE,
2) That the land was to be SHARED,
3) That the Jews are a religious and not political people.
Politically
motivated Zionists defied all 3 basic principles for the founding of
the modern geo-political state of 'Israel' and have consequently lead
the world into misery and chaos - with much worse to come unless these
people can be reigned in quickly, ESPECIALLY by other influential and
moderate Jews. In relation to this, the newly published book "The holy
land of Scotland & the gospel of the Grail" by Barry Dunford is a MUST
read for those ready for a clear, if challenging, new perspective. He
skilfully traces the Grail and anti-Grail forces throughout history
using a wide ranging body of scolarly research. On the subject of the
article below, he has also untangled the complex & muddled definitions
of 'Israel', Jews, Hebrews, Semites & Zionists resulting in many
fascinating and surprising revelations!(website for book ordering and
contact: www.sacredconnection.ndo.co.uk ). These are the times when
"all truth will be known" and "the Truth will set us free".
Israel, Judaism and Zionism
Talk By: Rabbi Ahron Cohen at Birmingham University, England
http://www.nkusa.org/activities/speeches/bham022603.cfm
My friends, it is an honour to have the opportunity of talking to you
today.I and my colleagues of Neturei Karta attend occasions such as
this because we feel that we have both a religious and humanitarian
duty to publicize our message as much as possible. So I hope and pray
that with the Creators help my words and our discussions here today may
be correct and true in their content and conclusions. As you have
already been told, I am an orthodox Jew (that is a Jew who endeavours
to live his life completely in accordance with the Jewish religion). I
am involved in ecclesiastical duties within the Jewish Community and am
particularly involved in educating our youth and in helping them to
achieve healthy and correct attitudes. It is thereforeof particular
interest to me to be able to talk to you, a student body, today. I have
been asked to talk to you about Judaism and Zionism. This subject is of
course tremendously relevant in the light of the current situation in
Palestine, where you have - lets face it - one side, the Zionists (who
are also Jews), wishing to impose a sectarian State over the heads of
an indigenous population, the Palestinians. A confrontation which has
resulted in horrific bloodshed and brutality with no end in sight
unless there is a very radical change. My qualification to talk on this
subject is by virtue of my being one of many orthodox Jews who
absolutely sympathise with the Palestinian cause, and we protest
vehemently against the terrible wrongs being perpetrated
against the Palestinian People by the Zionist illegitimate regime in
Palestine.
The spearhead group among us who are involved actively in this matter
on a regular basis are called Neturei Karta, which can be loosely
translated as Guardians of the Faith. We are not a separate party or
organisation but basically a philosophy representative of a large
section of orthodox Jewry. Let me firstly state quite categorically
that Judaism and Zionism are incompatible. They are diametrically
opposed.
The question must surely arise in the minds of many of you here today
that there appears to be a paradox. After all everyone knows that
Zionists are Jews and that Zionism is for the benefit of Jews. The
Palestinians are the enemies of the Zionists. How come then that I, a
Jew, can sympathise with the Palestinian cause. I would like to try to
answer this question and to revert to the subject of my talk - Judaism
and Zionism - on two levels, religious belief and humanitarianism.
Bearing in mind that to be humanitarian is also a basic religious
requirement. Firstly from a Jewish religious belief point of view. One
has to take a look at some aspects of the history of the Jewish people
and at their basic belief in the Al-mightys control of our destiny and
what the Al-mighty wants of us. All as set out in our Religious
teachings, our Toira, and as taught to us through the generations by
our great religious leaders. Against this we also have to look at the
history of Zionism, how it developed, what are its aims.
Our religion is for us a total way of life. Showing us how to live a
life in the service of the Al-mighty. It affects every aspect of our
life from the cradle to the grave. We are taught that it was revealed
to us by Divine Revelation, as described in the Bible, some three and a
half thousand years ago, and that is when the Jewish People came in to
being. All of our religious requirements, practical and philosophical,
are set out in the Torah which comprises the Bible (the old testament)
and a vast code of Oral Teaching handed down to us through the
generations.
As mentioned, our religion is a total way of life covering every aspect
of our life. One area of our religion is that subject to certain
conditions is that we will be given a land, the Holy Land, now known as
Palestine, in which to live and carry out various parts of our service
of the Al-mighty. Now, before I go any further, I wish to point out
something which is very basic to understanding the difference between
Judaism and Zionism and that is that the orthodox Jewish concept of
nationhood is very different to the concept of nationhood held by most
peoples. Most peoples understand a nation to be a specific people
living in a specific
land. The land is essential for the identity of the nation. They may or
may not have a religion, but the religion is immaterial to the national
identity. The orthodox Jewish concept of nationhood however, is a
specific people with a specific religion. It is the religion that
establishes the national identity. They may or may not have a land, the
land is immaterial to the Jewish national identity.
This is borne out by the fact that the Jewish nation has been without a
land for 2000 years, but as long as they retained their religion they
retained their identity.
Now I mentioned earlier that we were given a land but under certain
conditions. The conditions were basically that we had to maintain the
highest of moral, ethical and religious standards. The Jewish People
did have the land for approximately the first one thousand five hundred
years of their existence. However, regretfully, the conditions were not
fulfilled to the required degree and the Jews were exiled from their
land. For the last two thousand years or so the Jewish people have been
in a state of exile decreed by the A-lmighty because they did not
maintain the standards expected of them. This state of exile is the
situation that exists right up to the present day. It is a basic part
of our belief to accept willingly the Heavenly decree of exile and not
to try and fight against it or to end it by our own hands. To do so
would constitute a rebellion against the wishes of the A-lmighty. In
practical terms, although we have maintained our Jewish identity by
virtue of our attachment to our religion, never the less exile for us
means firstly that Jews must be loyal subjects of the countries in
which they live and not attempt to rule over the established indigenous
populations of those countries.
Secondly, that we may not attempt to set up a State of our own in
Palestine. This would apply even if the land would be unoccupied and it
certainly applies when, as is the case, there is an existing indigenous
population. This prohibition is a basic part of our teaching and we are
forsworn not to contravene it and we are warned of the dire
consequences of doing so. It follows, therefore, that Jews have no
right to rule today in Palestine. Now let us consider the Zionist
movement. This was founded approximately 100 years ago mostly by
secular people who were discarding their religion but still retained
what they considered as the stigma of being Jews in exile. They
considered that our state of exile was due to our own subservient
attitude - the Golus (exile) mentality - and not by Divine Decree. They
wanted to throw off the constraints of exile and to try and establish a
new form of Jewish identity. Not religion based but land based. It was
based on a typical, emotion driven, secular nationalistic aim, similar
to that of most other nations. Their policy had as its centre pin the
aim of setting up a Jewish State in Palestine. But they were forging a
new kind of Jew. In fact not a Jew at all- a Zionist. This Zionist
movement was a complete abandonment of our religious teachings and
faith - in general - and in particular an abandonment of our approach
to our state of exile and our attitude to the peoples among whom we
live.
The practical outcome of Zionism in the form of the State known as
Israel is completely alien to Judaism and the Jewish Faith. The very
name Israel which originally meant what are known as the Children of
Israel i.e. the Jewish People was usurped by the Zionists. For this
reason many orthodox Jews avoid referring to the Zionist State by the
name Israel.
The ideology of Zionism is not to rely on divine providence but to take
the law into ones own hands and to try to force the outcome in the form
of a State. This is completely contrary to the approach to the matter
of exile which our Toira requires us to adopt, as handed down to us by
our great religious teachers.
I have spoken till now from the religious belief point of view. But let
us consider the humanitarian point of view (and to do so is also a
religious requirement as I mentioned earlier).The Zionist ideology was
and is to force the aim of a State irrespective of the cost in life and
property to anyone who stands in the way. The Palestinians stood in the
way. We have a fact that in order to achieve an ill conceived
nationalistic ambition, a shocking contravention of natural justice was
committed by the Zionists in setting up an illegitimate regime in
Palestine completely against the wishes of the established population,
the Palestinians, which inevitably had to be based on loss of life,
killing and stealing. Most Orthodox Jews accept the Neturei Karta view
to the extent that they do not agree in principle to the existence of
the Zionist State and would not shed a tear if it came to an end. There
are however a range of opinions as to how to deal with the fact that
for the time being the Zionist State exists. These opinions range from
positive cooperation to pragmatic acceptance to total opposition in
every way. The latter being the Neturei Karta approach. There was and
is however, an additional Zionist phenomenon which confuses the
picture. That is the Religious Zionists. These are people who claim to
be faithful to the Jewish Religion but they have been influenced by the
Zionist secular nationalistic philosophy and have added a new dimension
to Judaism - Zionism, the aim of setting up now and expanding a Jewish
state in Palestine. This they try to fulfil with great fervour. (I call
it Judaism-plus) They claim that this is inherent in the Jewish
religion. But the fact is as explained earlier that this is absolutely
contrary to the teachings of our great religious teachers. Furthermore,
from a humanitarian point of view, their ideology too was and is to
force their aim irrespective of the cost in life and property to anyone
who stands in the way. The Palestinians are standing in the way. This
is all the more shocking as it is done in the name of religion. Whereas
in reality there is a totally contrary requirement of our religion and
that is to treat all peoples with compassion. To sum up. According to
the Torah and Jewish faith, the present Palestinian Arab claim to rule
in Palestine is right and just. The Zionist claim is wrong and
criminal. Our attitude to Israel is that the whole concept is flawed
and illegitimate.
We have another problem and that is that the Zionists have made
themselves to appear as the representatives and spokespeople of all
Jews thus, with their actions, arousing animosity against the Jews.
Those who harbour this animosity are accused of anti-Semitism. However,
what has to be made abundantly clear is that Zionism is not Judaism.
Zionists cannot speak in the name of Jews. Zionists may have been born
as Jews, but to be a Jew also requires adherence to the Jewish belief
and religion. So what becomes abundantly clear is that opposition to
Zionism and its crimes does not imply hatred of Jews or anti-Semitism.
On the contrary Zionism itself and its deeds are the biggest threat to
Jews and Judaism.
The strife between Arab and Jew in Palestine only began when the first
Zionist pioneers came to Palestine with the express aim of forming a
State over the heads of the indigenous Arab population. That strife has
continued until this very day and has cost and continues to cost
thousands and thousands of lives. The oppression, abuse and murder in
Palestine is a tragedy not only for the Palestinians but for the Jewish
people as well. And is in fact part of the dire consequences of which
we are warned if we transgress our religious requirement not to rebel
against our exile.
I wish to add that the connection between Muslims and Jews goes right
back into ancient history. Mostly the relationship was friendly and
mutually beneficial. Historically, the situation frequently was that
when Jews were being persecuted in Europe they found refuge in the
various Muslim countries. Our attitude to Muslims and Arabs can only be
one of friendliness and respect.
I would like to finish with the following words. We want to tell the
world, especially our Muslim neighbours, that there is no hatred or
animosity between Jew and Muslim. We wish to live together as friends
and neighbours as we have done mostly over hundreds even thousands of
years in all the Arab countries. It was only the advent of the Zionists
and Zionism which upset this age old relationship.
We consider the Palestinians as the people with the right to govern in
Palestine. The Zionist State known as Israel is a regime that has no
right to exist. Its continuing existence is the underlying cause of the
strife in Palestine. 33. We pray for a solution to the terrible and
tragic impasse that exists. Hopefully based on results brought about by
moral, political and economic pressures imposed by the nations of the
world. We pray for an end to bloodshed and an end to the suffering of
all innocent people - Jew and non-Jew alike - worldwide. We are waiting
for the annulment of Zionism and the dismantling of the Zionist regime,
which will bring about an end to the suffering of the Palestinian
people. We would welcome the opportunity to dwell in peace in the holy
land under a rule which is entirely in accordance with the wishes and
aspirations of the Palestinian People.
May we soon merit the time when all mankind will be at peace with each
other.
.
- Prev by Date: Strong Reaction From Filthy Zionist Vermin
- Next by Date: Re: August 15: The Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
- Previous by thread: Strong Reaction From Filthy Zionist Vermin
- Next by thread: Re: Israel: Judaism & Zionism
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
