Usenet 1994 October/usenetsourcesnewsgroupsinfomagicoctober1994disk1.iso/answers/judaism/FAQ/08-Israel

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From: [e-mail] (Daniel P. Faigin)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish,news.answers,soc.answers
Subject: soc.culture.jewish FAQ: Jews and Israel (8/10)
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Summary: Jews and their relationship to Israel
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               Frequently Asked Questions on Soc.Culture.Jewish
                           Part 8: Jews and Israel
         [Last Change: $Date: 1994/08/08 18:07:07 $ $Revision: 1.12 $]
                    [Last Post: Wed Sep  7 11:07:07 1994]


This posting is an attempt to answer questions that are continually asked on
soc.culture.jewish.  It was written by cooperating laypeople from the various
Judaic movements.  You SHOULD NOT make any assumption as to accuracy and/or
authoritativeness of the answers provided herein.  In all cases, it is always
best to consult a competent authority -- your local rabbi is a good place to
start.

The deceased sages described within are of blessed memory, (assume a Z"L or
ZT"L after their names) and the sages alive today should live to see long and
good days (assume SHLITA).  May Hashem grant complete recovery to the ill.
Individual honorifics are omitted.

The FAQ was produced by a committee and is a cooperative work.  The
contributors never standardized on a {Hebrew,Aramaic,Yiddish,Ladino}-->English
transliteration scheme.  As a result, the same original word might appear with
a variety of spellings.  This is complicated by the fact that there are
regional variations in the pronunciation of Hebrew.  In some places, the
common spelling variations are mentioned; in others --- not.  We hope that
this is not too confusing.

This list should be used in conjunction with the Soc.Culture.Jewish reading
lists that are posted separately.  Similar questions can be found in the books
referenced in those lists.

Reproduction of this posting for commercial use is subject to restriction. See
Part 1 for more details.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Organization

This portion of the FAQ contains answers to the following questions:

Section 14. Jews and Israel
  14.1. Who is an Israeli?  Who may enter Israel under its Law of Return?
  14.2. What is Zion?
  14.3. What is Zionism?
  14.4. Are all Jews Zionists?
  14.5. Do Diaspora Jews (Jews outside Israel) support Zionism?
  14.6. I've heard there are Orthodox Jews who are against Israel?
  14.7. Did Zionism end with the establishment of Israel?
  14.8. Are antisemitism and anti-Zionism the same thing?
  14.9. Is Zionism racist?
  14.10. What are the roots of Arab opposition to Zionism?
  14.11. Can't you criticize Israel without being antisemitic?
  14.12. Why is opposition to Israel often seen as being antisemitic?
  14.13. Why is Jerusalem so important to Jews?
  14.14. I want to move to Israel.  Can I become a citizen?
  14.15. What is the Wailing Wall and why is it so important?
  14.16. Questions on aliyah, military service for olim and more

All portions of the FAQ are organized as digests, and should be
undigestifyable by software such as Gnus or rn.  Please report any
difficulties.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Archival and Credits

Anonymous FTP:

  All portions of the FAQ and of the reading lists are archived on
  israel.nysernet.org [192.77.173.2] and on rtfm.mit.edu, and are available
  for anonymous FTP. The locations of parts of the FAQ on israel.nysernet.org
  are as follows:

  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/01-FAQ-intro
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/02-Who-We-Are
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/03-Torah-Halacha
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/04-Observance
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/05-Worship
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/06-Jewish-Thought
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/07-Jews-As-Nation
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/08-Israel
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/09-Antisemitism
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/FAQ/10-Miscellaneous

  The locations of the parts of the reading lists on israel.nysernet.org are
  as follows:

  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/general
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/traditional
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/chasidism
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/reform
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/conservative
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/reconstructionist
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/humanistic
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/zionism
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/antisemitism
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/intermarriage
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/periodicals

  If you are accessing the archives on rtfm.mit.edu, the pathname is
  pub/usenet/news.answers/judaism, instead of israel/lists/scj-faq.

Mail:
  The files may also be obtained via Email by sending a message to
  [e-mail] with the following line in the body of the message:

        send usenet/news.answers/judaism/(portionname)

  Where (portionname) is replaced by the appropriate subdirectory and
  filenames; for example, to get the first part of the reading list, one would
  say:

        send usenet/news.answers/judaism/reading-lists/general

WWW/Mosaic:
  The FAQ and reading lists are available by following the following pointer:

  http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/bngusenet/soc/culture/jewish/top.htm

Comments and corrections are welcome.  Note that the goal is to present
a balanced view of Judaism; where a response is applicable to a particular
movement only, this will be noted.  Unless otherwise noted or implied by the
text, all responses reflect the traditional viewpoint.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 14.1. Who is an Israeli and who may enter under her Law of Return?

Israelis are citizens of Israel.  Jews may automatically become Israeli
citizens under the terms of the Law of Return (as long as they have not
renounced the Jewish faith), as may those associated with Jews, such as
certain close family members.  The Law of Return does not grant immediate
citizenship to Jews who, sadly, practice other religions.  In the case of
people whose status as Jews is uncertain, Israel will still rescue them,
especially if they risk being killed as a result of Jew-hatred.

There have been efforts to amend the law of Return to exclude from automatic
citizenship people whose conversions to Judaism would be unacceptable by
Orthodox halachic standards.  While this might only affect tens of people, it
is an extremely sensitive issue.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 14.2. What is Zion?

Zion is a hill in Jerusalem, and one of the names by which Jews have always
referred to their homeland, the Land of Israel (Eretz Israel).  The name
'Zion' is used in Tanakh both for the land of Israel and for its national and
spiritual capital, Jerusalem.

Zion (Pronounced 'tsee-yohn' in Hebrew) has had a continuous Jewish population
for thousands of years.  For many centuries the majority of the Jewish people
have lived dispersed in countries all over the world.  Yet, powerful
national-spiritual bonds - expressed mainly in liturgy and literature - have
constantly linked these Jewish communities with their ancestral homeland.

After centuries of decline and neglect under foreign occupation, Zion is
flourishing once again, with the large increase in its Jewish population over
the past 100 years, and the restoration of its political independence in 1948.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 14.3. What is Zionism?

Zionism is the modern expression of the 1,900 year old dream of rebuilding a
Jewish state in Israel, after Rome put an end to Jewish independence in the
Land of Israel.  It expresses the conviction that the Jewish people have the
right to freedom and political independence in its homeland.

Political Zionism is the ongoing effort, through political means, to develop
and secure the Jewish people's national existence in the Land of Israel.

Zionism recognizes that Jewish peoplehood is characterized by certain common
values relating to religion, culture, language, history and basic ideals and
aspirations, although secular and religious Zionists emphasize these aspects
differently.

Additional information may be found in the Zionism Reading List, available as:
  ftp://israel.nysernet.org/israel/lists/scj-faq/reading-lists/zionism
or
  ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/judaism/reading-lists/zionism

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 14.4. Are all Jews Zionists?

Jews are Zionists in the sense that the restoration of the Jewish people in
its homeland is a fundamental tenet of Judaism.  Most Jews support the state
of Israel - the basic realization of Zionism.  Some Jews, however, do not
accept Zionism as a political movement, but believe that independence will
only come with the advent of the Messiah. There are still other Jews who feel
that the question of an independent Jewish state is independent of the
question of the Messiah.

Zionism developed into an organized political movement, in a period marked by
growing recognition of national movements in Europe, when Jews felt the time
was ready for the reassertion of Jewish National Identity.

As a movement, it was further spurred by growing antisemitism in Europe in the
latter part of the 19th century, as groups of Jews emigrated to what became
Israel.  It was formally organized into a national movement in 1897, with the
call for the restoration of the Jewish national home.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 14.5. Do Diaspora Jews (Jews outside Israel) support Zionism?

Diaspora Jews, on the whole, support Zionism in one way or another through
active participation in aspects of the movement itself, or through public
and/or financial support of Israel.

Some Diaspora Jews realize their belief in Zionism by immigrating to the Land
of Israel (making 'aliyah' - "going up") to participate directly in the task
of rebuilding the nation.

Diaspora Jews, whether or not associated with Zionist activities, have been
enriched culturally, socially and spiritually by the reestablishment of Israel
in its ancestral homeland.  Even non-Zionist and anti-Zionist Jews find Israel
an excellent place for Torah study.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 14.6. I've heard there are Orthodox Jews who are against Israel?

QUESTION: I've heard there were/are very Orthodox Jews who were/are against the
state of Israel.  How could this be?  Who are they?

ANSWER: It is pointless to single out this situation as something terrible
about Orthodoxy or even the so-called "ultra-Orthodox".  Historically, Reform
was officially opposed to Zionism, and even today, there are numerous secular
Jews who are strongly anti-Zionistic.  Nowadays, most Reform, Conservative,
and Reconstructionist Jews support Zionism.  Many Orthodox Jews support
religious Zionism, and even those Orthodox Jews indifferent or opposed to
Zionism (particularly secular Zionism) often send their sons and daughters to
study Torah in Israel.

Anti-Zionist Orthodox Jews believe that Israel can only be regained
miraculously and view the present state as a blasphemous human attempt to
usurp G-d's role, and they work to dismantle Israel.  However, unlike many
gentile anti-Zionists, they firmly believe in the Jewish right to Israel, but
only at that future time of redemption.  The best-known of the religious
anti-Zionists are the Neturei Karta, a small minority group whose members
follow the teachings of the Satmar Rav.

There are two common religious grounds given for anti-Zionism.  One is that
today's Zionism is a secular Zionism, packed with non-Jewish influences, and
lacking key features like Moshiach and the rebuilt Temple.  Groups based on
those groups are more on the non-Zionist, as opposed to the anti-Zionist,
side.  The other gronds are that that Talmud (Meseches Kesuvos 111a), as part
of a discussion of certain Torah verses mentioning oaths, states that when
Israel went into the second exile, there were three vows between Heaven and
Earth:

1. One that Israel would not "go up like a wall" [conquer Eretz Yisrael by
   massive force]

2. One that Hashem made Israel swear that they would not rebel agains the
   nations of the world [would obey the governments in the exile]

3. And one that Hashem made the non-Jews swear not to oppress Israel "too
   much" [translation of phrase yoter midai]

Groups holding to those grounds are more on the anti-Zionist side.

The religious counterreply to the above is that secular Zionism is a
preliminary stage of religious Zionism, and that the vows no longer apply
since the gentiles violated their part (by such actions as the Roman
persecutions, the Spanish Inquisition, and the Nazi Holocaust).  The Balfour
declaration of 1917 and the United Nations vote of 1948 are also regarded as
having given permission to the Jews to reestablish the state by the non-Jewish
rulers of the area.  Once this permission was granted it could not be revoked.
It should also be noted that these oaths are only mentioned as a side point in
one place in a discussion in the Gemoroh and as the viewpoint of an
individual.  Many people feel that they do not apply in any case.

Some Religious Zionist Jews see the formation of the secular state as
accelerating the process of redemption, with themselves playing a major role
in doing G-d's will by serving the state, whose creation is often seen as
miraculous.

So-called "non-Zionist" Jews are pleased that Israel exists from a practical
standpoint - as a haven for oppressed Jews and as a land imbued with holiness
well-suited for Torah study.  But they don't generally assign religious
significance to the formation of the modern state, and often decry aspects of
its secular culture.

[Note: Zionism is used in the strict sense of the Jews should have a homeland,
preferably Israel (Israel is where "Zion" is, hence Zionism).  Criticizing
today's Israeli government regarding policies X,Y,Z is not the same as
anti-Zionism.]

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 14.7. Did Zionism end with the establishment of Israel?

QUESTION: Did Zionism complete its task with the re-establishment of the State
of Israel?

ANSWER: The reestablishment of the State of Israel meant the realization of
the major element of Zionist ideology; the restoration of Jewish sovereignty
in the Land of Israel.

The Zionist ideal, however, contains facets that are still in the process of
being realized.  The Zionist ideal aspires to:

     -- An Israel at peace with all its neighbors
     -- An Israel enjoying full political and economic independence
     -- The social and  economic well-being of all citizens and
        communities residing in Israel.

For the religious zionists, there is also the wish for a modern, halachic,
Jewish state.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 14.8. Are antisemitism and anti-Zionism the same thing?

There is a dangerous confluence between anti-Zionism and antisemitism, even
though the two concepts are not always identical.  Anti-Zionism is directed
against the political realization of Zionism -- the State of Israel.

Anti-Zionism has also become a catchword for antisemitism and has provided
antisemites with a convenient cloak behind which to conceal their hatred of
Jews.

It is probably worth remembering the words of Dr. Martin Luther King:

  "...  You declare, my friend, that you do not hate the Jews, you are merely
  'anti-Zionist.' And I say, let the truth ring forth from the high mountain
  tops, let it echo through the valleys of G-d's green earth: When people
  criticize Zionism, they mean Jews--this is G-d's own truth.

  "Antisemitism, the hatred of the Jewish people, has been and remains a blot
  on the soul of mankind.  In this we are in full agreement.  So know also
  this: anti-Zionism is inherently antisemitic, and ever will be so."
                         (From M.L. King Jr., "Letter to an Anti-Zionist
                         Friend," _Saturday Review_XLVII (Aug.  1967), p. 76.
                         Reprinted in M.L. King Jr., _This I Believe:
                         Selections from the Writings of Dr. Martin Luther
                         King Jr._ (New York, 1971), pp. 234-235.)

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 14.9. Is Zionism racist?

No. Zionism is a process with the ultimate goal of a Jewish homeland.
Participation in this process is not restricted to Jews alone. Furthermore,
the question is an example of how even simple questions can use inflammatory
terminology, as "racist" has a pejoritive sense and is an imprecise term.

A central tenet of Zionism is that there should exist a place in the world
where Jews have sovereignty.  This is no different from the ethnic desires of
other minority and ethnic groups; I'm sure you can name numerous examples.
Recent history has demonstrated the need for such a homeland; alas, humanity
doesn't appear to be moving in a direction that would eliminate that need.

Is the desire for a Jewish homeland "racist"?  No.  Racism is a belief that
race is the primary determinant of human traits and that racial differences
produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.  Judaism is not a race
-- adherents come from multiple ethnic backgrounds.  More importantly, there
is no notion in Zionism that Jews are superior to other races (unlike, for
example, the Nazis, which held that the Aryan race was superior).

Please remember that Zionism is distinct from the state of Israel; if you look
at the history of Zionism, you will see that for some of the zionistic
movements, Israel was not the target homeland (in fact, you'll discover that
at one time, Uganda was an option). Israel is modern political
state that strives to provide a pluralistic and open society, comprising many
ethnic and religious groups.  It doesn't always succeed in this goal, but
neither do other democratic states.  As a modern state, Israel is subject to
various political realities that dictate its laws and regulations. Discussion
of these laws and regulations is less germane to the focus of S.C.J and is
more appropriate for T.P.M.  However, the primacy of Jewish law in Israel is
no more "racist" than the primacy of Catholic law in Vatican City, the primacy
of the Church of England in Great Britain, or the primacy of Islam in many
Arabic countries.

So what is the connection between Zionism and Israel? Zionism helped found the
state, and provided the underlying zeal for many of Israel's leaders. The
Zionist zeal still helps provide funding for the state, as many Jews in the
Galut support Zionist organizations operating in Israel.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 14.10. What are the roots of Arab opposition to Zionism?

National rights: Most Arab nations demand Arab sovereignty over the entire
  Middle East, to the total exclusion of Jewish rights.

Religion: Historically, Islam has not recognized the right to sovereignty of
  any non-Muslim people in any part of the "Islamic world." Jew, like
  Christians, have been relegated to the position of dhimmis -- protected
  subjects -- peoples under Muslim domination.  Islam, therefore, rejects
  the concept of a Jewish state in what it regards as the Islamic-Arab world.

  For information on Islam and its beliefs, interested readers are referred to
  the soc.religion.islam FAQ, available as:

  ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/islam-faq

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 14.11. Can't you criticize Israel without being antisemitic?

Criticism which habitually singles out Israel for criticism while ignoring far
worse actions by other countries (especially other middle eastern countries)
is generally perceived as anti-Jewish.  Likening Israel to Nazi Germany, or to
traditional anti-Jewish stereotypical behavior is another sure sign of
Jew-baiting.

It's also better to criticize within the Jewish community, rather than airing
our dirty laundry for others to twist and use against us.  Jewish newspapers
are regularly filled with lively debate on Israel.

See the superb essay "Judging Israel" by Charles Krauthammer, _Time_ magazine,
February 26, 1990.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 14.12. Why is opposition to Israel often seen as being antisemitic?

The vast majority of the Jews in Israel wound up there as refugees with no
other options.

Many Jews went there to flee the Holocaust, at a time when countries like
America and Great Britain had shut their doors to Jews.

And many of the Holocaust survivors wound up as displaced persons after World
War II.  While America was supporting the former Nazis with the Marshall plan,
the survivors were largely ignored.  Many of them found a welcome in Israel.

And then, after Israel was founded, most of the Arab nations pushed out their
Jewish populations.  They had no place to go but Israel.  The best example of
this, of course, is what happened to the Jews in the "West Bank."  The Arab
armies pushed out _all_ of the Jews in the territories they conquered in the
1947-48 war.  In particular, they destroyed Jewish communities that had been
inhabited continuously for thousands of years.  East Jerusalem, where many now
wish to deny Jewish settlement rights, had a Jewish majority before 1947.

And recently, many Jews have gone to Israel to escape persecution in Russia
and Ethiopia.  Again, there were no other options.

So opposition to Israel, or an insensitivity to its security needs, does carry
with it an indifference to the fate of these Jews who have had no other refuge
from death or serious persecution.  Such indifference is, indeed, a form of
antisemitism: if the Arabs succeed in driving the Jews into the sea, they will
be merely continuing what Hitler started.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 14.13. Why is Jerusalem so important to Jews?

The Jews are commanded to worship at the Temple (Beis Hamikdash) at the place
G-d specifies.  When this central site is extant, sacrifices may be brought
only there.  Also, we are commanded to go to the central site for the three
"pilgrimage festivals", it is the only place where the Pesach sacrifice may be
eaten, and it is the only place where the "second tithe" may be eaten.  After
David united the tribes into a kingdom, he conquered the city of Jerusalem and
made it his capital.  He then wanted to build the temple rather than leaving
the ark in the temporary quarters it had been in until that time.  G-d
informed him that while he was not allowed to build the temple, his son,
Solomon, would, and that temple would remain the central site for the Jewish
people.

After the temple was destroyed the Jews were not allowed to go back to
bringing sacrifices at local altars (called bamos or high places).  Thus, the
second temple had to be built on the site of the first.  When the second
temple was destroyed, the restriction still held.  Thus, it is the only place
where the temple can be rebuilt when the Moshiach comes.

In the time of Avrohom, the city was the center of the remnants
of monotheism from the days of Noah.  It was the site of the
Yeshivah of Shem and Ever (Noah's son & grandson) where they
taught about G-d and the laws He had given to Noah.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 14.14. I want to move to Israel.  Can I become a citizen?

Jews are granted automatic citizenship.  Gentiles may also become citizens,
but after a standard naturalization process.

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 14.15. What is the Wailing Wall and why is it so important?

The term "wailing wall" is not used by Jews, who instead prefer the term
"kotel/kosel hamaaravi," Western Wall.

This wall is the only remaining structure from the second temple left standing
after the Roman destruction.  Since the Jews are considered to be in a state
of "ritual impurity" until certain special sacrifices can be brought (notably
the ashes of the red heifer), religious Jews are forbidden to set foot on the
actual site of the temple and this is the closest they can come to praying at
the temple site. [Note: According to Rav Shlomo Goren, Jews can go on the
southest 120 meters of the temple mount. This is the result of intersecting
all the ideas of all the POSKIM.]

------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 14.16. Questions on aliyah, military service for olim and more

The most important thing to know about rights for Olim, army service etc. is
that the rules keep changing!

Therefore, if you are considering Aliya or coming as a tourist and possibly
later changing your status, go and speak to the local Aliya shaliah and bother
them about making sure that the answers they are giving you are up to date!

Currently, length of army service is calculated based on variables such as age
when you become an oleh (temporary resident or citizen), age when you become a
citizen (after 3 years or more as temp. resident), marital status, number of
children, and physical profile.

------------------------------------------------------------
--
Please mail additions or corrections to me at [e-mail].


End of SCJ FAQ Part 8 (Jews and Israel) Digest
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