Judaism defined...Who is a Jew? A Jew is anyone who has a Jewish mother or who converted to Judaism in conformity with Halacha, Jewish religious law.
Jewish parents throughout the world bless their children every Sabbath and holiday eve, and they have done it in the same way for millennia. If the children are girls, the blessing is, "May G-d let you be like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah." Not one of these matriarchs was born a Jewess; they were all converts to Judaism. If the children are boys, the blessing is, "May G-d let you be like Ephraim and Manasseh." Judaism focuses on the sanctity of life.
On the other hand Zionism is a political religious thought circling around Jerusalem. Human life is sacred and human rights are not to be denied by those who would subvert them for "national security" or for any other reason. No one knows this better than the Jews, who have been second-class citizens so often and for so long. Zionists, however, may differ. This is understandable because Judaism and Zionism are by no means the same. Indeed they are incompatible and irreconcilable: If one is a good Jew, one cannot be a Zionist; if one is a Zionist, one cannot be a good Jew.
__________________ Since the Torah is a finite book expressing the will of an infinite God, many lessons must be derivable from each passage from all the infinite angles.
Judaism defined...Who is a Jew? A Jew is anyone who has a Jewish mother or who converted to Judaism in conformity with Halacha, Jewish religious law.
Jewish parents throughout the world bless their children every Sabbath and holiday eve, and they have done it in the same way for millennia. If the children are girls, the blessing is, "May G-d let you be like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah." Not one of these matriarchs was born a Jewess; they were all converts to Judaism. If the children are boys, the blessing is, "May G-d let you be like Ephraim and Manasseh." Judaism focuses on the sanctity of life.
On the other hand Zionism is a political religious thought circling around Jerusalem. Human life is sacred and human rights are not to be denied by those who would subvert them for "national security" or for any other reason. No one knows this better than the Jews, who have been second-class citizens so often and for so long. Zionists, however, may differ. This is understandable because Judaism and Zionism are by no means the same. Indeed they are incompatible and irreconcilable: If one is a good Jew, one cannot be a Zionist; if one is a Zionist, one cannot be a good Jew.
Hi there. For some reason, this post came up on my "Judaism" google alerts, and I felt like I had to respond.
Zionism is a political philosophy where the central concept is that the country of Israel should be a Jewish state, that the Jewish people have the right to statehood, and that that particular state should be in the lands of Israel promised to us by G-d. Now, one should probably ask--how is this impossible to reconcile with Judaism? The answer of course is that it is not. The Jewish belief in statehood is in no way against the precepts, the concepts, or the underlying beliefs of Jewish thought.
Antisemitism and anti-Zionism are not always related, though they often are. Indeed, one tends to reinforce, if not completely create, the other. With that in mind, I am moved to ask why you believe that the Jewish people do not deserve their own homeland?
Judaism defined...Who is a Jew? A Jew is anyone who has a Jewish mother or who converted to Judaism in conformity with Halacha, Jewish religious law.
Jewish parents throughout the world bless their children every Sabbath and holiday eve, and they have done it in the same way for millennia. If the children are girls, the blessing is, "May G-d let you be like Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah." Not one of these matriarchs was born a Jewess; they were all converts to Judaism. If the children are boys, the blessing is, "May G-d let you be like Ephraim and Manasseh." Judaism focuses on the sanctity of life.
On the other hand Zionism is a political religious thought circling around Jerusalem. Human life is sacred and human rights are not to be denied by those who would subvert them for "national security" or for any other reason. No one knows this better than the Jews, who have been second-class citizens so often and for so long. Zionists, however, may differ. This is understandable because Judaism and Zionism are by no means the same. Indeed they are incompatible and irreconcilable: If one is a good Jew, one cannot be a Zionist; if one is a Zionist, one cannot be a good Jew.
Perhaps some explaining would help clarify some things.
Vis,
That post doesn't sound like you. Is that a piece of text you wanted us to comment on? How is believing in the biblical promise that the land belongs to the Jewish people equated to being a bad Jew? Notice that being a Zionist doesn't even mean agreeing with each and every move the secular government of Israel make - in fact, there are Zionists who think the government is too lenient, and Zionists who think the government is too radical. Comes with being a democracy.
Kol tov,
Fremen
__________________ Jewish, Zionist, and Free Thinker.
Yes, I found this article somewhere on the net and thought it should be discussed, sorry but do not have the link. But it is not important. What is important is the clarification of what is Judaism and what is Zionism. Hence the question on the differences.
THere are all kinds of combinations of ideologies held by those who hold either or both of each. Since I have not done much in the study of Zionism itself, I would like to hear more on the theology of Zionism, not the political aspect, though it plays a role. What is the history of zionism and how did it influence judaism?
__________________ Since the Torah is a finite book expressing the will of an infinite God, many lessons must be derivable from each passage from all the infinite angles.
Yes, I found this article somewhere on the net and thought it should be discussed, sorry but do not have the link. But it is not important. What is important is the clarification of what is Judaism and what is Zionism. Hence the question on the differences.
THere are all kinds of combinations of ideologies held by those who hold either or both of each. Since I have not done much in the study of Zionism itself, I would like to hear more on the theology of Zionism, not the political aspect, though it plays a role. What is the history of zionism and how did it influence judaism?
Better yet, who or what is Zion in the last days? Isaiah 29:8
as when a hungry man dreams that he is eating, but he awakens, and his hunger remains; as when a thirsty man dreams that he is drinking, but he awakens faint, with his thirst unquenched. So will it be with the hordes of all the nations that fight against Mount Zion. Revelation 16:16
Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called [Armageddon, Harmeggedon, Har Megiddo, or Mount of the Congregation Zion.]
One can be Christian and Zionist, so I believe it is something that transcends religious affiliation.
My definition of Zionism is the belief in the biblical (and historical) right that the Jewish people have to the land G-d has given them.
I thought so too, and believe that as a Christian I can and do believe in the Jews right to Israel. But is there more to this Zionism? Do we believe that it is man who will make it happen and God will back us up. Or do we believe that it is God who will make it happen and He will protect those who trust Him to make it happen? You take West Bank, where right now all the Muslim states are not coming to the bargaining table unless the costruction stops in West Bank. You have our government pushing for the same thing and putting pressure on the President of Israel to comply or they are threatening to drop support. Then you have the people in West Bank who are in a very percarious position. Where are they going to get support, it doesn't look like man is going to ... so will we see God step in. This is where theological zionism needs to be a reality in God's mind too.
__________________ Since the Torah is a finite book expressing the will of an infinite God, many lessons must be derivable from each passage from all the infinite angles.
Here is a alternate translation: Isaiah 18:7
At that time gifts will be brought to the LORD Almighty from a people tall and smooth-skinned, from a people feared far and wide, an aggressive nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers— the gifts will be brought to Mount Zion, a place Named of Yahwah Almighty.
Isaiah 29:8
as when a hungry man dreams that he is eating, but he awakens, and his hunger remains; as when a thirsty man dreams that he is drinking, but he awakens faint, with his thirst unquenched. So will it be with the hordes of all the nations that fight against Mount Zion.
Revelation 16:16
Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Mount of the Congregation Zion.
Vis,
I believe it boils down to this: Some believe that G-d's interference will be direct and supernatural. Others believe that G-d will be the guiding force behind the political events. As we cannot put G-d in a box, I believe that being excessively dogmatic about either one of the views is a mistake.
Kol tov,
Fremen
__________________ Jewish, Zionist, and Free Thinker.
Perhaps some explaining would help clarify some things. 
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