Radicalism and violence in Religious-Zionist thought

• In Event: New trends in Religious Zionist philosophy and practice

Abstract

The paper discusses Religious-Zionism, and particularly the interaction between members of this social group and the political-religious movement revolved around Rabbi Yitzhak Ginzburg.

Rabbi Ginzburg has been criticized in the Israeli public discourse due to the publication of the booklet "Baruch HaGever’, in which he offers theological justification to the actions of the Jewish terrorist Baruch Goldstein. Recently, the public criticism has intensified, and he is accused of providing the theological basis for ‘price tag’ actions - the term used by Israeli media for vigilant attacks against Palestinians and Israeli security forces.

This work examines on the criticism voiced against Rabbi Ginzburg from within messianic Religious-Zionism, which is puzzling, since religious-Zionists ostensibly seek to promote political and theological goals similar to those of Rabbi Ginzburg and his movement. The study demonstrates how the Chabad-Hasidic theology of Rabbi Ginzburg, characterized by a passive concept of redemption, are fundamentally opposed the theology of ‘Merkaz Harav’ school, which is based on the theological teachings of Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Hacohen Kook and his son, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook.

However, despite the considerable theological gaps, the study reveals how the practices that Rabbi Ginzburg calls for are similar to practices that the religious Zionists wish to promote. This similarity suggests the criticism of Rabbi Ginzburg has a broader political role - it is a tactic used by the religious-Zionist movement to garner legitimacy on a national level by rejecting the discourse challenging the "statist" hegemony.

Author

• Hayim Katsman, University of Washington, Seattle