Shaping Jewish Nationalism in Synagogues in Eretz Israel during the British Mandate Period

• In Event: Performing and Representing the New Nation

Abstract

The focus of this lecture will be to review the fascinating encounter which took place between religious and national components, in synagogues in Eretz-Israel during the British Mandate period. Within this encounter, different individuals and communities tried to shape their synagogues according to a new "national" style, consistent with the general national cultural in which the synagogues functioned. As a result, many synagogues adopted cultural and liturgical elements which later became an integral part of the image of synagogues identifying themselves with the Zionist movement.
We will survey the events that took place in the synagogues with regard to a number of contexts :
- The liturgical Dimension: Selecting the language of prayer and sermon; the tune; the pronunciation; the prayer book ; The creation of new prayers .
- The Physical dimension: Selecting the location of the synagogue, and it`s architectural and interior design; synagogue names .
- The human dimension : the nature of the active community in the synagogue: officers and leaders ; women, children , and other groups in the synagogue .
-The economic dimension: the financial systems which enabled the construction of synagogues, and the relations between them and the various national institutions .

We will conclude that in Eretz-Israel in this period, a new national-religious culture was created, in which the synagogues - and their leaders – became agents of culture and religious nationalism, spreading the gospel of the new Hebrew culture in many different sectors .the Changes in the synagogue were not adopted at once, were not accompanied by revolutionary expressions, and in fact it was more of a natural cultural development. Synagogues adopted various elements of the national culture not a part of a desire to abolish the traditions of yesterday, but to adjust them to what was happening outside their walls.
This new national religious culture created in the synagogues was a significant and integral part of the wider renewal of national culture in Israel. The Synagogues were profoundly affected by the surrounding culture, which in turn was granted unique expressions in the institution best exemplifying the religious and traditional framework .

author

• Reuven Gafni, The institute for the research of Eretz-Israel, Yad Ben Zvi, Jerusalem