Messianism, Zionism, and Jewish Religious Radicalism (Chicago Studies in the History of Judaism)

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The Orthodox Jewish tradition affirms that Jewish exile will end with the coming of the Messiah. How, then, does Orthodoxy respond to the political realization of a Jewish homeland that is the State of Israel? In this cogent and searching study, Aviezer Ravitzky probes Orthodoxy's divergent positions on Zionism, which range from radical condemnation to virtual beatification.

Ravitzky traces the roots of Haredi ideology, which opposes the Zionist enterprise, and shows how Haredim living in Israel have come to terms with a state to them unholy and therefore doomed. Ravitzky also examines radical religious movements, including the Gush Emunim, to whom the State of Israel is a divine agent. He concludes with a discussion of the recent transformation of Habad Hassidism from conservatism to radical messianism.

This book is indispensable to anyone concerned with the complex confrontation between Jewish fundamentalism and Israeli political sovereignty, especially in light of the tragic death of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

Customer Reviews:

The ultra- orthodox view of the modern state of Israel .......2005-07-15

I read this work in the original in Hebrew. I was impressed by the depth of Ravitzky's knowledge of the ultra- orthodox world, and learned much about Haredi resistance to Zionism , a subject that had always perplexted me. And this because I praying daily the verse 'And return our eyes to Zion with mercy' always assumed that somehow to be religious meant to support a modern Jewish state in the land of Israel.
As I know Ravitzky's political position and bias ( He is a left- of center religious Zionist, ) I have a certain reserve about his writing about Habad , who are in the other camp completely.
But this is certainly a work worth reading, and even studying if one wishes to understand the variety of religious positions on the redemptive character and nature of the modern state of Israel.

"The Messiah and the Rabbis".......2002-11-17

It is a shame that such a truly critcal subject as the Jewish right and its Messianic pretensions, has at this point, only one good resource in English, and this is it. More specifically, The Ultra-Orthodox right, has found it's chronicler in Avi Ravitzky and his history of their Messianic throught. He provides a comprehensive historical summary of the Messianic idea, going all the way back to the Destruction of the Second Temple in 70 AD, then moves the discussion to the subjects of radical anti-zionism, religious zionism, contemporary Messianism in the various ultra-orthodox sects, and their continuing relavance in Jewish religious politics.

Especially important are the "Three Oaths" which the Rabbis developed to forestall Messianic Zionism, after 70 AD. These were so successful, they prevented Zionism from developing in times when it could have, and made the 20th century development of it much more difficult. However, the Three Oaths were only one strand of Jewish Messianic thought, which to a large degree still ignores the stupendous developments of the past 60 years as having no significance.

However, for this writer, the Holocaust and the birth of Israel, are exactly what would seem to an untrained observer: the arrival of the Messianic age. In my recent book, "Jewish History and Divine Providence" I provided an integrated Messianic view of Jewish history from a Liberal point of view. However, I begin from the point of view of Maimonides, whose messianic views were as sober and rational as the rest of his thought. In addition, the Kabbalah and its special rationality, is also critical in my analysis.

Ravitsky provides one side of the Messianic debate. However, until now a liberal side to this debate has been lacking. Those who read both Ravitzky and "Jewish History and Divine Providence" will get the full story.

Sympathetic yet objective account.......2001-09-06

Aviezer Ravitsky has done great work covering the history and beliefs of the full spectrum of religious responses to Zionism. From those who believed that Zionism was evil because of its secular nature and attempt to replace Divine Redemption with political redemption, to those who believe that the establishment of the State of Israel was preparation for Divine Redemption. He explains the differing points of view in such an unbiased and understanding manner that you are left wondering who is right. This was a mind-bending trip, and in my specific case, greatly helped me understand the beliefs and concerns of the Satmar Hassidim, whom my family left behind two generations ago in Satmar.

Focused More Upon Modern than Historic Jewish "Radicalism".......1998-11-05

A superb scan of theologically hard-right sects within modern Judaism, with a suprising focus on the situation in the NYC area and American religious Jews generally. The book could benefit from a fuller treatment of the Orthodox view toward Zionism in the pre-state period, but this area is in fact addressed fairly well. It is surely an essential volume in any collection pertaining to the history of Zionism.

Messianism, Zionism, and Jewish Religious Radicalism.: An article from: Journal of Church and State

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Messianism, Zionism, and Jewish Religious Radicalism.: An article from: Journal of Church and State
John M. Efron
Manufacturer: J.M. Dawson Studies in Church and State
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of Church and State, published by J.M. Dawson Studies in Church and State on March 22, 1998. The length of the article is 698 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Messianism, Zionism, and Jewish Religious Radicalism.
Author: John M. Efron
Publication: Journal of Church and State (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 1998
Publisher: J.M. Dawson Studies in Church and State
Volume: 40 Issue: n2 Page: 472-473

Article Type: Book Review

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Messianism, Zionism, and Jewish Religious Radicalism

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Messianism, Zionism, and Jewish Religious Radicalism
Aviezer (Author) Swirsky, Michael (Translator) Chipinan, Jonathan (Translator) Ravitzky
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OPJ3I6

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Messianism, Zionism, and Jewish Religious Radicalism
Aviezer Ravitzky
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OPKXQM

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In Pan's Travail, J. Donald Hughes examines the environmental history of the classical period and argues that the decline of ancient civilizations resulted in part from exploitation of the natural world. Focusing on Greece and Rome, as well as areas subject to their influences, Hughes offers a detailed look at the impact of humans and their technologies on the ecology of the Mediterranean basin. He also compares the ancient world's environmental problems to those of other eras and discusses attitudes toward nature expressed in Greek and Latin literature.

"A book on green issues is something new and Pan's Travails, moreover, is a compelling recital of man's mistreatment of the Mediterranean environment." -- Greece and Rome

"Inclusive, accessible, and a valuable contribution to our understanding of the ancient environment." -- Donald Engels, University of Arkansas

Customer Reviews:

Interesting but somewhat flimsy.......2005-08-12

Pan's Travail covers an interesting topic and is reasonably thorough in looking at the different aspects of environmental problems in Classical times. It does have several problems of its own, though, albeit no fatal ones.

First, while Hughes surveys many different subjects, his examination of each is fairly superficial. He spends much time listing examples and not enough time synthesizing. The sources he cites are too often literary, and therefore of dubious accuracy--Hughes generally seems to accept the written word of the Romans and Greeks a little too readily. More archeological data would have helped. A lesser niggle is the frequent repetition in Hughes's writing, though it seems more a case of bad editing than anything else.

A more substantial stylistic and intellectual fault of the book is its clear ideological stance. That Hughes is an environmentalist of some stripe is obvious though not troubling in itself. However, his analyses come from only a single narrow perspective, viewing everything through the lens of, "people irresponsibly and imorally harming good Mother Nature." He does little to ask why Greeks and Romans may have acted as they did, except to cite greed and ignorance. As a result, Hughes fires off moral judgments rather easily and makes some strange out-of-left-field statements. For instance, in his conclusion, he writes, "...at this period, so little was known about how natural processes work that rationality was of little use."

Hughes' bias does not totally distort his presentation but doesn't make for a very even-handed analysis either. (I was actually surprised to read, on the back of the book, that he's a professor of history and not of conservation.) This may or may not deter you, but be forewarned. If numerous references to man's destructive greed and "Mother Earth" make you uncomfortable (even if you sympathize), you may want to steer clear.

Troubles With Turtles: Cultural Understandings Of The Environment On A Greek Island

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Troubles With Turtles: Cultural Understandings Of The Environment On A Greek Island
Dimitrios Theodossopoulos , and TheodossopoulosDimitrios
Manufacturer: Berghahn Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Aegean Strategies: Studies of Culture and Environment on the European Fringe (Greek Studies)

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Aegean Strategies: Studies of Culture and Environment on the European Fringe (Greek Studies)
P. Nick Kardulias , and Mark T. Shutes
Manufacturer: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

With a long, detailed historical record, a large corpus of archaeological data, and, more recently, a number of sophisticated analyses of current and previous environmental conditions, the Aegean region of the eastern Mediterranean offers a unique setting to explore the evolution of a landscape through time. As expanding world markets continue to encroach upon even the most remote and delicate ecological zones, anthropologists across all sub-disciplines are beginning to find common theoretical and methodological ground within their own discipline and with other ecologically oriented sciences. This volume examines the value of such collaborative research by bringing together archaeologists, cultural anthropologists, ethnoarchaeologists, and ecologists to discuss environmentally related issues that affect the European fringe, with an emphasis on the Aegean region. The contributors bring to light the subtleties involved in understanding the interactive relationship between humans and their environment over time. Students and scholars in a variety of disciplines, including anthropology, ecology, classics, and history, will find this book to be a valuable and original investigation of a dynamic and complex region.

Ancient Akamas: Settlement and Environment

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Ancient Akamas: Settlement and Environment

Manufacturer: Aarhus Universitetsforlag
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 8772884819

The Excavations of San Giovanni di Ruoti: Volume I: The Villas and their Environment (Phoenix Supplementary Volume)

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The Excavations of San Giovanni di Ruoti: Volume I: The Villas and their Environment (Phoenix Supplementary Volume)
Alastair M. Small , and Robert J. Buck
Manufacturer: University of Toronto Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

This volume reports the findings of a Canadian archaeological team under the direction of the authors at San Giovanni di Ruoti in the highlands of southern Italy. The excavations, which took place over a seven-year period, have revealed a series of three Roman villas which span the period from the beginning of the first century AD to the middle of the sixth century. Of these villas, the third is particularly important since it provides the best evidence to date for the development of a villa in the transitional period between the end of the Roman Empire in the West and the beginning of the Middle Ages.

The core of this volume is an architectural study of the building in its stratigraphic context, with artifacts selected to establish the chronology of the building sequence. Preliminary chapters deal with the geographical and historical background, and with the relation of this villa to other Roman villas in Lucania and to other settlements in the vicinity. The development of the building in each period is illustrated with architectural plans and reconstructions. The building materials are described and analysed, and the mosaics found in the villa of the latest period are fully illustrated. The stratigraphic evidence is presented in a final chapter with thirty-four section drawings.

Book Description

Environmental ethicists have frequently criticized ancient Greek philosophy as anti-environmental for a view of philosophy that is counterproductive to environmental ethics and a view of the world that puts nature at the disposal of people. This provocative collection of original essays reexamines the views of nature and ecology found in the thought of Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, and Plotinus. Recognizing that these thinkers were not confronted with the environmental degradation that threatens contemporary philosophers, the contributors to this book find that the Greeks nevertheless provide an excellent foundation for a sound theory of environmentalism.

The Role of the Physical Environment in Ancient Greek Seafaring (Mnemosyne, Bibliotheca Classica Batava Supplementum)

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The Role of the Physical Environment in Ancient Greek Seafaring (Mnemosyne, Bibliotheca Classica Batava Supplementum)
Jamie Morton
Manufacturer: Brill Academic Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 9004117172

Structural Funds: Growth, Employment, and the Environment: Modeling and Forecasting the Greek Economy

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Structural Funds: Growth, Employment, and the Environment: Modeling and Forecasting the Greek Economy
Nicos Christodoulakis , and Sarantis Kalyvitis
Manufacturer: Kluwer Academic Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0792379993

Book Description

Structural Funds: Growth, Employment and the Environment is a book on the role of transfers designed for assisting sustainable development of less developed regions within the European Union. The book places special emphasis on the future path of the Greek economy and discusses likely outcomes -related directly to the impact of these transfers- in:

Growth and macroeconomic convergence
Employment in key sectors of the economy
Energy demand and its environmental aspect

The book uses macroeconomic modelling and modern applied econometric techniques to analyze these issues, thus offering a coherent methodological framework for their presentation. To this extent, Structural Funds: Growth, Employment and the Environment can serve to:

Academic researchers and economists in recipient countries who can gain a better understanding of how national authorities can best design and implement the strategic allocation and utilization of these funds to maximize the benefits for the domestic economy

Policymakers in the European Union by offering a sound and rigorously elaborated treatment which can be applied as an estimation and comparison tool for the effects of Structural Funds both at the national and the international level

Economists in Eastern European countries which are at the pre-accession stage and will be eligible for this type of transfers in the near future.

Trees, Wood, and Timber in Greek History (Twentieth J.L. Myers Memorial Lecture)

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Trees, Wood, and Timber in Greek History (Twentieth J.L. Myers Memorial Lecture)
Oliver Rackham
Manufacturer: Leopard's Head Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0904920410

Book Description

This lecture was delivered at New College, Oxford on 10th May 1999. It focuses on the presence and meaning of trees within the Greek landscape, raising questions as to how much of the land was forested, and how the ancients viewed and used trees, such as for fuel, in building domestic structures, temples, ships and boats. Rackham draws on the written sources of the time, with references found in poetry, philosophical works and inscriptions, and on archaeological evidence gathered during decades of archaeological survey.

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