Jewish Fundamentalism in Israel

by Israel Shahak (Author), Norton Mezvinsky (Author)

What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1

Israel Shahak
137
Paperback
$24.00
Get it as soon as Thursday, Sep 16
FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon
Israel Shahak
12
Paperback
$33.00
Get it as soon as Thursday, Sep 16
FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon
Thomas L. Friedman
543
Paperback
$18.34
Get it as soon as Thursday, Sep 16
FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon
Alison Weir
962
Paperback
$9.93
Get it as soon as Thursday, Sep 16
FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon
Edward W. Said
5
Hardcover
18 offers from $12.67
Edward W. Said
105
Paperback
$17.99
Get it as soon as Thursday, Sep 16
FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Israel Shahak was a resident of the Warsaw Ghetto and a survivor of Bergen-Belsen. He arrived in Palestine in 1945 and lived there until his death in 2001. He was an outspoken critic of the state of Israel and a human rights activist. He was also the author of the highly acclaimed Jewish Fundamentalism in Israel (Pluto Press 1999) and Jewish History, Jewish Religion (Pluto Press 1994).
Norton Mezvinsky is Professor of History at Central Connecticut State University. He is the co-author of Jewish Fundamentalism in Israel (Pluto Press, 1999).

Start reading Jewish Fundamentalism in Israel on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Compra tu Kindle aquí, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pluto Press (August 20, 1999)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 192 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0745312764
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0745312767
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.5 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #4,586,806 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,676 in Judaism (Books)
- #2,723 in Middle Eastern History (Books)
- #3,497 in Jewish Social Studies

Customer Reviews:
35 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		74%
4 star		4%
3 star		10%
2 star		4%
1 star		8%

How are ratings calculated?

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Peter J. Piaseckyj

Shahak is in the same mold as Jewish Prophets of old

Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2010

Verified Purchase

I couldn't resist reading this book. My three favorite American intellectuals Noam Chomsky, Edward W. Said and Gore Vidal have in one way or another recommended it. This in itself is high praise.

I find Israel Shahak's book a spring of fresh water in an arid intellectual environment of disinformation, propaganda and outright intellectual intimidation. For me Shahak is in the same mold as Jewish Prophets of old, warning Israel against a new catastrophe.

I do not pretend to the intellectual heights of Shahak. I can only judge the accuracy of the book by comparing it to areas where I do have expertise, namely the history, as it pertains to the Lithuanian, Polish, Russian and Austro-Hungarian Empires. The only portion of the book I found lacking was Shahak's knowledge of Petlura's government of Ukraine during the First World War.

When I sent Shahak a short article about Petlura from a Symposium "Ukrainian & Jews" he responded in a letter to me dated June 1, 1999, quote..."I am sorry for my mistake about the regime of Petlura. Your evidence, especially the translated documents, is very persuasive and I accept it. If possible I will change the next editions" Jewish History, Jewish religion" accordingly."...unquote.

I found Shahak's book made me understand portions of the Bible which I had difficulty understanding. It provided the cultural context for an intellectual conundrum that I had in regard to the Old Testament.

The two conundrums are the ethnic cleansing condoned by God of the Canaanites in Deuteronomy and the other was the dialogue between Jesus and the Canaanite women in Mathew 15:21-28, where he replies , quote..."I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."...unquote.

It is only after reading Shahak that I finally understood the unchristian behavior of Jesus. He after all was not a Christian but a Jewish Rabbi, well versed in the Talmud with all of the cultural taboos associated with it in those times. He came to save the Jews and not the World. It was Paul (Saul), another well trained Rabbi who brought Jesus' reformed Judaism to the Pagan Mediterranean world and created Christianity.

This book is replete with insights that only and intellect of rigorous and highly developed moral understanding of History could deliver.

10 people found this helpful

Helpful

felixnola

The Complete Guide to Understanding Israeli Thought.

Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2014

Verified Purchase

One of the best books I've read in years. An absolute must for every American. If you want to understand the inner workings of the Israeli belief system and it's religious underpinnings; this is the book for you. It is confusing and often difficult to understand or rationalize what occurs in Israel without historical perspective. Further, without a concise overview of jewish religious belief; one is at a complete loss to understand why events continue to unfold in the irrational world of the middle east. I read this book in three days. While it is only upwards of 170 pages; the print is rather small; so, you do get your moneys worth. Very readable; and, a book you will not want to put down until you have completed it. This book brings together so much material in such a concise way that there is no room for poetic license. It's straight forward and the best educational tool on the ongoing issues I've ever read.

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

Mikhail Chikindas

Historically accurate and sound analysis

Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2019

Verified Purchase

This is not an easy reading fiction book. However, it is overwhelmingly interesting and the author did some very good job, literally grabbing the reader by hand and walking through the net of the nastiest and dirtiest political and social extravaganza.

Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2019

Verified Purchase

Extremely, valuable toward understanding Jewish Fundamentalism.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

New Age of Barbarism

Jewish Religious Intolerance In Israel.

Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2004

Verified Purchase

_Jewish Fundamentalism in Israel_ by Israel Shahak and Norton Mezvinsky is a problematic book which nonetheless provides some important insights into the political situations of ultra-religious Jews in Israel. For one thing there is the abuse of the term "fundamentalism". Fundamentalism properly understood refers to a group of Protestant Christians who believe in the inerrancy of the Bible which must be interpreted literally. Jews and Muslims do not refer to themselves as fundamentalists. Secondly, the book is rather poorly written and contains quite a bit of left wing goofiness, which distracts from an otherwise interesting subject matter. The issue of intolerance among religious Jews in Israel is particularly disturbing. This book details much of that level of intolerance, particularly for the Palestinian population living in the land of Israel, but also for Gentiles in general and fellow Jews deemed heretics. Perhaps the most famous case of persecution of heresy among religious Jews is that of the philosopher Baruch (Benedict, Latinized) Spinoza who was excommunicated for going against the rabbinate. The authors try to make the claim that similar occurrences have happened throughout history (see _Jewish History, Jewish Religion_ by Israel Shahak) and continue to happen in Israel dominated by religious forces. The authors spend a great deal of time discussing various political parties including the Haredim and Gush Emunim. The conflict between secular Jews and the orthodox and ultra-orthodox sects becomes apparent in such issues as the conscription of Israeli youth to the military, where those studying for the rabbinate do not have to participate and are supported by the state. An even more radical viewpoint is expressed by the followers of Rabbi Meir Kahane, who moved to Israel from New York. Kahane advocated a radical form of Jewish supremacism and racism, basing his chauvinistic views on the arrogant myth of "the chosen". One follower of Kahane took his views seriously and gunned down a group of Arabs praying in a mosque at the Tomb of the Patriarchs, Baruch Goldstein. The authors show how the Jewish response to the Goldstein rampage was less than honest, many outright supporting what Goldstein had done. The authors also discuss the murder of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was perceived as a moderate willing to concede lands to the Arabs by the Israeli "far right". Another disturbing issue involves religious idolatry of the Temple Mount, on which sits a mosque which many claim must be destroyed to bring about the Messiah. (An interesting discussion of this issue in full and how it relates to Christian evangelicals may be found in the book _The End of Days_ by Gershom Gorenberg.) In sum, this book brings up some disturbing issues about the political parties in the land of Israel and should not be dismissed as mere "anti-Semitism".

17 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

J. Hofmann

An eye opener

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 4, 2015

Verified Purchase

Should be required reading for anyone that wishes to know more about Israeli politics and religion. Draws on sources that are not usually available to (or used by) western writers about this area. An absolute eye opener on how we in Britain are being deceived by our media. The book reveals what a hothouse of religious passion Israel has become and how the religious tail (the fundamentalist religious parties) actually wags the dog.
No wonder the Palestine problem is nowhere near a solution !

Noor Dahri

Hidden secrets of Jewish extremism

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 26, 2015

Verified Purchase

This is not only a book but a box of hidden disclosures that author has opened it. This book is a full of secrets beneath of religious extremism within Judaism in Israel.
This book definitely helped me to write a chapter for my upcoming book on global extremism.

Noor Dahri
Independent researcher
Counter terrorism & violent extremism
London UK

Well Read

Be Prepared To Be Shocked

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 2, 2001

Verified Purchase

Jewish Fundamentalism In Israel by Israel Shahak & Norton Mezvinsky: The media are rapid in responding to Islamic fundamentalism whilst showing scant regard to providing detail about Jewish fundamentalism in Israel. Yet, it is Jewish fundamentalism that has driven the settlement movement since the 1967 War. The settlement movement, in particular Gush Emunim, has become an intractable problem and the greatest obstacle to the peace process. Shahak and Mezvinsky's book is not a read for the faint hearted. There are unpalatable truths in the dangerous fundamentalist worldview presented. It is, however, an essential read for anyone with an interest in understanding why the ' peace process' has been derailed and become a cycle of violence. The authors have shown great courage in exposing what has become the core of the problem between Israel and the Palestinians. Whilst the book answers many questions about fundamentalism, it also raises serious doubts for a reader about the ability of any Israeli Government to resolve the settlement issue and progress peace. The authors present an eye opening expose of a destructive movement that exerts tremendous control over Israel's politics. In giving the book five stars, there are details contained that should be more widely known. In many respects it is shocking, which is a major reason for making it a must be read book.

59 people found this helpful

Bertalan

Little known in the West

Reviewed in Canada on October 4, 2016

Verified Purchase

A well researched account of of Jewish extremism in Israel. It reveals how the politics in Israel today is defined by the 4th centuryTalmudic rules.

One person found this helpful

A. Schaefer

Israel Shahak has the courage to write the truth of the fanaticism in Israel

Reviewed in Germany on November 11, 2013

Verified Purchase

The author defines very clearly the different streams of fundamentalism taking place in Israel. The reader of this book will understand the dangers of where this fundamentalism leads as it increasingly becomes less tolerant and more extreme. The assassination of Rabin is just one of the symptoms of this extremism.

One person found this helpful

See all reviews

Jewish Fundamentalism in Israel

There is a newer edition of this item:

What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Product details

Customer reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries