The book "The Meaning of Israel," authored by Jacob M. Rabkin and skillfully translated into Arabic by Hassan Khadir, offers a comprehensive and critical examination that evaluates Zionism and Israel through the prism of Jewish religious principles and references. It sheds a revealing light on the historical resistance within the Jewish community to Zionism, drawing upon less commonly referenced rabbinical sources in this context.
Spanning 294 pages, this book underscores the paramount importance of this Jewish opposition and systematically disentangles what it describes as the frequent conflation of the interests of Jews, Zionists, Judaism, and Zionism. It passionately argues for the necessity of distinguishing between matters of religion, ethnicity, and nationality in order to genuinely apprehend the complex tapestry of Israel. The book contends that Zionism, in particular, has blurred these distinctions, necessitating a deeper examination.
The book embarks on a compelling journey through the genesis of the State of Israel, meticulously unraveling its colonial underpinnings. It situates Israel within the broader context of Jewish and European history, underscoring that the pioneers of Zionism envisioned their movement as a profound departure from the historical trajectory of Judaism.
With unwavering dedication, the book explores the transformations that have elevated Israel to a central concern in the minds of Jews worldwide. These concerns span a broad spectrum, encompassing unequivocal support for Israeli policies, stern condemnation, and even explicit repudiation of the Zionist concept of Jewish identity. The book forcefully contends that the widely held notion equating all Jews with Zionism and staunch support for Israel constitutes a fallacy that inadvertently fuels anti-Semitism.
In a thought-provoking conclusion, the author cogently asserts that reducing Zionism to a mere reaction to Jewish persecution would be overly simplistic. He posits that the Holocaust, a defining tragedy of the 20th century, assumes a pivotal role in modern Jewish history. The author's approach adeptly weaves this catastrophic event into a theological framework that has evolved over centuries of Jewish history. This perspective views the Holocaust not merely as a response to persecution but also as a signpost toward national unity in Israel and unwavering loyalty to Zionism in the diaspora.
About the author:
Yakov M. Rabkin (1945-) is a renowned professor emeritus of history at the Université de Montréal, as well as an author and public intellectual. He has also been a Visiting Scholar at prestigious universities such as Yale, Johns Hopkins, Hebrew, Bar-Ilan, Tel Aviv, Université Louis-Pasteur and the Smithsonian Institution. In recognition of his work, he has received research awards from countries including Belgium, Canada, France, Israel and the United States.
