Orthodox Judaism and the Politics of Religion: From Prewar Europe to the State of Israel

Description

During the first half of the twentieth century, nationalizing processes in Europe and Palestine reshaped observant Jewry into two distinct societies, ultra-Orthodoxy and national-religious Judaism. Tracing the dynamics between the two most influential Orthodox political movements of the period, from their early years through the founding of the State of Israel, Daniel Mahla examines the crucial role that religio-political entrepreneurs played in these developments. He frames the contest between non-Zionist Agudat Yisrael and religious-Zionist Mizrahi as the product of wide-ranging social and cultural struggles within Orthodox Judaism and demonstrates that at the core of their conflict lay deep tensions between rabbinic authority and political activism. While Orthodoxy's encounter with modern Jewish nationalism is often cast as a confrontation between religious and secular forces, this book highlights the significance of intra-religious competition for observant Jewry's transition to the age of the nation state and beyond.

Daniel Mahla is an assistant professor of modern Jewish history at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen.

'This systematic, rigorous analysis of Orthodox Judaism in its encounter with nationalism captures the emergence of the very tensions and fissures that continue to define Orthodox politics today. Mahla's account of the rise of two distinct Orthodoxies - Zionist and non-Zionist - highlights the potency of politicized religion during modernity. It is a major achievement in the field.' Glenn Dynner, author of Yankel's Tavern: Jews, Liquor and Life in the Kingdom of Poland 'Daniel Mahla presents a deep and vital study of Jewish Orthodoxy in times of political ferment, in interwar Poland and in Mandate Palestine. With his wide-ranging telescope, he carefully investigates the larger context: politics inside and outside the Jewish community, religion, economics, and the social dimension of Orthodox Jewry at a time of polarization and intense antisemitism. Because of the rise of religious Orthodoxy in today's Israel, this work matters; it reveals the origins of contemporary Jewish religious life.' Brian Horowitz, Sizeler Family Chair Professor, Jewish Studies, Tulane University, Louisiana 'Daniel Mahla's insightful and highly original book radically alters our understanding of twentieth-century Orthodox Judaism. Presenting streams within Orthodoxy as competing social movements, Mahla demonstrates that national-religious and anti-Zionist Orthodoxy have been deeply intertwined and mutually influential. Mahla's book is essential reading for anyone interested in the role of Orthodoxy in contemporary Israeli politics and society.' Derek Penslar, Harvard University 'This is an important study of a subject of pressing contemporary relevance ... Highly recommended.' D. Biale, Choice