Category: Religion

O Little Town of Bethlehem, what has become of thee?

Millions of travelers to Bethlehem believe the hasbara: Jews Good, Palestinians Bad; Jews victims, Palestinians perpetrators; because of the Holocaust, the world owes us, and must condone what we’re doing to Palestinians; those who criticize our racist policies are outright anti-Semites; we are God’s Chosen, therefore we can do no wrong.

Will pro-Israel rabbi heading top theology center change its direction?

Rabbi Daniel Lehmann, with a history of advocating for Israel despite its many human rights abuses, is about to be inaugurated president of the ‘most comprehensive center for the graduate study of religion in North America’ – a ‘mostly-Christian’ center with a focus on peace and justice. Lehmann has already opposed a prominent Muslim professor and aired misgivings about America’s first Muslim college, located right across the street… Rabbi Lehmann is known for his fundraising ability.

In Israel, religious extremism is pervasive, unchecked

In Israel, religious extremism has gone unchecked in the educational establishment, in top levels of government, and among prominent religious leaders – radicalizing a growing number of Israeli youth and endangering Palestinians.

Shlomo Sand: How Israel Went From Atheist Zionism to Jewish State

Israeli author Shlomo Sand writes: Zionism – the idea of a “Jewish State” – was at first fully secular and socialist, but how to define “a Jew” in a way that includes both the religious and the nonreligious (and no Arabs)? Eventually, religious features were appropriated and nationalized: the “need” for more land became a holy pact with God; Israel is only for Jews, not “all of its citizens.”