Neturei Karta synagogue and study hall in Jerusalem

Neturei Karta (Aramaic: נטורי קרתא, "Guardians of the City") is a Haredi Jewish group formally created in 1935, that opposes Zionism and call for a peaceful dismantling of the State of Israel, in the belief that Jews are forbidden to have their own state until the coming of the Messiah.^[1] They are mostly concentrated in Jerusalem, but also in and around Ramat Bet Shemesh (near Jerusalem), and Bnei Brak. Others associated with Neturei Karta can be found in London, New York City, and other parts of New York. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,728 × 2,304 pixels, file size: 883 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Beis medrash Toiroh VeYiroh of Neturei Karta, Jerusalem. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,728 × 2,304 pixels, file size: 883 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Beis medrash Toiroh VeYiroh of Neturei Karta, Jerusalem. ... Talmudic Aramaic literally refers to the Aramaic language as found in the Talmud. ... Haredi or chareidi Judaism is the most theologically conservative form of Orthodox Judaism. ... The word Jew ( Hebrew: יהודי) is used in a wide number of ways, but generally refers to a follower of the Jewish faith, a child of a Jewish mother, or someone of Jewish descent with a connection to Jewish culture or ethnicity and often a combination... This article is about Zionism as a movement, not the History of Israel. ... In Judaism, the Messiah (Hebrew: , Standard  Tiberian ; Aramaic: , ; Arabic: , ; the Anointed One) at first meant any person who was anointed with oil on rising to a certain position among the ancient Israelites, at first that of High priest, later that of King and also that of a prophet. ... For other uses, see Jerusalem (disambiguation). ... Ramat Bet Shemesh is a relatively new neighborhood of the former developing town of Bet Shemesh. ... Mentioned as one of the cities in the portion of the Tribe of Dan (Yehoshua 19:45), Bnei Brak is famous in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 32b) as the seat of Rabbi Akivas court, and in the Pesach Haggada as the site of the all-night Pesach Seder of Rabbi... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... This article is about the state. ...

According to Neturei Karta: "The name Neturei Karta is a name usually given to those people who regularly pray in the Neturei Karta synagogues (Torah Ve'Yirah Jerusalem, Torah U'Tefillah London, Torah U'Tefillah NY, Beis Yehudi Upstate NY, etc.), study in or send their children to educational institutions run by Neturei Karta, or actively participate in activities, assemblies or demonstrations called by the Neturei Karta". ^[2] In Israel some members also pray at affiliated beis midrash, in Jerusalem's Meah Shearim, neighborhood and in Ramat Beit Shemesh. No official statistics exist about numbers^[3]. Beth Midrash (or Beis Midrash or Beit Midrash, Hebrew בית מדרש) (plural batei or botei midrash) literally means a House [of] Interpretation or House [of] Lecturing or House [of] Learning in Hebrew. ... For other uses, see Jerusalem (disambiguation). ... Meah Shearim, Hundred Gates, is one of the oldest neighborhoods of extra-mural Jerusalem. ...

Background

The name Neturei Karta literally means "Guardians of the City" and comes from the gemara of the Jerusalem Talmud, Hagigah, 76c. There it is related that Rabbi Judah haNasi sent two rabbis on a tour of inspection: The Gemara (also Gemora) (גמרא - from gamar: Aramaic [to] study) is the part of the Talmud that contains rabbinical commentaries and analysis of its predecessor, the Mishnah. ... The Jerusalem Talmud (In Hebrew Talmud Yerushalmi, in short known as the Yerushalmi), also known as the Palestinian Talmud, like its Babylonian counterpart (see Babylonian Talmud), is a collection of Rabbinic discussions elaborating on the Mishnah. ... Moed (Festivals) is the second Order of the Mishnah (also the Tosefta and Talmud), Of the six orders of the Mishna, Moed is the third shortest. ... Judah haNasi, or more accurately in Hebrew, Yehudah HaNasi, was a key leader of the Jewish community of Judea under the Roman empire, toward the end of the 2nd century CE. He was reputedly from the Davidic line of the royal line from King David, hence his title Prince (Nasi...

In one town they asked to see the "guardians of the city" and the city guard was paraded before them. They said that these were not the guardians of the city but its destroyers, which prompted the citizens to ask who, then, could be considered the guardians. The rabbis answered, "The scribes and the scholars," referring them to Tehillim (Psalms) Chapter 127.^[2] Psalms (from the Greek: Psalmoi) (originally meaning songs sung to a harp, from psallein play on a stringed instrument, Ψαλμοί; Hebrew: Tehilim, תהילים, or praises) is a book of the Hebrew Bible, Tanakh or Old Testament. ...

It is this role that Neturei Karta see themselves as fulfilling by defending what they believe is "the position of the Torah and authentic unadulterated Judaism."^[2] Neturei Karta is sometimes confused with Satmar, due to both being anti-Zionist. They are separate groups. Satmar is the largest Hasidic group in existence today. ... Anti-Zionism is opposition to Zionism, an international political movement that supports a homeland for the Jewish people in Palestine[1][2] Anti-Zionism takes many forms, ranging from political or religious opposition to the idea of a Jewish state, to rejecting Israels right to exist and the legitimacy...

Beliefs

Neturei Karta stresses those portions in rabbinic literature^{[citation needed]} which state that because of their sins, the Jewish people went into exile from the Land of Israel. Additionally, they maintain the view - basing it on the Babylonian Talmud ^[4] - that any form of forceful recapture of the Land of Israel is a violation of divine will. They believe that the restoration of the Land of Israel to the Jews should only happen with the coming of the Messiah. Rabbinic literature, in the broadest sense, can mean the entire spectrum of Judaisms rabbinic writing/s throughout history. ... The Land of Israel (Hebrew: אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, Masoretic: ʼẸretz YiÅ›rāēl, Hebrew Academy: Éreẓ Yisrael, Yiddish: ) is the divinely ordained and given territory by God as an eternal inheritance to the Jewish people. ... The Talmud (Hebrew: ) is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history. ... In Judaism, the Messiah (Hebrew: , Standard  Tiberian ; Aramaic: , ; Arabic: , ; the Anointed One) at first meant any person who was anointed with oil on rising to a certain position among the ancient Israelites, at first that of High priest, later that of King and also that of a prophet. ...

Neturei Karta believes that the exile of the Jews can end only with the arrival of the Messiah, and that human attempts to establish Jewish sovereignty over the Land of Israel are sinful. In Neturei Karta's view, Zionism is a presumptuous affront against God. In Judaism, the Messiah (Hebrew: , Standard  Tiberian ; Aramaic: , ; Arabic: , ; the Anointed One) at first meant any person who was anointed with oil on rising to a certain position among the ancient Israelites, at first that of High priest, later that of King and also that of a prophet. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ...

Rabbi Moshe Hirsch, a leader of the smaller and more radical group within Neturei Karta,^[3] has endorsed Yasser Arafat, the Palestine Liberation Organization and later, the Palestinian Authority as the rightful rulers of the Land of Israel, which includes the modern-day State of Israel. Other Jewish groups have criticized this alignment, describing it as condoning or even abetting Palestinian terrorism or using Palestinians as a tool for the destruction of Israel.^[5][6][7] Rabbi Moshe Hirsch is prominent for his anti-Zionist rhetoric and practices. ... Not to be confused with Yasir Arafat (cricketer). ... The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) (Arabic: ;   or Munazzamat al-Tahrir al-Filastiniyyah) is a multi-party confederation and is the organization regarded since 1974 as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. ... The West Bank The Palestinian National Authority (PNA or PA) is a semi-autonomous state institution nominally governing the bulk of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (which it calls the Palestinian Territories). It was established as a part of Oslo accords between the PLO and Israel. ... The Land of Israel (Hebrew: אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, Masoretic: ʼẸretz YiÅ›rāēl, Hebrew Academy: Éreẓ Yisrael, Yiddish: ) is the divinely ordained and given territory by God as an eternal inheritance to the Jewish people. ... The term Palestinian terrorism is commonly used to describe acts of political violence committed by Palestinian individuals or groups against Israelis, Jews, and nationals of other countries. ...

The Neturei Karta synagogues follow the customs of the Gaon of Vilna, due to Neturei Karta's origin within the Lithuanian rather than Chasidic branch of ultra-Orthodox Judaism. It must be stressed that Neturei Karta is not a Hasidic but a Litvish group, they are often mistaken for Hasidim because their style of dress (including a shtreimel on Shabbos) is very similar to that of Hasidim. This style of dress is not unique to Neturei Karta, but is also the style of other Jerusalem Litvaks, such as Rabbi Yosef Sholom Eliashiv and his followers. Furthermore, Shomer Emunim a Hasidic group but with similar ideology, is often bundled together with Neturei Karta. Typically, the Jerusalem Neturei Karta will keep the customs of the "Old Yishuv" of the city of Jerusalem even when living outside of Jerusalem or even when living abroad, as a demonstration of love and connection to the Holy Land. Elijah Ben Solomon, the Vilna Gaon The Vilna Gaon (April 23, 1720 – October 9, 1797) was a prominent Jewish rabbi, Talmud scholar, and Kabbalist. ... Hasidic Judaism (Hebrew: Chasidut חסידות) is a Haredi Jewish religious movement. ... Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonised in the Talmudic texts (Oral Torah) and as subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and Acharonim. ... Hasidic Judaism (Hebrew: Chasidut חסידות) is a Haredi Jewish religious movement. ... Lithuanian Jews, (In Yiddish known as Litvish or Litvaks) are Ashkenazi Jews who have their origins in historic Lithuania. ... A Hasid wearing a shtreimel A shtreimel or shtraml (Yiddish: שטרײַמל, שטרײַמלעך shtreimlekh) is a fur hat worn by many married Haredi Jewish men, particularly (although not exclusively) members of Hasidic sects, on the Sabbath and during Jewish holidays and other festive occasions. ... Shabbat, or Shabbos (Ashkenazic pronunciation) (שבת shabbāṯ, rest), is a day of rest that is observed once a week, from sundown on Friday until nightfall on Saturday, by practitioners of Judaism, as well as by many secular Jews. ... Rabbi Y.S. Eliashiv Yosef Sholom Eliashiv (יוסף שלום אלישיב) (b. ... Grand Rabbi Aaron Reb Arele Roth, author of Shomer Emunim, founder of the Shomer Emunim Dynasties The founder of the Toldos Aharon dynasty, Rabbi Avraham Yitzchok Kahn, son-in-law of Rabbi Aharon Roth Rabbi Abraham Chaim Roth, the Shomer Emunim Rebbe of Bnei Brak, son of Rabbi Areleh Roth. ...

History

For the most part, the members of Neturei Karta are descended from Hungarian Jews who settled in Jerusalem's Old City in the early nineteenth century, and from Lithuanian Jews who were students of the Gaon of Vilna, who had settled earlier. In the late nineteenth century, their ancestors participated in the creation of new neighborhoods outside the city walls to alleviate overcrowding in the Old City, and most are now concentrated in the neighborhood of Batei Ungarin and the larger Meah Shearim neighborhood. Lithuanian Jews (known in Yiddish and Haredi English as Litvish (adjective) or Litvaks (noun)) are Ashkenazi Jews with roots in Lita, a region including not only present-day Lithuania but also Latvia, much of Belarus and the northeastern Suwałki region of Poland. ... Elijah Ben Solomon, the Vilna Gaon The Vilna Gaon (April 23, 1720 – October 9, 1797) was a prominent Jewish rabbi, Talmud scholar, and Kabbalist. ... Batay Ungarn is a neighborhood in the fervently Orthodox Mea Shearim section of jerusalem. ... Meah Shearim, Hundred Gates, is one of the oldest neighborhoods of extra-mural Jerusalem. ...

At the time, they were vocal opponents to the new political ideology of Zionism that was attempting to assert Jewish sovereignty in Ottoman-controlled Palestine. They resented the new arrivals, who were predominantly secular, and claimed that Jewish redemption could only be brought about by the Jewish messiah. This article is about Zionism as a movement, not the History of Israel. ... Ottoman redirects here. ... A 2003 satellite image of the region. ... In Judaism, the Messiah (Hebrew: , Standard  Tiberian ; Aramaic: , ; Arabic: , ; the Anointed One) at first meant any person who was anointed with oil on rising to a certain position among the ancient Israelites, at first that of High priest, later that of King and also that of a prophet. ...

Among the claims they brought for this argument was a Talmudic discussion about portions in the Bible regarding a pact made between God, the Jewish people, and the nations of the world, when the Jews were sent into exile. One provision of the pact was (1) that the Jews would not rebel against the non-Jewish world that gave them sanctuary; a second was (2) that they would not immigrate en masse to the Land of Israel. In return, the legend states, the (3) gentile nations promised not to persecute the Jews too harshly.^[4] By rebelling against this pact, they argued, the Jewish People were engaging in open rebellion against God. The Talmud (Hebrew: ) is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history. ... The Land of Israel (Hebrew: אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, Masoretic: ʼẸretz Yiśrāēl, Hebrew Academy: Éreẓ Yisrael, Yiddish: ) is the divinely ordained and given territory by God as an eternal inheritance to the Jewish people. ...

Other Orthodox Jewish movements, including some who oppose Zionism, have denounced the activities of the radical branch of Neturei Karta. According to The Guardian, "[e]ven among Charedi, or ultra-Orthodox circles, the Neturei Karta are regarded as a wild fringe". ^[8] Neturei Karta claims that the mass media deliberately downplays their viewpoint and makes them out to be few in number. Their protests in America are usually attended by, at most, a few dozen people. In Israel, several hundred is typical, depending on the nature of the protest and its location. ^[9] Orthodox Judaism is one of the three major branches of Judaism. ... For other uses, see Guardian. ... Haredi or chareidi Judaism is the most theologically conservative form of Orthodox Judaism. ...

1947-current

The small faction of Orthodox Zionists were the most prominent representatives of Jewish religious communities when the United Nations voted to partition Palestine on November 29, 1947. However, representatives of another Orthodox party, Agudath Israel, actually asked the General Assembly to vote against partition. Nevertheless, Agudath Israel reevaluated its position upon the establishment of Israel and has been a participant in most governments since that time (though it still will not accept a ministerial portfolio as a result). Neturei Karta maintained their previous stance, feeling they had been betrayed by their Orthodox allies. UN and U.N. redirect here. ... is the 333rd day of the year (334th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Categories: Organization stubs | Israel-related stubs | Israeli political parties | Orthodox Judaism ... United Nations General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. ...

Their opposition to Israel and Zionism continued under the leadership of Rabbi Amram Blau. The community became more insular, while forming alliances with other sects that rejected the support given by Agudat Israel to Israel's secular government after independence. Among their allies were the large and affluent Hasidic group Satmar, under the leadership of Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum, formerly of Hungary and later of New York City, as well as other Hasidic groups, some in Israel and others in the Diaspora. Members of the Neturei Karta protesting against Zionism. ... Hasidic Judaism (Hebrew: Chasidut חסידות) is a Haredi Jewish religious movement. ... Satmar is the largest Hasidic group in existence today. ... Grand Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum of Satmar Grand Rabbi Joel (Yoel) Teitelbaum, (1887-1979), known variously as Reb Yoelish and the Satmar Rav (or Rebbe) (יואל טייטלבוים), was a prominent Hungarian Hasidic rebbe and Talmudic scholar. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... The Jewish diaspora (Hebrew: Tefutzah, scattered, or Galut גלות, exile, Yiddish: tfutses), the Jewish presence outside of the Land of Israel is a result of the expulsion of the Jewish people out of their land, during the destruction of the First Temple, Second Temple and after the Bar Kokhba revolt. ...

With their help, Neturei Karta was able to withstand paying taxes to the state that they did not recognize and conversely, to avoid obtaining any benefits from that state by revitalizing the halukka distribution of funds that characterized earlier generations. As such they became a self-contained community within Israel with few formal ties to the surrounding political infrastructure. The halukka (Hebrew: החלוקּה) was an organized collection of funds for distribution among the indigent Jews in Palestine, and for the aid of those seeking to make aliyah. ...

Some elements of their rejection make clear the depth of their opposition - most will not touch paper money or coins with pictures of Zionists on them - Einstein and Montefiore are acceptable, Herzl and Weizmann are not.^{[citation needed]} They view these items as 'ritually polluted'. They will not approach the Western Wall of the Temple in Jerusalem, feeling it has been befouled by secular interests and those professing Zionism, which they see as an abomination. “Einstein” redirects here. ... Sir Moses Montefiore (October 24, 1784-July 28, 1885) was one of the most famous British Jews in the 19th century. ... Theodor Herzl Theodor Herzl (May 2, 1860–July 3, 1904) was an Austrian Jewish journalist who became the founder of modern political Zionism. ... Chaim Azriel Weizmann (Hebrew: חיים עזריאל ויצמן) November 27, 1874 – November 9, 1952) was a chemist, statesman, President of the World Zionist Organization, first President of Israel (elected February 1, 1949, served 1949 - 1952) and founder of a research institute in Israel that eventually became the Weizmann Institute of Science. ... The Western Wall by night. ...

While many in Neturei Karta chose to simply ignore the State of Israel, this became more difficult. Some took steps to condemn Israel and bring about its eventual dismantling until the coming of the Messiah. Chief among these is Rabbi Moshe Hirsch, leader of the radical branch of Neturei Karta, who served in Yasser Arafat's cabinet as Minister for Jewish Affairs. In Judaism, the Messiah (Hebrew: , Standard  Tiberian ; Aramaic: , ; Arabic: , ; the Anointed One) at first meant any person who was anointed with oil on rising to a certain position among the ancient Israelites, at first that of High priest, later that of King and also that of a prophet. ... Rabbi Moshe Hirsch is prominent for his anti-Zionist rhetoric and practices. ... Not to be confused with Yasir Arafat (cricketer). ...

Split-up of Neturei Karta into two branches

Rabbi Moshe Hirsch of Jerusalem (left) with Yassir Arafat

Rabbi Moshe Ber Beck of Monsey, NY

Neturei Karta nowadays consists of two branches: a larger and more moderate faction led by Rabbi Zelig Reuven Katzenellenbogen, and a smaller and more radical faction led by Rabbi Moshe Hirsch in Jerusalem and by Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss and Rabbi Moshe Ber Beck in New York. The latter branch, though it is significantly smaller than the more moderate branch, is more widely known and often referenced to as "Neturei Karta", leading to adherents of the larger and more moderate branch to subjected to criticism for the actions of the radical camp. Hirsch has also claimed that Katzenellenbogen intends to get rid of his own group.^[3] Image File history File links Moshehirchandarafat. ... Image File history File links Moshehirchandarafat. ... Image File history File links Rabbispeech. ... Image File history File links Rabbispeech. ... Rabbi Moshe Hirsch is prominent for his anti-Zionist rhetoric and practices. ...

The radical faction led by Hirsch maintains that a community of (Haredi) Orthodox Jews can and should be a viable minority in an Arab-controlled Palestinian state. Their main synagogue is the beis midrash 'Ohel Sarah' in the center of Meah Shearim, barely a hundred meters away from the main synagogue and educational institution of the mainstream branch, called Toireh veYiroh. For other uses, see Arab (disambiguation). ... Beth Midrash (or Beis Midrash or Beit Midrash, Hebrew בית מדרש) (plural batei or botei midrash) literally means a House [of] Interpretation or House [of] Lecturing or House [of] Learning in Hebrew. ... Meah Shearim, Hundred Gates, is one of the oldest neighborhoods of extra-mural Jerusalem. ...

Rabbi Hirsch claims that there is a striking accord between the views of Neturei Karta and those of Fatah, which was the dominant party in the Palestinian Authority until the 2006 Palestinian election: both favour a secular and non-sectarian government in Palestine. He has also sought refugee status at the UN for members and sympathizers of Neturei Karta.^{[citation needed]} Fatah (Arabic: ); a reverse acronym from the Arabic name Harakat al-Tahrir al-Watani al-Filastini (literally: Palestinian National Liberation Movement) is a major secular Palestinian political party and the largest organization in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), a generally secular multi-party confederation. ... The West Bank The Palestinian National Authority (PNA or PA) is a semi-autonomous state institution nominally governing the bulk of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (which it calls the Palestinian Territories). It was established as a part of Oslo accords between the PLO and Israel. ... Wikinews has news related to this article: Hamas wins Palestinian election On January 25, 2006, elections were held for the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), the legislature of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). ... Sectarianism is an adherence to a particular sect or party or denomination, it also usually involves a rejection of those not a member of ones sect. ...

In America, the Neturei Karta are led by Rabbi Moshe Ber Beck of Monsey, New York. They affiliate with the radical branch led by Rabbi Moshe Hirsch. Ber Beck has courted controversy by meeting with Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan, ^[10] who has been accused of inciting antisemitism and of describing Judaism as a "dirty religion." After meeting with the representatives from Neturei Karta, Farrakhan indicated he would be more cautious in his choice of words in the future.^[11] Monsey is a hamlet (and also a census-designated place) located in Rockland County, New York. ... The Nation of Islam (NOI) is a religious and social/political organization founded in the United States by Wallace Fard Muhammad in 1930 with the self-proclaimed goal of resurrecting the spiritual, mental, social, economic condition of the black man and woman of America and belief that God will bring... Louis Farrakhan (born Louis Eugene Walcott, May 11, 1933), is the acting head of the Nation of Islam (NOI) as the National Representative of Elijah Muhammad. ... Manifestations Slavery Racial profiling Lynching Hate speech Hate crime Genocide (examples) Ethnocide Ethnic cleansing Pogrom Race war Religious persecution Gay bashing Blood libel Paternalism Police brutality Movements Policies Discriminatory Race / Religion / Sex segregation Apartheid Redlining Internment Anti-discriminatory Emancipation Civil rights Desegregation Integration Equal opportunity Counter-discriminatory Affirmative action Racial... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

In 2002, during Israel's Operation Defensive Shield, the Israeli military discovered numerous documents ^[12] from Arafat's headquarters, including records of payments from the Palestinian Authority to Rabbi Hirsch totaling $55,000. Rabbi Hirsch's son, however, denied that any payment was accepted.^{[13] [14] [15]} Combatants  Israel (Israel Defense Forces) Fatah (Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades & Tanzim) Hamas Palestinian Islamic Jihad Palestinian security forces Commanders Aluf Itzhak Eitan (Central commander) Strength Golani Brigade, Nahal Brigade, Paratroopers Brigade, 5th Reserve Infantry Brigade, 408th Reserve Infantry Brigade, Jerusalem Brigade(reserve), Shayetet 13, Armor and Engineering forces. ... The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (Hebrew: צבא ההגנה לישראל Tsva Ha-Haganah Le-Yisrael ([Army] Force [for] the Defense of Israel), often abbreviated צהל Tsahal, alternative English spelling Tzahal, is the name of Israels armed forces... The West Bank The Palestinian National Authority (PNA or PA) is a semi-autonomous state institution nominally governing the bulk of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (which it calls the Palestinian Territories). It was established as a part of Oslo accords between the PLO and Israel. ...

Death of Yasser Arafat

After two men associated with the radical branch of Neturei Karta participated in a 2004 prayer vigil for Yasser Arafat outside the Percy Military Hospital in Paris, France, where he lay on his death bed, the radical branch of Neturei Karta was widely condemned by other Orthodox Jewish organizations, including many other anti-Zionist Haredi organizations both in New York and Jerusalem. Rabbi Moshe Hirsch, and what the Hirsch's faction described as an "impressive contingent" of other members, attended Arafat's funeral in Ramallah. Not to be confused with Yasir Arafat (cricketer). ... This article is about the capital of France. ... Rabbi Moshe Hirsch is prominent for his anti-Zionist rhetoric and practices. ...

Relations with Iran and Mahmoud Ahmedinejad

On September 7, 2006

In October 2005, radical Neturei Karta leader Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss issued a statement criticizing Jewish attacks on Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Weiss wrote that Ahmadinejad's statements were not "indicative of anti-Jewish sentiments", but rather, "a yearning for a better, more peaceful world", and "re-stating the beliefs and statements of Ayatollah Khomeini, who always emphasized and practiced the respect and protection of Jews and Judaism." ^[16] Image File history File links Neturei_karta2. ... Image File history File links Neturei_karta2. ... Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss is a religious leader of the Neturei Karta. ...  [1] (born October 28, 1956)[2] is the sixth and current President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. ... Ayatollah Khomeini founded the first modern Islamic republic Ayatollah Seyyed Ruhollah Khomeini (آیت‌الله روح‌الله خمینی in Persian) (May 17, 1900 – June 3, 1989) was an Iranian Shia cleric and the political...

In the United Kingdom, Rabbi Yosef Goldstein testified on behalf of Abu Hamza al-Masri of the Finsbury Park Mosque, who in recordings has called for the murder of Jews and infidels. Rabbi Goldstein testified that he and Abu Hamza had a "friendly and cordial relationship."^[17] Abu Hamza al-Masri (أبو حمزة المصري) (born 15 April 1958) is a Sunni Muslim leader in the United Kingdom, currently serving a seven-year prison sentence for soliciting murder and inciting racial hatred. ... Finsbury Park Mosque Finsbury Park mosque in Finsbury Park, London, England was built c. ...

In March 2006, several members of Neturei Karta's radical branch visited Iran where they met with Iranian leaders, including the Vice-President, and praised Ahmadinejad for calling for the State of Israel to be "wiped from the pages of history." The spokesmen commented that they shared Ahmadinejad's aspiration for "a disintegration of the Israeli government". In an interview with Iranian television reporters, Rabbi Weiss remarked, "The Zionists use the Holocaust issue to their benefit. We, Jews who perished in the Holocaust, do not use it to advance our interests. We stress that there are hundreds of thousands Jews around the world who identify with our opposition to the Zionist ideology and who feel that Zionism is not Jewish, but a political agenda...What we want is not a withdrawal to the ‘67 borders, but to everything included in it, so the country can go back to the Palestinians and we could live with them..." ^[18][19]

Neturei Karta fringe members at the International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust in Iran.

The radical faction of Neturei Karta asserts that it has helped improve the situation of Jews still living in Iran, and was integral to the efforts to help free thirteen Iranian Jews who were arrested in 1999, convicted of spying for Israel in May 2000, and finally released in 2001 and 2003. ^[20][21] Image File history File links Jews_at_2006_Iran_Holocaust_conference. ... Image File history File links Jews_at_2006_Iran_Holocaust_conference. ... Participants on the first day of the conference. ...

Tehran Holocaust Conference Controversy

In December 2006, members of Neturei Karta, including Yisroel Dovid Weiss, attended the International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust, a controversial conference being held in Tehran, Iran that attracted a number of high-profile Holocaust-deniers.^[22] Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss is a religious leader of the Neturei Karta. ... Participants on the first day of the conference. ... For other uses, see Tehran (disambiguation). ...

Weiss's speech, as presented in the audio recording of the conference, contained the following statement about the Holocaust:

"The holocaust is something which is, I believe, (and I’ve heard many speakers here say) is something which is very hard to say that the Jewish people did not suffer. I mean somebody has to be, I think, either very very embittered or a person who doesn’t want to open his mind to study, to say that the Jewish people weren’t exterminated. The fact is that there were millions and millions of Jewish people living in Europe before World War II. Poland, the statistics say around 3 million, and Hungary there was over half a million, maybe close to a million and you go through Slovakia, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Ukraine, they were all full of Jewish people, full of Jewish communities and today they don’t exist. And almost nobody tries to refute that. It would be ridiculous to refute it because the fact is, the Jewish people were there and now they are not there.

Now maybe I can say that at the discussion of the holocaust, I may be the representative, the voice of the people who died in the holocaust because my grandparents died there. They were killed in Auschwitz. My parents were from Hungary. My father escaped and his parents remained. He wasn’t able to get them out of Hungary and they died in Auschwitz as were other relatives and all the communities that they knew. So to say that they didn’t die, to me you can not say that. I am the living remnant of the people who died in the holocaust and I am here, I believe sent by God, to humbly say, simply to speak to the people here and say, 'you should know that the Jewish people died, and do not try to say that it did not happen. They did die.' There are people throughout the Jewish communities, still alive in their seventies and eighties and every one of them will tell you their stories. It is something which you cannot refute, but that being said, it doesn’t mean that the holocaust is a tool to use to oppress other people."^[23]

They praised Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and expressed solidarity with the Iranian position of anti-Zionism.^[24] Rabbi Yonah Metzger, the chief Ashkenazi Rabbi of Israel, immediately called for those who went to Tehran to be put into 'cherem', a form of excommunication. ^[25] Subsequently the anti-Zionist Satmar Hasidic group called on Jews to “to keep away from them and condemn their actions”. ^[26]  [1] (born October 28, 1956)[2] is the sixth and current President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. ... Anti-Zionism is opposition to Zionism, an international political movement that supports a homeland for the Jewish people in Palestine[1][2] Anti-Zionism takes many forms, ranging from political or religious opposition to the idea of a Jewish state, to rejecting Israels right to exist and the legitimacy... Rabbi Yona Metzger Yona Metzger (יונה מצגר) (born 1953) is the current Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, appointed in 2003. ... Cherem (or Herem חרם), is the highest ecclesiastical censure in the Jewish community. ... Satmar is the largest Hasidic group in existence today. ...

On Thursday, 21 December, the Edah HaChareidis rabbinical council of Jerusalem also released a statement calling on the public to distance itself from those who went to Iran. The Edah's statement followed, in major lines, the Satmar statement released a few days earlier ^[27] The Edah HaCharedis (Hebrew: העדה החרדית HaEdah HaCharedis), also written Edah Haredit, is a prominent Haredi rabbinical body in present-day Jerusalem. ...

In January 2007, 350 protesters stood outside the radical Neturei Karta synagogue in Monsey, New York, demanding that they leave Monsey and move to Iran.^[28] On April 1st, 2007, there was a fire in this building. Although police initially treated the fire as suspicious,^[29] local and federal investigators have found no evidence of arson.^[30]

Condemnation by moderate branch of Neturei Karta

Condemnation poster

The larger branch of Neturei Karta, led by Rabbi Zelig Reuven Katzenellenbogen, issued a strongly worded condemnation of the radical branch, after several of its members had visited Iran to participate in the "International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust." Below is a rough translation. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 438 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (549 × 751 pixel, file size: 112 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Condemnation of the extremist faction of Neturei Karta issued by its mainstream branch. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 438 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (549 × 751 pixel, file size: 112 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Condemnation of the extremist faction of Neturei Karta issued by its mainstream branch. ... Participants on the first day of the conference. ...

To clarify and to enlighten
It is now close to 60 years since the Zionists established their rule over Eretz Yisroel (the Land of Israel) by founding the impure Zionist state, which brazenly stole the name "Israel" and has waged a full and open war against God through its mere existence...
And this new path, which has never been the path of our forefathers and our rabbis, to replace the study of the Jewish viewpoint regarding the exile with matters of state and political affairs, and to mingle with the peoples, and to try to bring about the dismantlement of the Zionist state by force...
And because of this we have found it to be our duty to clarify:
That these actions go straight against the views of the leadership of Neturei Karta,
AND IT IS THE TOTAL OPPOSITE OF THE WAYS OF NETUREI KARTA
We must clarify how much we have been hurt by the huge desecration of God's Name caused by these actions and it is impossible to remain silent on this issue. The Land of Israel (Hebrew: אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, Eretz Yisrael, also the Promised Land) is the land given to the Jewish people in the Bible. ...

Rabbi Daniel Biton, a Beit Shemesh-based Neturei Karta scholar, published a book in which he severely criticized the radical faction for their deep involvement in “the Internet and the international media,” secular media they use to advance their message, and more importantly, for their “partnership and connection to Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian politics which involves serious transgressions.”

See also

• Haredim and Zionism
• Anti-Zionism
• Yisroel Dovid Weiss
• Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Israel
• Moshe Aryeh Friedman

The relationship between Haredim and Zionism has always been a difficult one. ... Anti-Zionism is opposition to Zionism, an international political movement that supports a homeland for the Jewish people in Palestine[1][2] Anti-Zionism takes many forms, ranging from political or religious opposition to the idea of a Jewish state, to rejecting Israels right to exist and the legitimacy... Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss is a religious leader of the Neturei Karta. ... During his presidency, Mahmoud Ahmadinejads speeches and statements have contributed to increased tensions between Iran and Israel, and between Iran and a few Western nations. ... Moshe Aryeh (or Moishe Aryeh) Friedman is a political activist who often attends high profile anti-Israel demonstrations and conventions. ...

Footnotes

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 141st day of the year (142nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Talmud (Hebrew: ) is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history. ... A ketubah is a Jewish marriage contract. ... is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ynetnews is an English language Israel news and content website operated by Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel’s most-read newspaper, and the Hebrew Israel news portal, Ynet. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 65th day of the year (66th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The May 16, 1948 Palestine Post headline announcing the creation of the state of Israel The Jerusalem Post is an Israeli daily English language broadsheet newspaper, originally founded on December 1, 1932, by American journalist-turned-newspaper-editor Gershon Agron as the The Palestine Post. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 65th day of the year (66th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Jewish United Fund / Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago (JUF) is the umbrella Jewish organization in Chicago, Illinois. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 65th day of the year (66th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Guardian. ... The Nation of Islam (NOI), also known as the Black Muslim Movement (although the term is discouraged by the NOI), is a spiritual and political black separatist movement founded in America in 1930 by Wallace Fard Muhammad (1877- ?). The Nation of Islam has a somewhat tenuous connection to mainstream Islam... Maariv House (the newspaper headquarters) in Carlebach street, Tel Aviv Maariv (Hebrew: , transl. ... Arutz Sheva (Channel Seven) is a right-wing Israeli online media network identifying with Religious Zionism. ... Ynetnews is an English language Israel news and content website operated by Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel’s most-read newspaper, and the Hebrew Israel news portal, Ynet. ... The Jerusalem Post is an Israeli newspaper in the English language. ... Reuters Group plc (LSE: RTR and NASDAQ: RTRSY); pronounced is known as a financial market data provider and a news service that provides reports from around the world to newspapers and broadcasters. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... Ynetnews is an English language Israel news and content website operated by Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel’s most-read newspaper, and the Hebrew Israel news portal, Ynet. ... Ynetnews is an English language Israel news and content website operated by Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel’s most-read newspaper, and the Hebrew Israel news portal, Ynet. ... is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed internationally. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 65th day of the year (66th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Journal News is a newspaper serving the New York counties of Westchester, Rockland, and Putnam. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... The first edition of The New York Post of July 6, 2004 incorrectly declared that U.S. presidential candidate John Kerry would choose U.S. Representative Dick Gephardt to be his vice-presidential running mate that day (in reality, Kerry chose John Edwards). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 95th day of the year (96th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Links supporting Neturei Karta

• Neturei Karta official home page
• Interview with Rabbis Weiss and Cohen of Neturei Karta on Iranian Television
• Declaration on ‘the Palestine issue’ by Neturei Karta of the UK
• Interview: Rabbi Beck of Neturei Karta (1991)
• Mitchell Kaidy. Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. "Neturei Karta, Shunned by Media, Makes Jewish Anti-Zionism Known"
• 'The Guardians of the City', by Uriel Zimmer, about the history of Neturei Karta and Jewish anti-Zionism

Links opposing Neturei Karta

• Anti-Defamation League on Neturei Karta
• Rabbi Moshe Hirsch, PLO Agent by Daniel Pipes (Weblog) September 25, 2004
• Neturei Karta ("Jews Against Zionism") Definition (Zionism and Israel - Encyclopedic Dictionary)
• Israelnn.com: Neturei Karta "Rabbi" Received $55,000 from Arafat
• Condemnation of Neturei Karta in the Yated Neeman Litvish Haredi newspaper, without naming Neturei Karta
• Aish.com: Israeli Yeshiva strongly criticising NK
• 'From the Language of G-d to the Language of the Devil', by Prof. Beer Chaim, Ben Gurion University of the Negev

Neutral links Daniel Pipes in Copenhagen Daniel Pipes (born September 9, 1949) is an American historian and analyst who specializes in the Middle East. ... Yated Neeman (Hebrew: יתד נאמן) is a Hebrew language daily newspaper published in Bnei Brak, Israel. ... Lithuanian Jews, (In Yiddish known as Litvish or Litvaks) are Ashkenazi Jews who have their origins in historic Lithuania. ...

• In a state over Israel, The Guardian.
• "The unorthodox orthodox", The Guardian.
• 'We do not believe, we will not follow', by Micha Odenheimer
• New York Rabbi Finds Friends in Iran and Enemies at Home -- from The New York Times, Jan. 15, 2007

Books For other uses, see Guardian. ... For other uses, see Guardian. ...

• A Threat from Within: A Century of Jewish Opposition to Zionism. (Zed Books/Palgrave Macmillan, 2006) ISBN 1842776991