Jerusalem, September 13, 2023; for immediate release (press inquiries: info@Judaism-Zionism.com)
Gol Kalev: “We live at a time when Judaism is under assault. Like previous large-scale assaults on Judaism, the attack is carried through the most relevent aspect of Judaism of the time – in our days, through Zionism [Judaism 3.0]”.
A Judaism 3.0 debate was held at the Begin Center with over 200 guests participating in-person and many more watching at home: “Is anti-Zionism the new anti-semitism?”
Judaism 3.0 author Gol Kalev said that anti-Zionism is much more lethal than traditional anti-Semitism: “Anti-Semitism is a threat to the safety of Jews, but not to the survival of Judaism.” Anti-Zionism, on the other hand, is both a much larger threat to the safety of all Jews (accounting for 60-80% of anti-Jewish attacks in America), and an existential threat to Judaism, since, unlike traditional anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism has destruction mechanisms.
Kalev described a hypothetical path to destruction of Judaism through anti-Zionism, including actions by the International Criminal Court, paralyzing sanctions on Israel and Israelis, arrests of Israeli soldiers, settlers, and politicians, and even confiscating financial assets of Israeli high-tech companies and individuals, “We have a proof-of-concept” he said, referring to western actions against Russian companies and individuals.
Kalev applied the lessons of the Yom Kippur war. While western governments today would stop such actions, we learned from the Yom Kippur war that “we do not just study intentions, we study capabilities”. He also applied Herzl’s conclusion that even the most friendly governments would not be able to sustain massive populist pressures against the Jews, or now, against the Jewish state.
Kalev said the solution until now was Public Diplomacy (Hasbara). Herzl mocked such efforts since one can not change dogmatic minds. By now, Kalev claims, anti-Zionism, and Israel-bashing is too entrenched in Western society for Hasbara to be effective.
The solution
We have a latent asset that we did not have in previous large-scale assaults on Judaism, Kalev said: “It is no longer popular to say I hate Jews”
“You can not say I am an anti-Semite, but you can say I am an anti-Zionist”. This is especially the case in the media and other breeding-grounds for Israel-bashing. “Once you create a global consciousness that Judaism has transformed and Zionism is the anchor of Judaism (Judaism 3.0), you can no longer say I love the Jews but I hate the Zionists.”
The attack on Judaism through anti-Zionism is done with a sword and a shield, Kalev explained. “The sword is Israel-bashing and anti-Zionism, the shield is Judaism 2.0 – the notion that Judaism is merely a religion.”
“The Israel-bashers, the anti-Zionist must stay in Judaism 2.0”, he stressed. This allows them to achieve both of their objectives: pursue with vigor their age-old opposition to Judaism (now done through anti-Zionism), and maintain their modern-day claim that they love the Jews.
They can even claim to have a zero-tolerance to anti-Semitism (the threat to Judaism in the 20th century), while partaking in anti-Zionism and Israel-bashing (the threat to Judaism in the 21st century).
In the Panel discussion that followed, Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan- Nahoum said that Rabbi Jonathan Sacks viewed anti-Semitism as a mutating virus: in middle-ages it was about religion; then a century ago it was about race – Jews as the dirty ethnicity that brings Europe down. Now the new anti-Semitism is anti-Zionism – The Jew as a collective, the Jew as the nation-state.
“The mutating virus took the expression of anti-Zionism,” she concluded.
Hassan-Nahoum is particularly disturbed with what is happening on college campuses, which she calls “left wing academic anti-Semitism, wrapped in anti-Zionism package”. She thinks it is much more dangerous than people think – since “anti-Zionism corrupts Judaism”: We are losing our kids, she says, “when they are led to believe that you can either be pro human-rights, or pro Israel.”
Paul Gross, Senior fellow at the Begin Center, shared an example of how anti-Zionism can become a gateway to broader anti-Semitism: Jeremy Corbyn’s tenure as leader of the UK Labor Party. “Not everybody who is anti-Zionist sees himself as an anti-Semite, but you would find that in anti-Zionism chat rooms and forums, there is inevitably talk of the Blood Libels, Holocaust denial, and Jews controlling the media.”
Uri Zaki, Chairman of the Herzl Center, who also serves as Chairman of Israeli left-wing Meretz party’s executive committee, cautioned about including critics of Israel in the anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism camp. He clarified:
Anti-Zionism – those who say Jews do not have right to self-determination – is anti-Semitism,“ but we have to be careful that any criticism of israel won’t be interpreted as anti-Zionism or anti-Semitism – it is not!”
Zaki also reminded that “good old anti-Semitism is present – Pittsburgh and Charlottesville had nothing to do with Israel or Zionism.” He also spoke about anti-Semites affiliated with the far-right and neo-Nazi groups: “Many of those neo-Nazis in the US and Europe, who are anti-Semites are for Israel because those anti-semites are Islamophobic, and they see a greater threat from Islam. Zaki said that in those far-right anti-Semites’ view “The weak Jews we have [in Europe and the United States] is the problem. But Israel, who knows how to deal with the Muslims, is the solution.”
The event was the sixth event hosted by the Begin Center to discuss aspects of Gol Kalev’s landmark book, Judaism 3.0
Watch the full event (Youtube)
Press-release of previous Judaism 3.0 events:
Applying Herzl’s frameworks to today’s strategic issues
Zionism and the Nationalism-Universalism debate
From Tel Aviv to Jerusalem – Zionism’s religious revival
Prof. Gil Troy and Gol Kalev debate Judaism 3.0
Amb Michael Oren and Gol Kalev discuss impact of Judaism 3.0
#1 Amazon Best-Seller in its category for New Releases, the book was chosen by the Jerusalem Report as the cover of its 2022 New Year Magazine even before published. In October 2022 the Jerusalem Post issued a Special Magazine about the book’s message
“Gol Kalev picks up where Herzl left off”
Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem
Talking about Judaism 3.0:
Watch Gol Kalev discuss how Judaism 3.0 counters the threat of anti-Zionism (Jerusalem Leaders Summit):
Watch media coverage of the fifth Judaism 3.0 Begin Center event:
JUDAISM 3.0 ADDRESSES EXISTENTIAL THREATS TO JUDAISM
Read summaries of the Jerusalem Post series showing how a broad recognition that we are in Judaism 3.0 could help counter the existential threat of Israel-bashing and anti-Zionsim:
Watch Gol Kalev discuss Judaism 3.0 in an i24 interview with Emily Frances:
A revolutionary approach to countering Israel-bashing unveiled at the Judaism 3.0 book launch:
Watch video-clips, read a recap of the book launch party
Judaism 3.0 by Gol Kalev
Mazo Publishers
In this landmark book, Gol Kalev demonstrates how Zionism has turned into the organizing principle of Judaism. It has become the primary conduit through which both Jews and non-Jews relate to Judaism – in both the positive and negative.
Through an in-depth analysis of long-term shifts in Israel and in North American Jewry, as well as assessment of global trends that impact Judaism, Kalev shows that the anchor of the Jewish nation-religion has shifted from its religious aspect (Judaism 2.0) to its national aspect (Judaism 3.0).
Tying Theodor Herzl’s original vision of Zionism to today’s realities, Kalev shows that Judaism 3.0 is not only the most accurate reflection of the contemporary state of Judaism, but also the relevant framework to address emerging threats to Judaism. First and foremost, the existential threat of Israel-bashing, which has replaced anti-Semitism as the primary currency of age-old opposition to Judaism.
“Gol Kalev does not just know Theodor Herzl – he lives and breathes Theodor Herzl…This book should trigger the conversation the Jewish community needs about Israel, Zionism, Judaism and Identity. Bravo!”
Professor Gil Troy, author – The Zionist Ideas
ייA remarkable ideas book that is about much more than the state of Judaism…One of the most important books about Judaism, Zionism and global trends of our times.”
Catherine Carlton, former Mayor of Menlo Park, Silicon Valley tech entrepreneur
“This book should play an important role in the discussions about the future of world Jewry and its relations with Israel.”
Natan Sharansky, former Chairman of The Jewish Agency, former Deputy Prime Minister of Israel
“Gol Kalev’s book has the merit to transform the very essence of the State of Israel to becoming an objective expression of Jewish identity“
Dr. Georges Yitzhak Weisz, author – Theodor Herzl: A New Reading
“This book has sparked as much conversation as it has because the premise is so interesting, so counter-intuitive and demand of us that we think many thing anew. That is perhaps the greatest gift a book can give.”
Dr. Daniel Gordis, author – We Stand Divided
“Fresh new thinking about the relationship between Judaism and Israel. Kalev picks up where Herzl left off…A must read for people of all religious and political backgrounds who want to get a deeper understanding of the state of Zionism and Judaism today.”
Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem
“A courageous thesis that must be part of any serious discussion of the future of Israel and the Jewish people.”
Michael Oren, historian, former ambassador of Israel to the United States
About the Author: Gol Kalev is a former Wall Street investment banker who has been researching Herzl and Zionism. Growing up in Tel Aviv and serving in the Israeli army, he then lived in New York and now resides in Jerusalem. He also spent time in various European cities and has traveled through both the American and European countryside, learning about contrasting world-views.
He is chairman of The AIFL Think Tank, which explores Zionism and Judaism, and has been writing analysis articles about Zionism, Europe, and global affairs for the Jerusalem Post, Jerusalem Report, Israel Hayom, The Daily Wire, The Media Line, Newsweek and Foreign Policy.
He has been praised for his unique understanding of Judaism by people throughout the political and religious spectrum. In this book, he delivers the state of Judaism as he sees it: Zionism as the anchor of Judaism.
For information about bulk purchases with a dedication page: Judaism 3.0 Holiday Gift
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For comments and inquiries: info@Judaism-Zionism.com
JUDAISM 3.0 