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Frayed: The Disputes Unraveling Religious Zionists
Religious Zionists are an increasingly influential part of Israeli society, and their influence is felt across the societal spectrum. They are a significant force in almost every sector of Israel, including the media and legal, military, and financial spheres. Their growing prominence, however, has created its own set of challenges. Deep ideological disagreements are dividing the Religious Zionist community from within. The political and theological glue that once unified the Religious Zionist world no longer exists, and ideological debates are creating the grounds for a possible political and social split within the Religious Zionist community. What are the larger ideas that are causing this internal tension? Who are the Religious Zionist leaders at the forefront of this divide? Is this a uniquely Israeli phenomenon or are there parallel conflicts in English-speaking Modern Orthodox communities across the globe? Frayed analyzes and discusses these issues. It takes its readers, both religious and secular, on an intellectual journey into the world of Religious Zionism. The book looks at burning issues such as the role of women in Jewish life, the scope of rabbinic authority, and the impact that the disengagement from Gaza has had on the community's relationship to the state. Along the way, readers will get an inside look at the rabbis, politicians, female scholars, yeshivot, seminaries, synagogues, halakhic rulings, and internet forums that are reshaping the face of Religious Zionism.
278 pages, Hardcover
Published August 28, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 30, 2023
Religious Zionists are destroying themselves
Yair Ettinger’s “Frayed, The Disputes Unraveling Religious Zionists” is eye-opening. He is revealing a dangerous situation that many people do not know exists. And those who know don’t know how to resolve the problem. The religious Zionist movement today in Israel is splintered. And each side, like squabbling children who fail to realize the consequences of their acts, is attacking those who disagree with them. These religious people forget their history. Such squabbles brought the destruction of the second temple in 70 CE and the exile of many Jews from Israel for some two thousand years.
• Ettinger is a prize-winning journalist with a keen eye and open mind who sees and understands his community. His book contains many narratives that depict the tragedy.
• He begins by describing three different experiences of three different women who consider themselves religious Zionists. They are involved with matters that some of the splintered groups of religious Zionists consider contrary to Jewish law, the halakha. As a result, they disparage the women. Their reaction does not reflect what religion should try to achieve. The disparaging people are not satisfying many women's needs.
• He tells us that about 22 percent of Israelis identify with religious Zionists. This is a sizable number of bickering people. It affects the entire population.
• Despite identifying as religious Zionists, the adherents have no unifying definition of religious Zionism.
• When people say they are religious Zionists, we know nothing about them unless we question them. Which one? Which rabbi do you obey? Do you believe in the equality of the sexes? What’s your opinion of non-Jews? Would you accept a female rabbi? Can a woman lead worship services? Can she say Kaddish? Should she be in the military? What kind of kippa should a Jew wear? What are your thoughts about homosexuals? What do you think of nonobservant Jews and Haredi Jews? Are American Jews OK? Are their rabbis genuinely religious? These and many more questions and issues prompt different responses from religious Zionists.
• Unfortunately, many of the responses are heated.
• In short, religious Zionist Jews are no longer united around a common idea. Broadly speaking, there are two groups. One defines what is right by what halakha and customs decree. The other is open to change, both secular and religious. But each of the two broad groups has people with different opinions. And the people of both groups are unable to work together.
Yair Ettinger’s “Frayed, The Disputes Unraveling Religious Zionists” is eye-opening. He is revealing a dangerous situation that many people do not know exists. And those who know don’t know how to resolve the problem. The religious Zionist movement today in Israel is splintered. And each side, like squabbling children who fail to realize the consequences of their acts, is attacking those who disagree with them. These religious people forget their history. Such squabbles brought the destruction of the second temple in 70 CE and the exile of many Jews from Israel for some two thousand years.
• Ettinger is a prize-winning journalist with a keen eye and open mind who sees and understands his community. His book contains many narratives that depict the tragedy.
• He begins by describing three different experiences of three different women who consider themselves religious Zionists. They are involved with matters that some of the splintered groups of religious Zionists consider contrary to Jewish law, the halakha. As a result, they disparage the women. Their reaction does not reflect what religion should try to achieve. The disparaging people are not satisfying many women's needs.
• He tells us that about 22 percent of Israelis identify with religious Zionists. This is a sizable number of bickering people. It affects the entire population.
• Despite identifying as religious Zionists, the adherents have no unifying definition of religious Zionism.
• When people say they are religious Zionists, we know nothing about them unless we question them. Which one? Which rabbi do you obey? Do you believe in the equality of the sexes? What’s your opinion of non-Jews? Would you accept a female rabbi? Can a woman lead worship services? Can she say Kaddish? Should she be in the military? What kind of kippa should a Jew wear? What are your thoughts about homosexuals? What do you think of nonobservant Jews and Haredi Jews? Are American Jews OK? Are their rabbis genuinely religious? These and many more questions and issues prompt different responses from religious Zionists.
• Unfortunately, many of the responses are heated.
• In short, religious Zionist Jews are no longer united around a common idea. Broadly speaking, there are two groups. One defines what is right by what halakha and customs decree. The other is open to change, both secular and religious. But each of the two broad groups has people with different opinions. And the people of both groups are unable to work together.
June 15, 2024
This was not a bad book. The author worked on it a long time, did his research, and presented cogent arguments.
It's just not my type of book. It aired the dirty laundry of the politics and internecine disputes about rabbinic authority in Israel. It also reminded me that many of the issues - the role of women, the status of homosexuals -- brought debate by other Jewish affiliations and the Catholic church and other denominations many, many years ago.
It's just not my type of book. It aired the dirty laundry of the politics and internecine disputes about rabbinic authority in Israel. It also reminded me that many of the issues - the role of women, the status of homosexuals -- brought debate by other Jewish affiliations and the Catholic church and other denominations many, many years ago.
January 23, 2025
For those interested in the religious political landscape in Israel this book is amazing . I had to read a chapter for my research project but was so interested went on to read the rest of the book as well .
May 15, 2024
The author allows his bias and opinions to affect his journalism
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews