r/JewsOfConscience • u/AutoModerator • Jul 10 '24

AAJ "Ask A Jew" Wednesday

It's everyone's favorite day of the week, "Ask A (Anti-Zionist) Jew" Wednesday! Ask whatever you want to know, within the sub rules, notably that this is not a debate sub and do not import drama from other subreddits. That aside, have fun! We love to dialogue with our non-Jewish siblings.

47 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

134 comments sorted by

View all comments

6

u/SpiritualUse121 Non-Jewish Ally Jul 10 '24

I have a really basic question.

What do some of the lesser known terms / labels in the flairs mean & is there a guide to the differences in philopsy, culture & practice?

If someone could point me towards a guide that would be really helpful in understanding this community more.

3

u/ezkori Ashkenazi, American, raised in orthodoxy, currently cultural Jul 10 '24

Could you give some examples? I’m happy to explain to my best ability

8

u/SpiritualUse121 Non-Jewish Ally Jul 10 '24

Thank you, I appreciate it!

I am unfamiliar with:

Orthodox vs Conservative, Reconstructionist, Hiloni, Mazortim, Beta Israel, Matzpen, Jewish Communist, Post-zionist

8

u/ezkori Ashkenazi, American, raised in orthodoxy, currently cultural Jul 10 '24

Hiloni is just the Hebrew word for secular; Masorti is (what can most easily be compared to) conservative Judaism in the rest of the world that isn’t USA and Canada. Beta Israel are an ethnic group of Ethiopian Jews. I don’t know what matzpen is but can look it up and get back to you.

3

u/Conscientious_Jew Post-Zionist Jul 10 '24

From Wikipedia:

Matzpen (Hebrew: מצפן, lit. 'Compass') is the name of a revolutionary socialist and anti-Zionist organisation, founded in Israel in 1962 which was active until the 1980s. Its official name was the Socialist Organisation in Israel, but it became better known as Matzpen after its monthly publication.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matzpen

1

u/Saul_al-Rakoun Conservadox & Marxist Jul 11 '24

I've found Matzpen is spectacularly useful in understanding Israel from a Marxian and not a Liberal analytical frame.