"Ask A Jew" Wednesday

[u/AutoModerator]

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.

[u/SpiritualUse121]

Me again! (I'm keen). Two parter today on Judaism, if you please:

1/2: From what I have read and heard, a (religious) Jew is someone who keeps the 613 commandments. (Mizvot?) Is that definition unanimous across different sects & denominations?

2/2: I am not religious but over the years have read a bit of Christian Old Testament & some Quran. From a theological perspective, I personally cannot reconcile Old Testament and Zionism. The current state of Israel & it's rhetoric looks & sounds like apostasy / blasphemy to me. What is your take and are there relevant commandments, beliefs or teachings which you believe are contradictory (or valid) to modern day Zionism in Judaism? EG I have heard of the Three Oaths.

TY 🙏🏻

[u/[deleted] → u/SpiritualUse121]

In regards to question 2, I think it is most accurate to state that Judaism and Torah are neither inherently Zionist or anti-Zionist. Because Zionism is a modern political ideology based on the concept of nation-states that has been around for only ~250 years. Judaism cannot be used as a trump card to entirely end any debate around Zionism. There’s no situation where you can say, “well this verse from this chapter of this book says this, and therefore Zionism is correct/invalidated.” There’s also no Jewish principles of faith that are formally recognized by all Jews, and there exists no centralized Jewish authority. We don’t have the Apostolic Creed or Nicene Creed like there is in Christianity, or Kalimat As-Shahadat in Islam.

However, I am personally unable to reconcile my understanding of Torah with a justification for Zionism.