Moses Hess And Modern Jewish Identity

"Koltun-Fromm's reading of Hess is of crucial import for those who study the construction of self in the modern world as well as for those who are concerned with Hess and his contributions to modern thought.... a reading of Hess that is subtle, judicious, insightful, and well supported." -- David Ellenson Moses Hess, a fascinating 19th-century German Jewish intellectual figure, was at times religious and secular, traditional and modern, practical and theoretical, socialist and nationalist. Ken Koltun-Fromm's radical reinterpretation of his writings shows Hess as a Jew struggling with the meaning of conflicting commitments and impulses. Modern readers will realize that in Hess's life, as in their own, these commitments remain fragmented and torn. As contemporary Jews negotiate multiple, often contradictory allegiances in the modern world, Koltun-Fromm argues that Hess's struggle to unite conflicting traditions and frameworks of meaning offers intellectual and practical resources to re-examine the dilemmas of modern Jewish identity. Adopting Charles Taylor's philosophical theory of the self to uncover Hess's various commitments, Koltun-Fromm demonstrates that Hess offers a rich, textured, though deeply conflicted and torn account of the modern Jew. This groundbreaking study in conceptions of identity in modern Jewish texts is a vital contribution to the diverse fields of Jewish intellectual history, philosophy, Zionism, and religious studies. Jewish Literature and Culture -- Alvin H. Rosenfeld, editor Published with the generous support of the Koret Foundation

"Rome and Jerusalem" is a famous work by Moses Hess that gave rise to the Labor Zionism movement. Hess argued for the Jews to return to Palestine and suggested a socialist country where the Jews would become agrarianized through "redemption of the soil." This book was the first Zionist work to put the question of Jewish nationalism in the context of European nationalism.

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JEWISH IDENTITY is a theological analysis of the nature & meaning of the Election of Israel, by God, as a chosen people. The "Who is a Jew?" debate in the State of Israel indicates a certain confusion about Jewish identity, even amongst Jews. Is Jewry a race, a nation, a religious denomination? What is the relation of the Election to the Law of Moses & to the Land of Israel? Can the horrors of the Holocaust be reconciled with the idea of the Election? Can the fact that the return of the Jews to the Land of Israel was largely led by agnostic & atheistic Jews be explained in light of the Election? Most Christian claims concerning Jesus as Messiah necessarily lead to the view that the Election is no longer operative or, on the contrary, does not the New Testament require an affirmation of the irrevocability of the Election? The author, a Hebrew Catholic Carmelite Priest from Haifa, Israel, presents a bold yet rigorous theological-historical approach to the "THE MYSTERY OF ISRAEL." This provocative & insightful work is sure to make many readers think about the Jewish people in new & constructive ways.

Excerpt from Moses Hess Rome and Jerusalem is not only a proud reaffirmation of the Zionist idea; it is imbued with a social pathos rooted in the belief of the Prophets in a better world and universal peace. Moses Hess was among the first champions of the modern idea of Jewish national revival, based on the ideas of social justice. In Hess's time assimilation was a militant ideology, whose champions included a number of brilliant men who inadvertently enriched Judaism. To-day assimilation is a passive trend of drifting away from Jewish life; a process of disintegration. In the 19th century assimilation meant a conscious act of self-abnegation. To-day many leave Jewish life often without noticing it themselves. A hundred years ago there was a vigorous struggle of ideologies within Jewry. Today one can hardly speak of a struggle. There are a few 'to-day who fight for assimilation on the basis of a special philosophy of Jewish life. Nevertheless, to-day disintegration is a greater threat to the Jewish future than in the 19th century. A hundred years ago self-liquidation was an ideology; to-day it is an integral part of Jewish diaspora life. In the 19th century Jewish persecution was a deterrent to national suicide; to-day Jewish equality is considered by some as an encouragement to the giving-up of the Jewish way of life. The establishment of Israel had a double effect on the diaspora: it brought some Jews back to their people 5 it strengthened assimilationist tendencies among others. Moses Hess's life story published below - is not only a piece of historical research; it is a timely pamphlet dealing with one of the most acute problems of Jewish existence to-day: the Jewish national idea versus assimilation. It should be widely read, especially by those who are seeking an answer to the question: what is the place of the Jew in the modern world? About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This Is A New Release Of The Original 1918 Edition.

Its author, Moses Hess (1812-1875), was a German socialist who brought his revolutionary zeal to the preaching of Jewish nationalism. The Revival of Israel combines a fervent sense of national destiny with ethical socialism and religious conservatism. Hess believed that Papal Rome represented the source of anti-Semitism and that universal ideals of justice and equality were inherent in the history and aspirations of the Jewish people, who could fulfill their historical promise only in their ancient Holy Land under their own rule. Without spiritual regeneration, Judaism was in danger of becoming nothing more than a creed or cult; too many German Jews had already assimilated. He looked above all to France, home of revolution, to protect the Jews, considering it the "sacred duty of Christians to help" them regain their promised land. Unnoticed at first, The Revival of Israel was later discovered and adopted by the Zionists.