Jewish fundamentalism (Hebrew: פונדמנטליזם יהודי) refers to fundamentalism in the context of Judaism. The term fundamentalism was originally used in reference to Christian fundamentalism, a Protestant movement which emphasizes a belief in biblical literalism. Today, it is commonly used in reference to movements that oppose modernist, liberal, and ecumenical tendencies within societies as well as modernist, liberal and ecumenical tendencies within specific religions and it is often coupled with extremist ideologies and/or political movements. The use of this definition is important in a Jewish context because the two movements which are most commonly associated with Jewish fundamentalism, Religious Zionism and Haredi Judaism,[1] stray far from biblical literalism due to the importance of the Oral Law within Judaism. In fact, Karaism, the Jewish movement which is well-known due to its emphasis on biblical literalism, is rarely considered fundamentalist.[citation needed]
Like other fundamentalist movements, fundamentalist Judaism usually presents itself as the only valid form of Judaism, Jewish culture, and truth. However, Religious Zionism and Haredi Judaism, the two movements which are most broadly associated with Jewish fundamentalism, differ in significant ways and historically, they have opposed each other (but recently, there has been more overlap due to the rise of the Hardal movement). Religious Zionism is more associated with political extremism while Haredi Judaism is associated with men studying torah every day and making sure all actions are in line with hashems will .[2]
Haredi Judaism consists of groups within Orthodox Judaism that are characterized by their strict adherence to halakha (Jewish law) and traditions in opposition to modern values and practices.[3][4] Its members are usually referred to as ultra-Orthodox in English; however, the term "ultra-Orthodox" is considered pejorative by many of its adherents, who prefer terms like strictly OrthodoxorHaredi.[5] Haredi Jews regard themselves as the most religiously authentic group of Jews,[6][7] but other movements of Judaism disagree.[8]
Religious Zionism is still a relatively broad term which encompasses both moderate and extremist elements. The extremist elements are frequently associated with anti-Arab racism, anti-Palestinianism and violence, frequently, they are associated with ideological inspiration from Kahanism. They have also been associated with terrorism against Palestinians and in some cases, they have also been associated with terrorism against the Israel Defense Forces. The Hilltop Youth movement is especially associated with the most extreme forms of Religious Zionism.[9]
Jewish fundamentalism was ignored for much of the 20th century, and it was only when it began to have an effect on Israeli politics and international relations that scholars began to study it in earnest.[10]
^Yuval-Davis, Nira (1999). The Personal Is Political: Jewish Fundamentalism and Women's Empowerment in In: Howland C.W. (eds) Religious Fundamentalisms and the Human Rights of Women. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 33–42. ISBN978-0-312-29306-2.
^Raysh Weiss. "Haredim (Charedim), or Ultra-Orthodox Jews". My Jewish Learning. What unites haredim is their absolute reverence for Torah, including both the Written and Oral Law, as the central and determining factor in all aspects of life. ... In order to prevent outside influence and contamination of values and practices, haredim strive to limit their contact with the outside world.
^"Orthodox Judaism". Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs. Archived from the original on 2012-05-16. Retrieved 2019-05-15. Haredi Judaism, on the other hand, prefers not to interact with secular society, seeking to preserve halakha without amending it to modern circumstances and to safeguard believers from involvement in a society that challenges their ability to abide by halakha.
^Tatyana Dumova; Richard Fiordo (30 September 2011). Blogging in the Global Society: Cultural, Political and Geographical Aspects. Idea Group Inc (IGI). p. 126. ISBN978-1-60960-744-9. Haredim regard themselves as the most authentic custodians of Jewish religious law and tradition which, in their opinion, is binding and unchangeable. They consider all other expressions of Judaism, including Modern Orthodoxy, as deviations from God's laws.
^"Orthodox Judaism". Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs. Archived from the original on 2012-05-16. Retrieved 2019-05-15. Orthodox Judaism claims to preserve Jewish law and tradition from the time of Moses.
