Former Hebrew school teacher: ‘Zionism is nationalism, not Judaism’

The media have at last taken up an important discussion: the relationship of Judaism and Zionism.

Many supporters of Israel say that to be Jewish means to be a Zionist; and therefore it’s anti-Semitic to be anti-Zionist.

Tziva Thier, a former Hebrew school teacher and liberal Zionist addressing the question about the difference between Zionism and Judaism said: “Anti-Zionism is being anti- a political movement that is nationalist. This is a nationalist movement. Anti-semitism is racism against a group of people because of their religion. So there is no connection. Anti-semitism is hating Jews for being Jews. Anti-Zionism is being anti- what the Zionist entity is doing right now as a colonialist apartheid country…

American synagogues and Jewish institutions freely and widely define Jewishness as Zionism. Thier responds that many orthodox Jews are anti-Zionist, and the synagogues are just wrong.

Jews are not allowed to murder innocent people. This is against Judaism. Yes– in the synagogues– they are wrong. When they will wake up? I don’t know if it will be in my lifetime, but they will. They must wake up some time… Israel is committing crimes, and it’s not Judaism, its nationalism”.

Read full article in Mondoweiss