Committing High Reason

Imagine a national army that serves not just to defend a country but to shape its very identity—welcome to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). We promise to unravel the reasons behind the Haredim's refusal to serve in the IDF, exploring the army's role in promoting Zionist ideology and its mission to culturally and ideologically reform its soldiers. Drawing from historical insights and controversial perspectives, we challenge the notion of the IDF as merely a conventional military force and delve into its deeper purpose.Ever wondered what it means to be Israeli in a nation where citizenship and nationality aren't synonymous? We'll dissect Israel's Nation-State Law and how it delineates Jewish self-determination while impacting non-Jewish citizens like the Druze. This conversation extends to the broader socio-political implications of military service, revealing the unequal burdens placed on different segments of Israeli society. The episode also critiques the creation of a synthesized Jewish identity through both the Israeli education system and the IDF, questioning the historical narrative that ties Jews to a national self-determination movement.Join us as we navigate the ideological divides within Israeli society, focusing on the tension between secular, Zionist, and Orthodox Jewish cultures. From the perspectives of former Knesset member Mikhail Ben-Ari to the experiences of diverse communities, we expose the ongoing battle between Zionism and traditional Judaism. Discover how the IDF has historically functioned as a melting pot, reshaping Jewish identity and what it means to be Israeli, all while contending with claims of religious indoctrination and cultural assimilation. Don't miss this in-depth exploration of one of Israel's most contentious issues.

Join us on a thought-provoking journey through the 10 Commandments alongside esteemed guest, Bruce Fine, a distinguished Washington D.C. lawyer. As we navigate through the intricacies of interpreting the Torah and the law, I explain that it's not even possible to fathom the full reasoning behind commandments. The conversation takes an introspective turn as we ponder over the concept of G-d's justice, the idea of existence beyond the physical realm, and our purpose of inspiring others. Bruce and I grapple with the intriguing idea of why humans, with their innate ability for higher thinking, engage in actions not crucial for survival, emphasizing the tension between the body and soul.We wrap up the episode with a hearty discussion on truth and moral decay, exploring why justice and truth are central to our existence as humans. We delve into the Jewish perspective on war, battles, the importance of self-control, wisdom, and justice. Within the principles of Judaism, as we discuss,  are eternal ideas like justice, fairness, and honor that form the bedrock of a stable society. So, tune in and open your mind to a great conversation that promises to challenge, enlighten and inspire.

Fighting Israel's actions without denying the driving ideology behind them is futile. That ideology is Zionism, which claims that Israel is not the country of its citizens but of all Jews. Thus, any association between Jews and Israel strengthens Zionism, including when Jews feel obligated to protest Israel as Jews .  The only effective way to defeat Zionism is for Jews to say - like Jacob Blaustein and the WJC once did - that Israel has nothing to do with the Jews and has no business being anything but a normal, democratic state, and Jews have no more reason to involve themselves as Jews in its politics any more than they do any foreign country. The more Jews distance themselves from Israel the weaker Zionism gets; the more Jews associate themselves with Israel, even by protesting its actions, the stronger Zionism gets.Jacob Blaustein and WJC's objections to Israel claiming to be the Jewish StateLeft Win Zionism and Jiewhs Identity, with Ronnie Barkan

Israel: Jewish and democratic state 1953 Education law and etc.ADL "deeply disappointed" in John Kerry's statement

Also important on this topic: https://www.committinghighreason.com/why-israel-has-so-many-elections/

At this week's gala WZO 125th Anniversary soiree in Basel, Switzerland, Israel's "Minister of Diaspora Affairs" made mentioned a "deal" between Ben Gurion and Jacob Blaustein regarding the relationship between American Jewry and Israel. He called for a renewed such "agreement" to be made today. But the way the story was described is fiction. American Jews complained to Ben Gurion that Israel was putting American Jews in danger. Ben Gurion promised to change Israel's presentation of itself as the Jewish state, but he betrayed his promise, as did Zionist leaders, repeatedly. In this podcast, the real story of Israel's betrayal of American Jewry.The Times of Israel articleBen Gurion's letter to the AJCPhoto: Jospeh Proskauer. Bain, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

SInce 1996, Israel has had elections more often than any democratic country in the world, according to a report by the Israel Democracy Institute. What is ti about the state of Israel that makes its government so unstable?Episode Photo by Laliv g - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77887884

Why the terrorists will not win, and how Zionism prevents Israelis from stopping it.Links:Officials expect terror wave to last all yearKilling Sinwar is not a solution

"It's worse than the McCarthy era".Veteran Ambassador Chas Freeman discusses the astounding and unprecedented level of disinformation and propaganda produced today by our politicians and the media, especially as it relates to what he learned in his many years as a US diplomat. 

Boruch Mordechai was an Orthodox Jewish USAF airman who was constantly asked why he is serving in his own country's military and not Israel's. That is, until he served in Qatar.

Journalist Lee Stranahan posted this on Twitter: Dear @yaakov_shapiro Do you think it's fair to call the state of Israel a "Psuedo theocracy?"It seems to use The APPEARANCE of being a religious government, but in reality it only has all the authoritarian bigotry and none of the actual reverence of religion.Great question, Lee. The answer is no. Here's why.

Zionist lore says Herzl became a Zionist after witnessing the Dreyfus Affair and hearing the crowd chant "Kill the Jews." But historical evidence shows that's not what made Herzl into a Zionist, (and also the crowd did not chant "Death to the Jews").Links to Sources CitedThe Jews' state, Theodor Herzl; translated, and with an introduction by Henk OverbergThe Diaries of Theodor Herzl, Edited by Marvin LowenthalHerzl's Vision: Theodor Herzl and the Foundation of the Jewish State by Shlomo AvineriCohn, Henry J. “Theodor Herzl's Conversion to Zionism.” Jewish Social Studies 32, no. 2 (1970): 101–10. Photo of Alfred Dreyfus by Aron Gerschel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Many Judaic Studies instructors have been found to harbor a disdain for ultra-Orthodox Jews, which skews their academic portrayals of them and their ideology. Prof. Norton Mezvinsky explains.Episode photo: In the 18th century, as interest in the "curiosities" of the Jewish religion rose, some non-Jews had models of synagogues erected, furnished with a full array of Jewish books and ceremonial objects, and accessible to a broad public, constituting the world's first "Jewish museums." This title page is from a book by Moritz Wilhelm Christiani, which describes such a replica, owned by Georg Serpilius, a Christian Hebraist. (Picture and text from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_studies ).

In denigrating the Rebitzen of the ultra-Orthodox Satmar chasidim, a professor writes of a story involving a wedding that took place 40 years ago. That was Rabbi Shapiro's wedding. In this podcast, he sets the record straight.https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-time-seem-to-speed-up-with-age/

One of the country's foremost experts on missile defense systems evaluates the Iron DOme's capabilities against the claims of the Israeli government. The results are surprising.

In 1967, in order to garner US support for their attack on Egypt, Israel falsely claimed to have been under existential threat by Egypt, who was planning on attacking Israel, perpetrating another Holocaust. The truth was quite different. Miko Peled, son of IDF General Matityahu Peled, is my guest.

Portraying Jews as if they are nationals of the state of Israel puts Jews in danger, as the enemies of Israel will automatically become the enemies of all Jews. The state of Israel itself has been doing this since its inception, and Zionists have been doing it for over a century. But history - and the data - shows that this anti-semitism can be reduced. And it is in our hands to do it. This podcast shows us how,

During and after the Gaza war,  Jews in America have been subject to anti-Semitic attacks by pro-Palestinian activists who think of all Jews as connected to the state of Israel. Astoundingly,  Zionists are responding by flaunting their Zionism, which just provokes more anti-Semitism.  

Once, Eli had no interest in Judaism because he thought it meant being a Zionist. Today he is a rabbi. This is his story.

The students of Rabbi Abraham and Zvi Yehuda Kook incorporated into their Judaism large doses of organic nationalism, pagan land worship, militarism, and end-of-days Messianism, combining them into a new, autonomous philosophy that they call Dati Leumi ("National Religious") Judaism.Photo by SoWhAt249 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64048771

Hume claimed the fact we can conceive of something coming into existence without a cause shows it is possible. He's wrong not only about his conclusion but his premise as well. https://www.jstor.org/stable/43301996?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents (Note: Wolfson is incorrect about the argument from design not being used in Jewish philosophy as an independent proof to the existence of G-d. It certainly is.)https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/cosmological-argument/Photo by Alex Andrews from Pexels

There are many reasos Orthodox Jews oppose Zionism: It is the antithesis of Judaism, and encourages anti-Semitism. Here are the 3 of many reasons to be anti-Zionist.

Israeli human rights activist, Ronnie Barkan, explains how both right-wing and left-wing Zionists are both equally Zionist at bottom, the only difference being the right-wing is open about their policies. The left-wing profess to be liberal but are really anything but.

There is no "new anti-Semitism." Anti-Semitism has not mutated to include anti-Zionism. Instead, accepting the unintelligible Zionist definition of Jewish identity has caused Zionists to be defined out of the protected classes of minorities that society has created laws to protect. The IHRA definition is a misguided and destructive attempt to rectify this. For further reading:The Empty Wagon: Zionism's Journey From Identity Crisis to Identity TheftThe UnJewish State: The Politics of Jewish Identity in Israel

Theodor Herzl (d. 1904) is a Zionist hero, described in Israel's Declaration of Independence as the "spiritual father" of Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu referred to him as  the "Moses of our time." But Herzl was notorious for horrific anti-Semitism particularly against religious and Eastern European Jews (read this, for example) and his delusions about Zionism transforming the Jews into "normal" people, causing anti-Semitism to disappear off the face of the earth. In this episode, you will learn facts about the so-called חוֹזֵה הַמְדִינָה‎, ("Visionary of the State")  that they don't teach in the Hebrew Academy.

Miko Peled needs no introduction - he's a famous guy. But if you want, you can check out his website or podcast.  If you really want to know what kind of guy he is, though, the most emblematic snippet I can think of offhand is this:Miko Peled followed his father's footsteps at first, joining Israel's Special Forces after high school and earning the red beret, but he soon grew to regret his decision. He surrendered his status as soon as he earned it, becoming a medic, and finally, disgusted by the 1982 Lebanon invasion, he buried his service pin in the dirt. (Wikipedia)That about chalks up Miko.In this episode, Miko describes his journey from a member of an elite Zionist family - his grandfather was one of the original signers of Israel's  Declaration of Independence and his father, a general in the IDF - to a pacifistic martial arts instructor and anti-Zionist activist living in Washington DC.

The January 6th insurrection at the nation's capital that resulted in the impeachment of Donald Trump depicted the characteristics of a religion more than a political position. Prof. Gloria Moran discusses American civic religion from a legal and historical perspective, tracing its roots to its the Roman Empire.

Lee Stranahan, Republican radio host, journalist and former Breitbart reporter once thought that his peers at Breitbart - Joel Pollak and Ben Shapiro - are typical of observant Jews' attitude toward Israel, and that anti-Zionism was “a leftist thing,” directly tied to one's position in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Then one day, Lee watched a video of Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro and close to 20,000 Orthodox Jews opposing Zionism as wholly un-Jewish and rooted in anti-Semitism. Judaism to these devout Jews is a religion, not a nationality, and there is no such thing as a “nation-state” of the Jews, or Jewish nationalism (aka Zionism). This struck a chord with Lee and led him as a journalist to investigate further into the masses of mainstream Orthodox Jews who reject Zionism, and whose anti-Zionist activity is ignored by the mainstream media. His search led him to astounding revelations about the origins and ideology of Zionism, and to the discovery of a whole world of Orthodox Jews, who, independent of Israel's politics, refuse to tie their Jewish identity to any political construct – and certainly to a foreign country. This is Lee's story, Part 1. 

Studies have discovered surprising weaknesses in our decision-making process that make us vulnerable to manipulators. We may think we are making rational decisions based on clear data when in reality we are looking at the numbers through the prism of our own biases.  These biases are exploited by people who want us to make certain decisions. We do so, without knowing we are being manipulated. In this episode, Rabbi Shapiro explains how you can protect yourself from a particularly sly type of psychological manipulation used by politicians, advertisers, salesmen, and others who want to sway our decisions.SELECTED LINKS AND MATERIAL FROM THE EPISODEThinking, Fast and Slow | Daniel KhanemanStudy on dropping the dollar sign | Cornell.edu

Reuven and Esther Guttman of Long Island arrived in Egypt for what they expected to be a routine vacation.  But when the border guards ran Esther's passport, which had her maiden name, Maimon,  on it, they discovered that she was a descendent of Maimonides (1135-1204), the revered rabbinic head of the Egyptian Jewish community in the 12th century, and personal physician of the first sultan of Egypt.  In this podcast, they describe how they were given the royal treatment by the Egyptian government as, for the first time in centuries, a family member of the revered Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon had set foot on Egyptian ground.

In February 2020 an anonymous article appeared in the Forward by a teacher in several Zionist Hebrew Day Schools, claiming they teach dual loyalty to Israel and that they need to stop. The article was met with derision, condemnation, and even denial of the author's existence. Meet the author, who no longer teaches in such schools and is safe from reprisals,  as he tells us his full story.SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODEI've taught at six Jewish day schools. They're preaching dual loyalty to Israel | Forward Jonathan Greenblatt's Response | ForwardThe meaning of Israel as the state of the Jewish people | Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jewish Leaders Denounce “Dual Loyalty” While Demanding Fealty to Israel | Forward Peter Beinart and Deborah Lipstadt Discuss Anti-Semitism in America Today | Forward (podcast) Netanyahu's Speech to Congress | videoNetanyahu's Speech to Congress | transcript“Prime Minister of the Jewish people” | Times of Israel"The leader of the Jewish state and the entire Jewish people” | ReutersNetanyahu is ‘the leader of the Jewish world,' says top aide | The Times of IsraelWhy Jonathan Pollard is still in Prison | The Jewish WeekThe NY Radio Stars Who Blamed 9/11 On The Jews–And Went Unpunished | The Jewish Press"Mike and Mad Dog Exposed as Frauds"| NY PostWe Listened To One Of The "Lost" Mike And The Mad Dog 9/11 Tapes | Deadspin