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Correspondence

March 1972

Exchange with Ruth Weil about "The Ideology of the Neturei Karta" (1972)

Zionism

1. Ruth Weil to R. Lamm

1. Ruth Weil to R. Lamm (March 7, 1972)

1. Ruth Weil to R. Lamm (March 7, 1972)

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The Ideology of the Neturei Karta (1969)

I. Introduction A. Thank you for giving me this assignment. Until now, I’ve opposed Neturei Karta (=NK) without ever having studied its major theoretician and analyzed its arguments. Now I have been forced to do so—and I remain unconvinced and as firmly opposed. If anything, I am even more opposed—but also more respectful. B. Had genesis in 1935 when a few hundred members of Agudat Israel considered Agudah too lenient to Zionist groups, generally too moderate, and under Amram Blau seceded and formed NK. They number today several hundred families in Israel, and followers and adherents in Brooklyn and several other centers throughout Diaspora. C. "NK" means "Guardians of the City." Term appears in J.T. (Hag. 1:7) that 3 Sages, under instruction from R. Judah the Prince, traveled through land to make sure every town had teachers—of Bible and Mishnah. Came upon one town that had none, and said to townsfolk: Show us your NK, i.e., guardians of the city. Thereupon they produced police. Rabbis: No—they are destroyers of city. Who then are NK? Answer: teachers and scribes—for without them a city is fated to destruction. NR, therefore, are teachers of Torah by virtue of whom the rest of the population survives. D. NK comes to our attention usually through acts of dramatic protest or minor violence, rarely serious. Its publication restricted largely to shrill posters, polemic pamphlets, strident banners. Only serious works of any real consequence are by aging Satmarer Rebbi, R. Yoel Moshe Teitelbaum, a Rumanian Hasidic leader in U.S.A, since end of World War II, in three volumes published in the last ten years: (V.M.) (Vol. 1-1959; 11-1961) and (G.T.) (1967). It is, in essence, the continuation of the strongly held views of the Hasidic dynasty of Muncacz and their Hungarian-Rumanian followers. E. These views, by any standards—extreme. Most Orthodox Jews—even non-Zionists or even anti-Zionists—reject them, find them often reprehensible. Yet they represent a consistent ideolog…
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Article

The Ideology of the Neturei Karta According to the Satmarer Version (1971)

The obscure but highly vocal group known as the Neturei Karta was born in 1935 when a few hundred members of Agudat Israel considered the Agudah too lenient to Zionist groups, and generally too moderate, and under Amram Blau seceded and formed the Neturei Karta. They number today several hundred families in Israel, and have followers and adherents in Brooklyn and several other centers throughout the Diaspora. "Neturei Karta" means "Guardians of the City." The term appears in the Jerusalem Talmud (Chag. 1:7), which relates that three sages, under instructions from R. Judah the Prince, traveled through the land to make sure that every town had sufficient teachers of Bible and Mishnah. They came upon one town that had none, and said to the townsfolk: Show us your Neturei Karta, i.e., the guardians of the city. Thereupon they produced police (Sentorei Karta—sentries of the city). No, said the Rabbis, these are destroyers of the city. Who then are the Neturei Karta? They are the teachers and scribes, for without them a city is fated to destruction. Neturei Karta, therefore, are teachers of Torah by virtue of whom, despite their small number, the rest of the population survives. The Neturei Karta come to our attention usually through acts of dramatic protest or minor violence, rarely serious. Their publication is restricted largely to shrill posters, polemical pamphlets, and strident banners. The only serious works of any real consequence are by the aging “Satmarer Rebbe,” R. Yoel Moshe Teitelbaum, a Rumanian Hasidic leader in the U.S.A, since the end of World War II. It is true that the Neturei Karta is fragmentized around different personalities, and that—like all other groups—it contains elements that are more radical and some that are more conservative; some more pacific and “responsible,” and some more militant and “reckless.” There are differences between many of the Jerusalem group and the Rebbe from Williamsburg. Occasionally their inner dissensions have been exp…
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Correspondence

Exchange with Michael Tabor about Israel, Chabad, and Nature (1972)

Dear AdvocatieMichael: מזל טוב on your LLB! I would not have realized it had you not let the information slip in by stealth! I enjoyed your letter from כפר חב"ד. You say it confirms your views about the sociological aspects of חב"ד. I'd like you to elaborate, because I am not aware of them. Your own experience with חב"ד is so much more extensive than mine, and hence your ideas will be much more valid. I recognized your statement about למעלה מן הטבע having to be בהטבע (after all, אלקי"ם = הטב"ע), but I'm obtuse these days, & do not know how you mean this to refer to life in Israel – unless, of course, you mean that all of Israel is living on these two interpenetration planes.Incidentally, I talk up the בעל התניא's addition טבע and ווהז in my newest book, just published in Israel – תורה לשמה במשנת רבי חיים מוולוז'ין ובמחשבת הדור (by מוסד הרב קוק). If you'll let me know your address for about a month or two from now, I'll be glad to send you a complimentary copy. Have you has a chance to glance at my "Faith & Doubt?"My family speak of you often. We all join in hoping your have many merry tunes to fiddle this year, literally & metaphorically. Sorry to hear about Esther but – כן. ישנם דגים אחרים בים. כמ"ש וידגו לרוב בקרב הארץ, והזיווג המתאים לך הלואי שתזרמן לידך שזה זו ותת דרך בשנה טובה ומתוקה. שנה של שגשיג ויצירה של נחת בכל המובנים.Cordially,Norman
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