Jewish fundamentalism

Jewish fundamentalism (Hebrew: ) refers to fundamentalism in the context of Judaism. The term fundamentalism was originally used in reference to Christian fundamentalism, a Protestant movement emphasizing biblical literalism. Today, it is commonly used more generally in reference to movements that oppose modernist, liberal, and ecumenical tendencies in society and their own religion and is often coupled with extremist ideologies and/or political movements. This is important in the Jewish context because the two movements most commonly associated with Jewish fundamentalism, Religious Zionism and Haredi Judaism, stray far from biblical literalism due to the importance of Oral Law within Judaism. In fact, Karaism, the Jewish movement most known for biblical literalism, is rarely considered fundamentalist. 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 most broadly associated with Jewish fundamentalism, differ in significant ways and have historically been opposed to each other (though recently there has been more overlap with the rise of the Hardal movement). Religious Zionism is more associated with political extremism while Haredi Judaism is associated with anti-modernism and maintaining control over women by men and patriarchal family structures. Haredi Judaism 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. 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 Orthodox or Haredi. Haredi Jews regard themselves as the most religiously authentic group of Jews, but other movements of Judaism disagree. Religious Zionism Religious Zionism is an ideology that combines Zionism and Orthodox Judaism.

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Related concepts (4)

Jewish religious terrorism

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