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Originally posted by S1m0n:

Clearly, this is a term ("chosen race")which held currency in zionist circles of the pre-war era, which is exactly the context in which he is employing it. Since the Nazis, it's use has been curtailed, for exactly the reasons I identified. However, It appears regularly in the literature of the nineteenth and early 20th centuries. I can't speak for any parallel term in hebrew, but only for what I've seen in english.

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You found a quote from Gandhi. I have never seen the term "chosen race" in Jewish literature. I have never even heard of Jews refer to themselves as a "race". Certainly, the Nazis maintained infamous racial theories, where Jews (and many others) were racially classifed. But Jews never did that, because Jews are not a race in any sense of the word, are they?

Have you got any examples in mind from any Jewish literature? Or never mind literature, a single instance of when a Jewish person used this term? Just one single example will do.

[ETA: Sorry Michelle, I made the same mistake - this should be in Canadian Politics.]

[ 06 July 2006: Message edited by: unionist ]

[ 06 July 2006: Message edited by: unionist ]

Here's Benjamin Disraeli, member of parliament and future Prime Minister, making the argument that Zionism is the antithesis of communism, and should be supported on that basis. The reference is from his 1852 volume, Lord George Bentinck: A Political Biography.

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{p. 324} They may be traced in the last outbreak of the destructive principle in Europe. An insurrection takes place against tradition and aristocracy, against religion and property. Destruction of the Semitic principle, extirpation of the Jewish religion, whether in the mosaic or in the christian form, the natural equality of man and the abrogation of property, are proclaimed by the secret societies who form provisional governments, and men of Jewish race are found at the head of every one of them. The people of God co-operate with atheists; the most skilful accumulators of property ally themselves with communists; the peculiar and chosen race touch the hand of all the scum and low castes of Europe! And all this because they wish to destroy that ungrateful Christendom which owes to them even its name, and whose tyranny they can no longer endure.

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Disraeli was born jewish, but was a later convert to christianity in order (it is assumed) to escape a british law preventing Jews from entering the House of Commons.

Hre's another, taken from Disraeli's Novel Alroy, about a Jewish Messiah.

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King! Why what’s a king? Why should one man break the equal sanctity of our chosen race? Is their blood purer than our own? We are all the seed of Abraham.

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For a more recent example, here's Sir Michael Gilbert, (or at least a blurber working on his behalf) summarizing one of his books of Jewish history:

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Bestselling author and historian, Martin Gilbert describe the triumphs and tragedies of a momentous century for the Jewish people. The Jewish story is an extraordinary one: of a 'chosen race' but a 'difficult people', living in all countries but until recently without one to call its own. Over the last one hundred years and across the world, Jews have been subjects and citizens, refugees and victims, as well as making enormous contributions to business, medicine, science, culture and political thought. The achievements of individual Jews in the 20th century are well known - Einstein and Kafka alone epitomize science and literature - and as a race they suffered that period's greatest tragedy. This powerful photographic history brings the turbulence and dynamism of the century vividly to life.

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However, your challenge is a little silly: none of Gandhi's readers would have been startled by his belief that contemporary zionists believed themselves to be the 'chosen race', and that Israel was the fulfillment of this promise.

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Originally posted by unionist:
But Jews never did that, because Jews are not a race in any sense of the word, are they?

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Well, actually they are.

1. Science is confirming that jews world-wide share common ancestry.*

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By Rabbi Yaakov Kleiman

Recently published research in the field of molecular genetics – the study of DNA sequences – indicates that Jewish populations of the various Diaspora communities have retained their genetic identity throughout the exile. Despite large geographic distances between the communities and the passage of thousands of years, far removed Jewish communities share a similar genetic profile. This research confirms the common ancestry and common geographical origin of world Jewry.

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2. While insisting that zionism is NOT a form of racism, many jewish lobbyists paradoxically argue that it's near-opposite, anti-semitism, IS.

Here's Israeli Journalist Uri Avnery making the equation:

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So should we ignore anti-Semitism?

Definitely not. Racism is a kind of virus that exists in every nation and in every human being

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3. Finally, an examination of Israel's Law of Return will show that the primary mode by which an individual obtains this right is by descent from a jewish mother. Minor allowances are made for convert to the jewish religion, but this process has been made deliberately difficult by restricting the right of conversion to orthodox Rabbis rather than the North American mainstream (reform, etc). While Israel has not published their numbers, it is obvious that those who claim the right of return to Israel by virtue of descent must outnumber those who claim by virtue of religion by at least 9 (maybe as much as 99) to one. In fact, the vast majority would not qualify as converts under the restrictive rules governing conversion. These claim their Israeli citizenship as on the basis of descent (that is, race) rather than religion.

* Incidentally, this result is cited to refute Arthur Koestler's book, [i]the Thriteenth Tribe[/b], which makes the claim (initially written in order to combat anti-semitism, but now chiefly cited by racists) that European Jews are not members of any jewish "chose race" (there's that term again) but instead are descended from the Khazars.

[ 06 July 2006: Message edited by: S1m0n ]

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Originally posted by S1m0n:

* Incidentally, this result is cited to refute Arthur Koestler's book, [i]the Thriteenth Tribe[/b], which makes the claim (initially written in order to combat anti-semitism, but now chiefly cited by racists) that European Jews are not members of any jewish "chose race" (there's that term again) but instead are descended from the Khazars.
[ 06 July 2006: Message edited by: S1m0n ]

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Yes and this the same "principle" upon which the white supremacist, racist, and anti-semitic organization the British Israel Foundation is based upon.

British Israel

[ 06 July 2006: Message edited by: Peech ]

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Michelle
Oh my god.
I want combat pay.

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Here's the opener:

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"It is not anti-Semitic to be angry at those Jews who support Israeli policies that are oppressive. It is anti-Semitic when the anger gets directed at all Jews, or gets articulated in anti-Jewish language….
--from Healing Israel/Palestine, Michael Lerner

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[ 06 July 2006: Message edited by: Peech ]

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"It is not anti-Semitic to be angry at those Jews who support Israeli policies that are oppressive. It is anti-Semitic when the anger gets directed at all Jews, or gets articulated in anti-Jewish language….
--from Healing Israel/Palestine, Michael Lerner

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I can support this sentiment entirely, as both a strong critic of Israel and a good friend to jews and judaism.

However, I'd further observe that as long as the substance of the critism (of Israel or of anyone)is truthful, the motive of the critic is irrelevent.

[ 06 July 2006: Message edited by: Peech ]

As we saw from the recent Iranian yellow stars hoax promulgated by the Simon Weisenthal Centre and the National Post, Jewish organizations are not above making the identical accusation about thier enemies when it seems expedient.

The state or Israel, frankly, has earned the opprobrium. If they want to stop hearing it, they should stop deserving it.

[ 07 July 2006: Message edited by: S1m0n ]

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Originally posted by Michelle:
Are you continuing this thread to specifically talk about the term "chosen people" and "chosen race" and the nuances of them? If so, it might be an idea to be more specific with the thread title. Just a thought.

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Originally posted by unionist:

I won't be commenting on the race issue any more, now that the DNA evidence is coming out.

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[ 06 July 2006: Message edited by: Peech ]

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>by Rabbi Michael Lerner
July 5, 2006

Today we write those words about Israel and Palestine, yesterday about the U.S. in Iraq, tomorrow about China in Tibet, and it goes on and on. And the only solution is to break the chain of pain and say, “No more — we will not respond to violence with violence. We will follow the teaching of the Torah that says 'love the stranger' and Jesus that says 'turn the other cheek' and we will stop this madness forever if we could really sustain the courage to do that.”

This is a tough moment to say this point — and yet it needs to be said to both sides. I start with Israel only because it is the greater military power, but I'll get to a critique of the Palestinians too, so read this whole thing through. Tikkun's progressive middle path for Middle East Peace rejects any attempt to say that one side is the pure bad and the other the pure good.

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[ 06 July 2006: Message edited by: Peech ]