Jewish Mythbusters: Elders of Zion |
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| We're not trying to take over the world (we swear!) | |
 by Tamar Fox, February 20, 2008 |
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The Myth: Someone has published the minutes from a meeting of a bunch of Jewish elders who are plotting world domination and discuss the various way they plan to manipulate other peoples, economies, and governments. It has widely been used to fuel anti-Semitic sentiment.
Jews As Snakes: if only we were on a plane...
Last year I had a scary experience at Vanderbilt where a professor started telling the class that the Elders of Zion were a religious group. I stepped in and immediately set the record straight, but even as I was talking I realized I didn’t know quite as much about the hoax as I’d like to.
There are some great online sources for debunking this myth. There’s always Wikipedia, which does a great job of giving background on the original document, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, with a long and very well-cited article:
The United State Holocaust Museum has a really nice page about the Protocols and all of the anti-Semitism they’ve inspired from their genesis at the turn of the 20th century through the Holocaust and to today.
Though the Protocols have been debunked over and over, they’re far from out of favor. There was a New York Times article about the Protocols in 2006 called The Anti-Semitic Hoax That Refuses to Die, and documentary called the Protocols of Zion about the rise of anti-Semitism after September 11th. Finally, there’s a Snopes page about a similarly anti-Semitic blood libel in Saudi Arabia that claims Jews use Christian blood to make hamentaschen. Snopes mentions the recent reprinting of the Protocols in an Egyptian newpaper.
Jews As Snakes: if only we were on a plane...
Last year I had a scary experience at Vanderbilt where a professor started telling the class that the Elders of Zion were a religious group. I stepped in and immediately set the record straight, but even as I was talking I realized I didn’t know quite as much about the hoax as I’d like to.There are some great online sources for debunking this myth. There’s always Wikipedia, which does a great job of giving background on the original document, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, with a long and very well-cited article:
The Protocols of the Elders of Zion (Russian: "Протоколы сионских мудрецов", or "Сионские протоколы", see also other titles) is an antisemitic and anti-Zionist plagiarism and literary forgery first published in 1903 in Russian, in Znamya; it alleges a Jewish and Masonic plot to achieve world domination.
"The Protocols" (the most brief title by which the text is known) is an early example of contemporary conspiracy theory literature, and takes the form of a speech describing how to dominate the world, the need to control the media, finance, replace traditional social order, etc. It is one of the best known and discussed examples of literary forgery, and a hoax.
The text was popularized by those opposed to Russian revolutionary movement, and was disseminated further after the revolution of 1905, becoming known worldwide after the 1917 October Revolution. It was widely circulated in the West in 1920 and thereafter. The Great Depression and the rise of Nazism were important developments in the history of the Protocols, and the hoax continued to be published and circulated despite its debunking.
The United State Holocaust Museum has a really nice page about the Protocols and all of the anti-Semitism they’ve inspired from their genesis at the turn of the 20th century through the Holocaust and to today.
Though the Protocols have been debunked over and over, they’re far from out of favor. There was a New York Times article about the Protocols in 2006 called The Anti-Semitic Hoax That Refuses to Die, and documentary called the Protocols of Zion about the rise of anti-Semitism after September 11th. Finally, there’s a Snopes page about a similarly anti-Semitic blood libel in Saudi Arabia that claims Jews use Christian blood to make hamentaschen. Snopes mentions the recent reprinting of the Protocols in an Egyptian newpaper.
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Tamar Fox has an MFA from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, but she still doesn't like sweet tea. Born and raised in Chicago, she's also lived in Iowa City, Dublin, Oxford, and Jerusalem. When she's not rocking out at honky tonks she teaches More... |
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Monica Osborne
The Protocols of Zion
Anonymous
blood bank bakery?
Hey, where can I get some Gentile plasma-flavored hamentaschen? All I ever see are raspberry, apricot and prune ... ;)
Marc Hessel
Interesting Topic...but..
About a month ago I was engaged in a passionate conversation concerning Jewish perspectives of Jesus as the messiah, in a Facebook Jews for Judaism forum.
A reply back went as follows:
Niko Paschali (Cyprus) wrote
at 7:34am on January 11th, 2008
"Yeshua's prophecy made about 2000 years ago is happening before everyone's eyes!!!
how can that be????
A NEW SANHEDRIN is in the works!
http://www.thesanhedrin.org/en/index.html
http://www.thesanhedrin.org/en/main/news.html
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=44672
The greek word employed here is the word "sunedrion"
sunedrion = SANHEDRIN !!!!!
Yeshua clearly told His followers that the Sanhedrin will take (some of) us before them (as in the days of the second Temple)."
Not agreeing with anything this guy has to say, I was still perplexed on this idea of 'council' and the websites provided. It is interesting to see the similarity behind the Elders of Zion, and this new "Sanhedrin Initiative," which includes some pretty formidable rabbim, such as Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz as HaNassi. Though the Initiative sounds ten times more legit, I am still wondering, if there is some solid prophetical reason as to why more and more rabbim are starting to formulate a 3rd Beis HaMikdash. Though I love the idea of a 3rd Temple, as I am sure every Jew would, however I am still left to wonder if this is completely radical, and outside the guidelines of Judaism in the sense that it may be way too soon for this kind of change. Consequently I am left wondering if all of this talk of the Elders of Zion has something to do with the actual ideas of this Sanhedrin Initiative/3rd Temple in Jerusalem, and if those who are opposed to Jews are trying to make some cheap spin off of it, to incite anti-semitic propaganda.
Any ideas? I know this may be far fetched but I kind of seen some linear connections here.
Anonymous
Yikes
"Though I love the idea of a 3rd Temple, as I am sure every Jew would..."
Count me out.
Marc Hessel
Re: Yikes..
If it meant the involvement of HaMoshiach?
Soccer
Marc Helles
Marc, you are a pathetic Jew for Jesus in disguise, with a whack ass dumb argument. Thats not what the prophesy is about, and that sanhedrin is accepted by nobody!
Marc Hessel
HAHAHA
Your quick to pass a judgment. You have me totally wrong my friend. Try again. 'Pathetic Jew', is this how you start your arguments? That would be as if a white supremacist went up and called you a 'dirty Jew.' That is a very ignorant thing to say, why put yourself on their level of innate idiocy? There are in fact many religious Jews that would love the idea of a 3rd temple. However is this a reality in our present society? Obviously not, so please do not get this notion twisted, as it appears you already have. I was only wondering if there was any correlation, not that I necessarily agreed with either notion, please reconsider your words.
For the record I am not a Jews for Jesus supporter, nor do I make any claims to the Christian religion, if anything I am vehemently opposed to the proselytizing of the Chrisitian ideological premise or even notion of Jesus as a Messiah. However I am not here to push my beliefs on someone, nor belittle others. As a Baal T'shuvah myself, coming from a meddled Christian upbringing, I decided at an early age what is true and what is not.
However, in light of this topic, I believe its imperative to question the dynamics of certain actions, even if these actions are supposedly for the good. Given this the idea of this Sanhedrin Initiative, I feel still uneasy about it as I am sure most would, and even though we may pray for the expediency of a Moshiach in our days, it may not necessarily justify the re-initiation of yet another Sanhedrin. My moral dilemma with this is if it is actually justifiable within the tenants of our Jewish law, and what if not would make this no different than something like the Elders of Zion-type concept where certain peoples are going against traditional Judaism for the furtherance of something not apart of prophecy.
Marc Hessel
Oh yeah and by the way..
What the heck is Rabbi Adin-Even Steinsaltz doing with this sort of group (The Sanhedrin Initiative) then? A Rabbi, whom I will say is one of if not the most formidable Rabbi in the world.
Niko Paschali
Dear Marc My reference to
Dear Marc
My reference to Yeshua and His prophetic statement regarding the Sanhedrin is in NO way anti-semitic.
Let me point out the following just to make it clear....
The Protocols of Zion is a "book" made in the pits of Gehinnom (Hell) !!!
Furthermore, if you, or anyone else for that matter, were to open te pages of the Talmud, you would also see the following with your own eyes,,,,
Did not Shammai (who some say was probably the "second greatest" man living at that time) teach that 'NO Gentile has a share in the world to come' (Sanhedrin 105a)...
Does not the Talmud also teach that the day Shammai and his followers gained control of the SANHEDRIN and passed the 18 measures (two which were against Gentiles) was as the day that the GOLDEN CALF was built! (Shabbat 17a)
So, if a SANHEDRIN, comprised of men, CAN INTRODUCE AND PASS A MEASURE comparable to the day that the Golden Calf was built, why then do you try to infer (from what I have read) that I, or Yeshua. are anti-semitic (or any idea similar). So when a previous Sanhedrin ERRED when it came to judgement, what makes you think it will not happen again!!!
This is why Yeshua cursed the Pharisees of Shammai, calling their father hasatan (John / Yochanan / Yonatan 8:44), for a RIGHTEOUS SANHEDRIN will in no way, stop a Gentile from coming to the Temle grounds (albeit, only in the court of the Gentiles) as G-D's Temple is a HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL PEOPLE (Isaiah / Yeshayahu 56:7) !!!!
Oh yes, I almost forgot...when you quote someone, the least you can do is quote the entire context of the conversation which led to my reference!
Shalom
Niko
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