Download To what extent do you believe that the Jews are the chosen people?

treasured people, above all the peoples on earth.
Deuteronomy 7:6
Thinking About Chosenness
& NOW to God;
For
holy
Contemporary quotes
For you
you are
are aa thEN
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people
to God;
God,
your
God
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be
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To your God has chosen you to be God’s
treasured
people,
above
all
the
peoples
on
earth.
what
treasured people, above all the peoples on earth.
In a 2013 survey of Israelis, the
Israel Democracy Institute found
that, when asked:
extent
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believe
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people?
In a 2013 survey of Israelis, the
Israel Democracy Institute found
In a 2013 survey of Israelis, the
that, when asked:
Israel Democracy Institute found
that, when asked:
Roughly two thirds of the
Jewish respondents (64.3
percent) believe ‘very strongly’
or ‘quite strongly’ that the Jews
are indeed the chosen people.
Roughly two thirds of the
Jewish
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two thirds (64.3
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“G e o r g e W a s h i n g t o n , f o r
instance, referred to ‘the Divine
Arm visibly outstretched for our
deliverance,’ and…Thomas
Jefferson labeled America as ‘a
chosen country’ into which our
fathers were divinely led ‘as
Israel of old.’”
Sociologist Claude Fischer
“I shall be most happy indeed if
I shall be an humble instrument
in the hands of the Almighty, and
of this, his almost chosen people,
foreperpetuating
“G
o r g e W a sthe
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g t o nof
, that
for
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instance,
referred to ‘the Divine
“G e o r g e W a s h i n g t o n , f o r
Arm
visibly
outstretched
for our
President
Abraham
Lincoln,to
February
instance,
referred
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Divine
deliverance,’ and…Thomas
Arm visibly outstretched for our
Jefferson labeled America as ‘a
deliverance,’
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old.’”
fathers were divinely led ‘as
President Barack Obama, May 28, 2014
Israel
ofClaude
old.’”
Sociologist
Fischer
Commencement
Ceremony,
thEN &
NOW
&
thEN NOW
U.S. Military Academy
Sociologist Claude Fischer
“I shall be most happy indeed if
I shall be an humble instrument
“I
shall be (32.7
most happy
indeed
if
One
percent)
do not
in
thethird
hands of the
Almighty,
and
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of
this,this
his view.
almost chosen people,
share
in the hands of the Almighty, and
for perpetuating the object of that
of this, his almost chosen people,
great struggle.”
for perpetuating the object of that
great struggle.”
President
Abraham Lincoln, February 21,1861
32.7%
President Abraham Lincoln, February 21,1861
“I believe in American
exceptionalism with every fiber
“I believe in American
of my being.”
exceptionalism with every fiber
President
Barack Obama, May 28, 2014
of my being.”
Commencement Ceremony,
U.S.
Military
Academy
President
Barack
Obama, May 28, 2014
Commencement Ceremony,
U.S. Military Academy
64.3%
One third (32.7 percent) do not
Source this view.
share
One
third (32.7 percent) do not
the 2013 Israeli Democracy Index,
Israel Democracy Institute
share this view.
32.7%
32.7%
64.3%
64.3%
Source
the 2013 Israeli Democracy Index,
Israel
Democracy Institute
Source
the 2013 Israeli Democracy Index,
Israel Democracy Institute
[2]
F eb - M arch 2 0 1 5 | S hevat - A dar 5 7 7 5
Chosenness is about carrying, internalizing, and claiming difference; being
willing to stand up for what matters… embracing chosenness means accepting
a moral mandate to speak for and with those whose dignity has been denied.
Ruth Messinger
President of the American Jewish World Service
Deuteronomy
the idea of Israel as God’s chosen people …is particularly
problematic for 7:6
many Jews today, in that it seems to fly in the faceDeuteronomy
of monotheistic belief that
7:6
all humanity is created in the divine image—and hence, all humanity is equally
loved and valued by God.
Marcia Falk
The Book of Blessings (1996)
Contemporary quotes
Contemporary quotes
Biblical theology is at once profoundly universalistic and unabashedly
particularistic… to jettison the language of chosenness, or election, is to
jettison the Bible itself.
Rabbi Shai Held
Co-founder and is
dean
of Mechon
Hadar
Chosenness
about
carrying,
internalizing, and claiming difference; being
willing to stand up for what matters… embracing chosenness means accepting
Chosenness
isofabout
carrying, internalizing,
and claiming
difference;
being
essence
Judaism
affirmation
the Jews
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athe
moral
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and
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whose
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people;
else up
is commentary.
Ruth
Messinger
aArthur
moral mandate
to speak
for
andService
with those whose dignity has been denied.
President
of the American
Jewish
World
Hertzberg
Commentary
Magazine symposium titled “The State of Jewish Belief”
Ruth
Messinger
President
American
Jewishchosen
World Service
the ideaofoftheIsrael
as God’s
people …is particularly problematic for
many Jews today, in that it seems to fly in the face of monotheistic belief that
the idea of Israel as God’s chosen people …is particularly problematic for
all humanity is created in the divine image—and hence, all humanity is equally
many Jews today, in that it seems to fly in the face of monotheistic belief that
loved and valued by God.
all humanity is created in the divine image—and hence, all humanity is equally
Marcia Falk
loved
and
God.
The
Book
of valued
Blessingsby
(1996)
Marcia Falk
The Book of Blessings (1996)
Biblical theology is at once profoundly universalistic and unabashedly
particularistic… to jettison the language of chosenness, or election, is to
Biblical theology is at once profoundly universalistic and unabashedly
jettison the Bible itself.
particularistic… to jettison the language of chosenness, or election, is to
Praised
are Held
you, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who has
Rabbi Shai
jettison
itself.
Co-founderthe
andBible
dean of
Mechon Hadar
chosen
us
out
Rabbi Shai Held of all the nations and bestowed upon us His torah.
Co-founder and dean of Mechon Hadar
the essence of Judaism is the affirmation that the Jews are the chosen
people; all else is commentary.
the essence of Judaism is the affirmation that the Jews are the chosen
Arthur
For
you Hertzberg
have chosen us, endowing us with holiness from among
people;
all else
is commentary.
Commentary
Magazine
symposium titled “The State of Jewish Belief”
allArthur
the nations,
and have given us the Sabbath as an inheritance in
Hertzberg
ChOSENNESS
IN JewIsh prayers
Blessing before reading the Torah
Shabbat evening kiddush
Commentary
Magazine
symposium
“TheLord,
State ofwho
Jewish
Belief”
love
and favor.
Praised
aretitled
you,
hallows
the Sabbath.
The Aleinu prayer
ChOSENNESS
ChOSENNESS
IN JewIsh prayers
IN
JewIsh
prayers
Blessing
before reading
the Torah
It is our duty to praise the master of all, to exalt the Creator of the
universe, who has not made us like the nations of the world
and has not placed us like the families of the earth; who has
not designed our destiny to be like theirs, nor our lot like that of all
their multitude.
Praised are you,
Lord our
God, King
of the
universe, Who has
Blessing
before
reading
the
Torah
chosen are
us out
all the
upon
us His
Praised
you,ofLord
our nations
God, Kingand
of bestowed
the universe,
Who
has torah.
chosen us out of all the nations and bestowed upon us His torah.
Shabbat evening kiddush
For
you haveevening
chosen us,kiddush
endowing us with holiness from among
Shabbat
all
and have
us theus
Sabbath
as an inheritance
in
Forthe
younations,
have chosen
us, given
endowing
with holiness
from among
love
and
favor.
Praised
are
you,
Lord,
who
hallows
the
Sabbath.
all the nations, and have given us the Sabbath as an inheritance in
love and favor. Praised are you, Lord, who hallows the Sabbath.
The Aleinu prayer
It is our
duty to praise
the master of all, to exalt the Creator of the
The
Aleinu
prayer
universe,
who
notthe
made
us like
the world
It is our duty
to has
praise
master
of all,the
to nations
exalt theof
Creator
of the
and
has
not
placed
us
like
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families
of
the
earth;
who
universe, who has not made us like the nations of thehas
world
not
our destiny
befamilies
like theirs,
norearth;
our lotwho
like has
that of all
and designed
has not placed
us liketothe
of the
their
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not designed our destiny to be like theirs, nor our lot like that of all
— Designed by Conifer Research
their multitude.