Joshua Mintz
Encyclopedia
Joshua Mintz is a British Israeli journalist and activist best known for his contribution to Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz's 'Jewish Thinker' section and his work as one of the founders of the Middle East dialogue project; Friend a Soldier
.
's Fusion magazine, later moving into freelance photojournalism and writing.
Much of Mintz's work is about the influence of religion in modern life. He stands generally opposed to the interference of the religious world in the civil sphere, especially in education where he believes that religion promotes a "social isolationism" and a "non-critical approach to teaching the school’s chosen religion" and warns against "the impact that religious teachings have when crossed over with history and the sciences".
Mintz is also a strong supporter of the 2011 Israeli social justice protests
, saying that it is a duty of society to make such social and political engagement "a permanent reality."
Mintz has also written on the subject of international law
and lawfare
, often controversially. For example, in the Jerusalem Post in 2011, Mintz claimed that "it’s quite possible that Israel, at least within the legal landscape, may actually benefit from the Palestinian statehood bid."
' about the Israeli Palestinian conflict.
(IDF
) and is an active reservist where he holds the rank of Staff sergeant
(Hebrew: סמל ראשון).
In his spare time he surfs and trains in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Friend a Soldier
Friend a Soldier is an Israeli Non-Governmental Organization established by Israel Defense Forces veterans to promote dialogue between former IDF soldiers and the Arab world.-History:...
.
Journalism
Mintz began his journalism career as a junior editor, photographer and contributor at the Interdisciplinary CenterInterdisciplinary Center
The Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya is a private Israeli college located in Herzliya, Israel.The languages of instruction in the Interdisciplinary Center are Hebrew and English.-History:...
's Fusion magazine, later moving into freelance photojournalism and writing.
Much of Mintz's work is about the influence of religion in modern life. He stands generally opposed to the interference of the religious world in the civil sphere, especially in education where he believes that religion promotes a "social isolationism" and a "non-critical approach to teaching the school’s chosen religion" and warns against "the impact that religious teachings have when crossed over with history and the sciences".
Mintz is also a strong supporter of the 2011 Israeli social justice protests
2011 Israeli social justice protests
The 2011 Israeli social justice protests , which are also referred to by various other names in the media, are a series of ongoing demonstrations in Israel beginning in July 2011 involving hundreds of thousands of protesters from a variety of socio-economic and religious backgrounds opposing the...
, saying that it is a duty of society to make such social and political engagement "a permanent reality."
Mintz has also written on the subject of international law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
and lawfare
Lawfare
Lawfare is a recently coined word not yet appearing in the Oxford English Dictionary, a portmanteau of the words 'law' and 'warfare', said to describe a form of asymmetric warfare...
, often controversially. For example, in the Jerusalem Post in 2011, Mintz claimed that "it’s quite possible that Israel, at least within the legal landscape, may actually benefit from the Palestinian statehood bid."
Friend a Soldier
Mintz is a co-founder and the Communications Director of Friend a Soldier. He has made numerous media appearances on their behalf, notably engaging in a live debate in 2011 on the the Al Jazeera English show, 'The StreamThe Stream
The Stream is a daily television programme on Al Jazeera English. It is branded as a “Web community With a Global TV show”. On television and online The Stream taps into the extraordinary potential of social media to disseminate news...
' about the Israeli Palestinian conflict.
Military Career and Personal Life
Mintz served in the 932nd Infantry Battalion of the Israel Defense ForcesIsrael Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
(IDF
IDF
-Military:*Iceland Defense Force*Irish Defence Forces*Israel Defense Forces*AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo, a light fighter aircraft created for the Republic of China Air Force under its Indigenous Defence Fighter program*Identify, Insured Deposit Fund-Non-military:...
) and is an active reservist where he holds the rank of Staff sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
(Hebrew: סמל ראשון).
In his spare time he surfs and trains in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.