World Agudath Israel
Encyclopedia
World Agudath Israel usually known as the Aguda, was established in the early twentieth century as the political arm of Ashkenazi Torah Judaism
, in succession to Agudas Shlumei Emunei Yisroel (Union of Faithful Jewry). Its strong base of support was located in Eastern Europe
before the Second World War but due to the revival of the Hasidic movement it included Orthodox Jews throughout Europe.
movement for funding religious schools. Its aim was to strengthen Orthodox institutions independent of the Zionist movement and Mizrachi organization.. The advent of the First World War delayed development of the organisation, however.
During the First World War, Dr Pinchas Kohn
and Rb Emmanuel Carlebach from Germany, were appointed as the rabbinical advisors to the German occupying forces in Poland. In this position, they worked closely with the Grand Rabbi of Ger, Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Alter
. As a result of this collaboration, the Agudath Israel, whose aim was to unify Eastern European and Western European Orthodox Judaism
, was formed.
Agudath Israel gained a significant following, particularly among Hasidic Jews, and even ran in Polish
elections winning seats in that country's parliament
(Sejm
). Among the elected representatives were Alexander Zusia Friedman, Rabbi Meir Shapiro
, Rabbi Yosef Nechemya Kornitzer of Kraków
and Rabbi Aharon Lewin of Reysha
. Great Torah luminaries of the day at the helm of Agudath Yisroel included the Gerrer Rebbe, the Radziner Rebbe, Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Elazar Leiner and the Chafetz Chaim
. In Latvia between 1922-1934 the Agudath Israel faction, led by Mordechai Dubin
, was present in Saeima
(The Parliament). Another prominent member of Agudath Israel was Michoel Ber Weissmandl
.
In Britain, the Agudath Israel movement was represented by the Adath Israel Synagogue, formed in 1909 and then the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations
formed in 1926. By 1943 it represented approximately 5000 families and was led by Rabbi Dr Solomon Schonfeld
. The British secretary of the Agudath Israel World Organization, the political wing of the movement, was Harry Goodman, publisher and editor of Jewish Weekly. He played a key part in maintaining the Agudath Israel organization through World War II.
Prior to World War II and the Holocaust, Agudath Israel operated a number of Jewish educational institutions throughout Europe and continues to do so in both the United States as Agudath Israel of America
and in Israel. Agudath Israel is guided by its Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah
(Council of Sages) in Israel and the USA.
In the post-War period, Agudath Israel reached a modus vivendi
with the State of Israel, which was predominantly led by secularists, and thus the need to secure the status quo
between Ashkenazi Rabbinical leaders and David Ben-Gurion
which ensured Ashkenazi Rabbinical co-ordination with the state, as well as the implementation of such guarantees, such as being Shomer Shabbat
and Shomer Kashrut. It has established itself as an Israeli political party winning seats in the Knesset
either as the Agudat Israel
or in coalition with other Orthodox groups running under the name United Torah Judaism
.
The World Agudath Israel Federation holds international conferences and Torah congressional meetings known as a Knessia Gedola.
Torah Judaism
Torah Judaism is an English term applied to a number of Orthodox Jewish groups to describe their Judaism as being based on an adherence to the laws of the Torah's mitzvot as expounded in Orthodox Halakha...
, in succession to Agudas Shlumei Emunei Yisroel (Union of Faithful Jewry). Its strong base of support was located in Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
before the Second World War but due to the revival of the Hasidic movement it included Orthodox Jews throughout Europe.
History
World Agudath Israel was established at a conference held at Kattowitz (Katowice) in 1912 after the Tenth World Zionist Congress had defeated a motion by the Torah Nationalists MizrachiMizrachi (Religious Zionism)
The Mizrachi is the name of the religious Zionist organization founded in 1902 in Vilnius at a world conference of religious Zionists called by Rabbi Yitzchak Yaacov Reines. Bnei Akiva, which was founded in 1929, is the youth movement associated with Mizrachi...
movement for funding religious schools. Its aim was to strengthen Orthodox institutions independent of the Zionist movement and Mizrachi organization.. The advent of the First World War delayed development of the organisation, however.
During the First World War, Dr Pinchas Kohn
Pinchas Kohn
Rb Dr Pinchas Kohn was the last rabbi of Ansbach, Germany. He was also the executive director of the World Agudath Israel organisation.-Biography:Rb Dr Kohn was born in Kleinerdlingen, Germany, on the 27th of February 1867....
and Rb Emmanuel Carlebach from Germany, were appointed as the rabbinical advisors to the German occupying forces in Poland. In this position, they worked closely with the Grand Rabbi of Ger, Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Alter
Avraham Mordechai Alter
Avraham Mordechai Alter , also known as the Imrei Emes after the works he authored, was the third Rebbe of the Hasidic dynasty of Ger, a position he held from 1905 until his death in 1948. He was one of the founders of the Agudas Israel in Poland and was influential in establishing a network of...
. As a result of this collaboration, the Agudath Israel, whose aim was to unify Eastern European and Western European Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
, was formed.
Agudath Israel gained a significant following, particularly among Hasidic Jews, and even ran in Polish
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
elections winning seats in that country's parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
(Sejm
Sejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
). Among the elected representatives were Alexander Zusia Friedman, Rabbi Meir Shapiro
Meir Shapiro
Yehuda Meir Shapiro , , was a prominent Hasidic rabbi and rosh yeshiva, also known as the Lubliner Rav...
, Rabbi Yosef Nechemya Kornitzer of Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
and Rabbi Aharon Lewin of Reysha
Rzeszów
Rzeszów is a city in southeastern Poland with a population of 179,455 in 2010. It is located on both sides of the Wisłok River, in the heartland of the Sandomierska Valley...
. Great Torah luminaries of the day at the helm of Agudath Yisroel included the Gerrer Rebbe, the Radziner Rebbe, Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Elazar Leiner and the Chafetz Chaim
Yisrael Meir Kagan
Yisrael Meir Poupko , known popularly as The Chofetz Chaim, was an influential Eastern European rabbi, Halakhist, posek, and ethicist whose works continue to be widely influential in Jewish life...
. In Latvia between 1922-1934 the Agudath Israel faction, led by Mordechai Dubin
Mordehai Dubin
Mordehai Dubin was a major Jewish spiritual and political leader in Latvia. He served as a Member of Parliament for the Agudat Israel party...
, was present in Saeima
Saeima
Saeima is the parliament of the Republic of Latvia. It is a unicameral parliament consisting of 100 members who are elected by proportional representation, with seats allocated to political parties which gain at least 5% of the popular vote. Elections are scheduled to be held once every four years,...
(The Parliament). Another prominent member of Agudath Israel was Michoel Ber Weissmandl
Chaim Michael Dov Weissmandl
Chaim Michael Dov Weissmandl was a rabbi and shtadlan...
.
In Britain, the Agudath Israel movement was represented by the Adath Israel Synagogue, formed in 1909 and then the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations
Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations
The Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations of England was founded in 1926 with the stated mission "to protect traditional Judaism". It acts as an umbrella organisation for the chareidi Jewish community in London and comprises over a hundred synagogues and educational institutions. It is responsible...
formed in 1926. By 1943 it represented approximately 5000 families and was led by Rabbi Dr Solomon Schonfeld
Solomon Schonfeld
Rabbi Dr Solomon Schonfeld was a British rabbi who is heralded as one of the most remarkable, yet least known of the Holocaust heroes.Schonfeld studied at the yeshiva in Nitra, Slovakia...
. The British secretary of the Agudath Israel World Organization, the political wing of the movement, was Harry Goodman, publisher and editor of Jewish Weekly. He played a key part in maintaining the Agudath Israel organization through World War II.
Prior to World War II and the Holocaust, Agudath Israel operated a number of Jewish educational institutions throughout Europe and continues to do so in both the United States as Agudath Israel of America
Agudath Israel of America
Agudath Israel of America , is a Haredi Jewish communal organization in the United States loosely affiliated with the international World Agudath Israel.-Functions:...
and in Israel. Agudath Israel is guided by its Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah
Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah
Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah refers to the supreme rabbinical policy-making council of any of several related Haredi Jewish organizations....
(Council of Sages) in Israel and the USA.
In the post-War period, Agudath Israel reached a modus vivendi
Modus vivendi
Modus vivendi is a Latin phrase signifying an agreement between those whose opinions differ, such that they agree to disagree.Modus means mode, way. Vivendi means of living. Together, way of living, implies an accommodation between disputing parties to allow life to go on. It usually describes...
with the State of Israel, which was predominantly led by secularists, and thus the need to secure the status quo
Status quo
Statu quo, a commonly used form of the original Latin "statu quo" – literally "the state in which" – is a Latin term meaning the current or existing state of affairs. To maintain the status quo is to keep the things the way they presently are...
between Ashkenazi Rabbinical leaders and David Ben-Gurion
David Ben-Gurion
' was the first Prime Minister of Israel.Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946...
which ensured Ashkenazi Rabbinical co-ordination with the state, as well as the implementation of such guarantees, such as being Shomer Shabbat
Shomer Shabbat
A shomer Shabbat or shomer Shabbos is a person who observes the mitzvot associated with Judaism's Shabbat...
and Shomer Kashrut. It has established itself as an Israeli political party winning seats in the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
either as the Agudat Israel
Agudat Israel
Agudat Yisrael began as the original political party representing the ultra-Orthodox population of Israel. It was the umbrella party for almost all ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel, and before that in the British Mandate of Palestine...
or in coalition with other Orthodox groups running under the name United Torah Judaism
United Torah Judaism
United Torah Judaism is an alliance of Degel HaTorah and Agudat Israel, two small Israeli Haredi political parties in the Knesset. It was first formed in 1992.The two parties have not always agreed with each other about policy matters...
.
The World Agudath Israel Federation holds international conferences and Torah congressional meetings known as a Knessia Gedola.
External links
- Agudat Israel article from the Jewish Virtual Library