Judism Essay, Research Paper

fJewish History

The Jews are a people with a multitude of dilemmas. From

the Israelite tribes to the prosperous modern day Israel ,

bigotry towards the Jews has been greatly evident. The Jewish

race has acted as Escape Goat for many crisis throughout history

including the black plaque which swept across Europe in the 14th

century. The establishment of Israel was a great incident was

something the Jewish people were striving to obtain for

generations. This, however, led to four major conflicts between

Israel and the Arab countries. One of the most meaningful wars

was the Six-Day War. Events such as the holocaust have also had

a dramatic effect on world history and whose mysteries are still

being unravelled.

For twelve years following 1933 the Jews were persecuted by

the Nazi’s. Jewish businesses were boycotted and vandalized. By

1939,Jews were no longer citizens,could not attend public

schools,engage in practically any business or profession, own any

land, associate with any non-Jew or visit public places such as

parks and museums. The victories of the German armies in the

early years of World War II brought the majority of European

Jewry under the Nazis. The Jews were deprived of human rights.

The Jewish people were forced to live in Ghetto’s which were

separated from the main city. Hitler’s plan of genocide was

carried out with efficiency. The total number of Jews

exterminated has been calculated at around 5,750,000.

In Warsaw ,where approximately 400,000 Jews had once been

concentrated,was reduced to a population of 60,000. they,

virtually unarmed, resisted the German deportation order and had

held back the regular German troops equipped with flame

throwers,armoured cards, and tanks for nearly a month. This

heroism was similar to the revolt which took place around 165BC.

This uprising was led by the Maccabees, a provincial priestly

family (also called Hasmoneans). They recaptured the Temple and

rededicated it to the God of Israel. The Maccabees made there

last stand on a mountain and was able to hold back the syrians

for more then a month. There is a distinct similarity between

the two stories and that is possibly why they are both recognised

as holidays in the Jewish faith.

These horrific events of the holocaust have let to some

consequences which are beneficial and some are unfortunate to the

Jewish people. The population of the followers has greatly

declined. Also the Jewish people after the war still had

problems finding jobs. They had to essentially start there life

over. Most of them lost a close relative or at least knew

someone who died in the gas chambers of the Nazi concentration

camps. This has put a psychological strain on Jewish survivors

or no longer having family and friends with them for support.

This event has awaken the world up to the needs of the Jewish

people. It has given them political power and a justification

for some of their actions.

On May recognized,1945 ,the end of World War II was seen.

Organized Jewry in the European continent was damaged beyond

repair. The Jews concentrated on the preservation of Israel and

on the bringing of Nazi war criminals to trial.

There is a day of commemoration, Holocaust Day, observed in

Israel and elsewhere on Nisan (April) 19 and 20. The date is

considered the anniversary of the beginning of the Warsaw Ghetto

Uprising.

The emergence of Israel as a Jewish state on the former

territory of Palestine was the central political issue of the

Middle East after World War II. A movement was established to

work on the reestablishment of the Jewish national state of

Israel. This movement was given the name Zionism. The Zionists

were full of energy,enthusiasm, and skill which led to remarkable

accomplishments. Israel was a modern European state in an

underdeveloped area. This was the source of there problems and

their achievements.

The Jews received vast amounts of financial and military

support from Western governments. The Israelis also benefitted

from a highly trained and motivated citizenry to create a unique

nation-state.

It had taken the Zionists seventy years to purchase 7 per

cent of Palestine. Now the UN was offering them another 50 per

cent. The partition plan was objected by all of that Arab and

Palestinian Arab governments. The Zionists excepted the plan.

They however were upset that Jerusalem was excluded from the

Jewish state.

The Jews were the most fertile land including the citrus

groves upon which the Arabs depended on for their living. Many

of the nations of the world felt guilt or grief of the Hitler

era. This is what is believed to have pressured the United

Nations to establish a Jewish state.

The partition of Palestine was greatly important to both

Jewish history and world history. It gave the Jews a place to

seek refuge in during the Nazi persecutions. This led to a

change in the nature of Zionist activities. They became more

violent. The Jewish army called Haganah(defense)was formed to

protect Israel from Arab attacks. This is remembered as a

historic event for it has greatly effected the lives of present

day Middle East and all other countries.

The cause of the Six-Day War of June 1967 was Egypt’s

closure of the Strait of Tiran. This war focused on the issue of

Israel’s legitimacy. Withdrawal of the UN troops after May 16

signified to the Israelis that ultimately they would be

responsible for their own defense. From this war the jews

regained control of the West Bank of the Jordan River. Syria was

pushed by a frontal assault through the Golan Heights and

threatened Damascus.

The United Nation security council managed to execute a

cease-fire on June 11th. By this time the Arab states had lost

territory, much of their productive capacity, and a large amounts

of revenue. Their mental and political defeat set the tone for

the events of the following years. The defeat of the Arab

governments also gave a powerful force to the Palestine guerrilla

movement.

The Wailing Wall is on of Judaism’s most honoured holy

places. With the original United Nation’s partition it was

located in Old Jerusalem, previously occupied by Jordan. The Six

Day was returned it to its rightful owners , Israel.

As is clearly visible through these few examples the Jewish

race have had a very trailing history. This however is only a

small representation of the rest of the Jewish problems. War ,

for example, is still present. In 1991 in the Persian Gulf

Israel was continuously bombed by Iraq. If Israel would have

fought back chances are there would have had most of the Arabian

countries join in with Iraq to eliminate the common enemy.

Therefor the problems are yet not resolved yet it seems there is

never a perfect solution to any problem.

Bibliography

1. Holocaust : the Jewish tragedy

Gilbert,Martin, COLLI 1986

2. Israel & the Arabs: The June 1967 War

Facts on file, INC. New York, N.Y.

1968

3. The Holocaust in Historical Perspective

Yehuda Bauer

University of Washington Press

1978