Category Archives: Religious Leaders

Spiritual and Religious Greats of the Jewish People

Jew of the Week: Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Kalischer

The Rabbi Who Launched Zionism

Zvi Hirsch Kalischer (1795-1874) was born in what was then Prussia (now Poland) to a long line of rabbis. After receiving his own rabbinic ordination and getting married, he moved to the city of Thorn and there served as the rabbi for over forty years. Incredibly, he never took a salary for this role, and instead made a living running a small business with his wife. He wrote commentaries on the Torah, Talmud, Passover Haggadah, and a wide range of topics in Jewish law. Meanwhile, Rabbi Kalischer was deeply concerned about the state of Jewry, both in Europe and in the Holy Land. He worried about the pogroms, persecutions, and poverty experienced by Jews in Eastern Europe, and equally worried about the mass-assimilation, secularism, and rise of Reform Judaism in Western Europe. Meanwhile, he wanted to make existing Jewish communities in places like Jerusalem, Hebron, Tiberias, and Tzfat flourish and become self-sufficient, instead of relying heavily on donations from abroad. For Rabbi Kalischer, the solution to all of these problems was Jewish nationalism, and he began writing on these issues in the Hebrew magazine HaLevanon. In 1862, he put his ideas together in a book titled Derishat Zion, and followed it up with Rishon L’Zion in 1864. He argued that Jews should come together to purchase land in Israel, build agricultural schools to teach farming and land management, and to establish a Jewish military force to protect the Jews of the Holy Land. He also hoped to re-establish the sacrifices and offerings in Jerusalem as specified in the Torah. Rabbi Kalischer argued that Jews should stop waiting for God to solve their problems: “One should not think that the Blessed One will suddenly descend from the Heavens to tell his people – ‘leave!’ – or that he will send His messenger any moment to call us on the trumpet…” While many critiqued this approach, Rabbi Kalischer defended his position with citations from all across Jewish holy texts. He went on speaking tours around Europe to spread the message, and convinced countless people to join the cause. Rabbi Kalischer was a key inspiration for prominent figures like Sir Moses Montefiore, Adolphe Crémieux, and Edmond de Rothschild. His work led directly to the establishment of the first agricultural school in the Holy Land in 1870, called Mikveh Israel. He even donated his own savings of 12,000 francs towards purchasing more land in Israel. Rabbi Kalischer is widely regarded as one of the early founders of Zionism.

Torah Simulation Theory (Video)

Words of the Week

If whites are successful, it’s “white privilege”; if minorities are successful, it’s “empowerment”; if Jews are successful, it’s a conspiracy.
– Jon Stewart

Jew of the Week: Sarmad

The Persian Jew Who Inspired India

18th century illustration of Dara Shikoh (right) learning with Sarmad

Sa’id Sarmad Kashani (c. 1590-1661) was born in Armenia to a religious Persian-Jewish family of merchants. At a young age, he translated the Torah into Farsi. He later took up studies under Muslim scholars and mystics like Mulla Sadra and Mir Findiriski. Some believe he nominally converted to Islam at this time, but remained a practicing Jew. On one merchant trip to Mughal India, Sarmad met a Hindu scholar called Abhay Chand. The two learned about each other’s faiths, and it is believed Chand converted to Judaism. Sarmad eventually gave up his wealth and became an ascetic wandering mystic. He and Chand traveled and taught together all across India, eventually settling in Delhi. Sarmad made a great name for himself as a poet and philosopher. Over 300 of his short poems have survived to this day. He also wrote the entry for “Judaism” in the 17^th-century Dabistan, an anthology explaining all of the world’s religions. The Mughal crown prince Dara Shikoh (whose father built the Taj Mahal) was so impressed by Sarmad’s wisdom that he became a disciple, too. Sarmad went on to devise a new mystical system, drawing on Judaism, Sufi Islam, and Hinduism. Countless followers and disciples across India learned from him. However, when Dara Shikoh was deposed by his brother, the new Mughal emperor executed Shikoh and all of his associates, including Sarmad. The emperor demanded that Sarmad recite the Shahadah (proclaiming “there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His prophet”), but Sarmad refused and was beheaded. According to legend, Sarmad then picked up his own head and walked away—and the new emperor never had a peaceful night’s sleep ever again! Sarmad’s tomb became a popular pilgrimage site and is still revered as a holy place in India today. His story inspired numerous Indian leaders, including Abul Kalam Azad, a colleague of Gandhi (and his predecessor as president of the Indian National Congress). Azad once described himself as a modern-day Sarmad. Scholars see “Sarmad the Jew” as a key figure in the history of religions; a mystic that influenced the development of Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism; as well as an early pioneer of interfaith dialogue.

Passover Begins Monday Night – Chag Sameach!

Those We Are Still Missing

Secrets of the Ten Plagues & the Passover Seder

Words of the Week

In the chronicles of world history, no question has managed to capture the world’s interest for very long; a few decades seems to be the outer limit for consideration of even the most pressing global problems. But the world has been busy trying to figure out the question of the Jews for thousands of years – and they have not tired of the discussion! In every generation, the old questions arise anew: Are the Jews good or bad? Do the Jews bring benefit to the world or do they cause problems? Why, it is as if we have just appeared on the scene – as if the world has never before known what a Jew looks like!
– Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz (1875-1936)

Jew of the Week: Segundo Villaneuva

Prophet of the Andes

Segundo Zerubbabel Tzidkiya Villaneuva (1927-2008) was born in a small village in the Andes Mountains of Peru to a Catholic family. When he was 21, his father was murdered and Villaneuva discovered a Bible while going through his father’s things. He started reading the Bible and going to church regularly. However, as he went deeper into his studies, he found no good answers to his questions. He was puzzled by Christian observance of the Sabbath on Sunday instead of Saturday, as the Torah clearly commands. Villaneuva soon became a Seventh-Day Adventist. But the problems and inconsistencies persisted. He learned Hebrew and began reading Scripture in the original language. He then discovered that Christians had mistranslated the Torah to suit their needs, and twisted what the Tanakh really said about the concept of Mashiach, the messiah. After many years, Villaneuva decided to convert to Judaism. He started his own congregation with a group of like-minded individuals, called Bnei Moshe. The movement grew to some 500 individuals, many of whom also found out that they actually had Jewish ancestors—Sephardic Jews who were forcibly converted to Christianity during the Inquisition (called Anusim or Conversos). It took many years, but in August of 1989 a delegation of Israeli rabbis came to Peru and converted Villaneuva and 160 others. Villanueva took on the Hebrew name “Zerubbabel Tzidkiya”. The following year, he made aliyah with a large group of Bnei Moshe. This motivated two more groups of Peruvians to convert to Judaism and make aliyah, including the Bnei Abraham and the Inca Jews. Villaneuva’s story inspired countless others in Latin America to convert to Judaism or explore their Sephardic Jewish ancestry. It is estimated that there are now some 60 communities in 14 countries across Latin America that have returned to Judaism. Villaneuva passed away in Israel and was buried on the Mount of Olives. He has been called “The Prophet of the Andes”.

Video: A Kabbalistic History of the World

Words of the Week

The Jews are a peculiar people: things permitted to other nations are forbidden to the Jews. Other nations drive out thousands, even millions of people, and… no one says a word about refugees. But in the case of Israel, the displaced Arabs have become eternal refugees… Other nations, when victorious on the battlefield, dictate peace terms. But when Israel is victorious, it must sue for peace.
– Eric Hoffer