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Papers by Hayim Katsman

International Journal of Religion

This article describes the religious worldview of the residents of three rural villages, establis... more This article describes the religious worldview of the residents of three rural villages, established since 2010 in Southern Israel. Focusing on religious authority, the article traces the complex relationship between rabbis to their communities which is rarely a simple “top-down” traditional authority model. On the contrary, both the rabbis and their communities are aware of the fragility of their relationship, and therefore created a complex belief system in which the rabbis’ recommendation is sought, but not necessarily considered binding. In addition, the article describes the “Datlshim” (Hebrew acronym for “Ex-religious”). This liminal identity characterizes individuals who grew up within these religious communities but decided to dissent in their adulthood. They do not feel committed to, and sometimes openly reject Jewish religious code. The article contributes to the scholarly understanding of religious authority, as well as the diversity within the religious-Zionist community...

International Journal of Religion, 2020

This article describes the religious worldview of the residents of three rural villages, establis... more This article describes the religious worldview of the residents of three rural villages, established since 2010 in Southern Israel. Focusing on religious authority, the article traces the complex relationship between rabbis to their communities which is rarely a simple "top-down" traditional authority model. On the contrary, both the rabbis and their communities are aware of the fragility of their relationship, and therefore created a complex belief system in which the rabbis' recommendation is sought, but not necessarily considered binding. In addition, the article describes the "Datlashim" (Hebrew acronym for "Ex-religious"). This liminal identity characterizes individuals who grew up within these religious communities but decided to dissent in their adulthood. They do not feel committed to, and sometimes openly reject Jewish religious code. The article contributes to the scholarly understanding of religious authority, as well as the diversity within the religious-Zionist community in Israel, which has become increasingly influential is Israeli politics and society.

Israel Studies Review, 2020

This article presents an innovative sociological framework to discuss recent social, ideological,... more This article presents an innovative sociological framework to discuss recent social, ideological, and religious trends within the Religious-Zionist sector in Israel. The article challenges the prevalent conceptualization of Religious-Zionism as a sui generis ideology. Contrary to researchers who emphasize the synthesis of religion and Zionism in the Religious-Zionist ideology, the author argues that the Religious-Zionist identity is based primarily on social connections (kin-ship, geographical, institutional) between the members of the group. The author uses this approach to make sense of recent Religious-Zionist trends: post-Zionism, the 'religious-lite', Orthodox feminism, and neo-liberalism.

Jewish Radicalisms, 2019

The chapter looks into the religious-Zionist criticism of rabbi Ginzburg, asking why he is ostrac... more The chapter looks into the religious-Zionist criticism of rabbi Ginzburg, asking why he is ostracized by mainstream religious-Zionists while other radicals are not. I argue that religious-Zionists use him as a scapegoat, in order to not take responsibility on the violent fringes of their own community. This scapegoating is enabled (and justified) by Ginzburg's affiliation with Chabad and the idiosyncratic mystical theology he presents, which sometimes stands in contrary to the mainstream Kookist dogma.

Book Reviews by Hayim Katsman

A review of two books on religious-Zionism: Moshe Hellinger, Isaac Hershkowitz, and Bernard Suss... more A review of two books on religious-Zionism:

Moshe Hellinger, Isaac Hershkowitz, and Bernard Susser, Religious
Zionism and the Settlement Project: Ideology, Politics, and Civil Disobedience

Avi Sagi and Dov Schwartz, Religious Zionism and the Six-Day War: From
Realism to Messianism

International Journal of Religion

This article describes the religious worldview of the residents of three rural villages, establis... more This article describes the religious worldview of the residents of three rural villages, established since 2010 in Southern Israel. Focusing on religious authority, the article traces the complex relationship between rabbis to their communities which is rarely a simple “top-down” traditional authority model. On the contrary, both the rabbis and their communities are aware of the fragility of their relationship, and therefore created a complex belief system in which the rabbis’ recommendation is sought, but not necessarily considered binding. In addition, the article describes the “Datlshim” (Hebrew acronym for “Ex-religious”). This liminal identity characterizes individuals who grew up within these religious communities but decided to dissent in their adulthood. They do not feel committed to, and sometimes openly reject Jewish religious code. The article contributes to the scholarly understanding of religious authority, as well as the diversity within the religious-Zionist community...

International Journal of Religion, 2020

This article describes the religious worldview of the residents of three rural villages, establis... more This article describes the religious worldview of the residents of three rural villages, established since 2010 in Southern Israel. Focusing on religious authority, the article traces the complex relationship between rabbis to their communities which is rarely a simple "top-down" traditional authority model. On the contrary, both the rabbis and their communities are aware of the fragility of their relationship, and therefore created a complex belief system in which the rabbis' recommendation is sought, but not necessarily considered binding. In addition, the article describes the "Datlashim" (Hebrew acronym for "Ex-religious"). This liminal identity characterizes individuals who grew up within these religious communities but decided to dissent in their adulthood. They do not feel committed to, and sometimes openly reject Jewish religious code. The article contributes to the scholarly understanding of religious authority, as well as the diversity within the religious-Zionist community in Israel, which has become increasingly influential is Israeli politics and society.

Israel Studies Review, 2020

This article presents an innovative sociological framework to discuss recent social, ideological,... more This article presents an innovative sociological framework to discuss recent social, ideological, and religious trends within the Religious-Zionist sector in Israel. The article challenges the prevalent conceptualization of Religious-Zionism as a sui generis ideology. Contrary to researchers who emphasize the synthesis of religion and Zionism in the Religious-Zionist ideology, the author argues that the Religious-Zionist identity is based primarily on social connections (kin-ship, geographical, institutional) between the members of the group. The author uses this approach to make sense of recent Religious-Zionist trends: post-Zionism, the 'religious-lite', Orthodox feminism, and neo-liberalism.

Jewish Radicalisms, 2019

The chapter looks into the religious-Zionist criticism of rabbi Ginzburg, asking why he is ostrac... more The chapter looks into the religious-Zionist criticism of rabbi Ginzburg, asking why he is ostracized by mainstream religious-Zionists while other radicals are not. I argue that religious-Zionists use him as a scapegoat, in order to not take responsibility on the violent fringes of their own community. This scapegoating is enabled (and justified) by Ginzburg's affiliation with Chabad and the idiosyncratic mystical theology he presents, which sometimes stands in contrary to the mainstream Kookist dogma.

A review of two books on religious-Zionism: Moshe Hellinger, Isaac Hershkowitz, and Bernard Suss... more A review of two books on religious-Zionism:

Moshe Hellinger, Isaac Hershkowitz, and Bernard Susser, Religious
Zionism and the Settlement Project: Ideology, Politics, and Civil Disobedience

Avi Sagi and Dov Schwartz, Religious Zionism and the Six-Day War: From
Realism to Messianism