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Jonathan Neumann: Tikkun Olam is a politicised import into Judaism

We think of Tikkun Olam - 'healing the world' - as meaning charity and good deeds. But one lawyer believes that we've been interpreting it incorrectly

December 24, 2018 10:04
(Getty Images)

ByDaniel Sugarman, daniel sugarman

3 min read

When you think of the concept of “Tikkun Olam”, what does it mean to you?

“To heal/fix the world”, perhaps; or, on a more practical level, to be involved with social action projects?

There certainly does not appear to be anything wrong with that concept. The problem arises, however, when you consider that in some quarters there appears to be a growing emphasis on Tikkun Olam as the be-all and end-all of Judaism — to the exclusion of everything else. And in some places, especially in America, that process appears to be quite advanced.

This is the argument put forward by Jonathan Neumann, a UK based lawyer, in his book on the subject, To Heal the World?: How the Jewish Left Corrupts Judaism and Endangers Israel.