Amram Blau
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Rabbi Amram Blau (1894–1974) was an Haredi Rabbi from the Hungarian community of Jerusalem. He was one of the founders of the fiercely Anti-Zionist Neturei Karta.
Amram Blau grew up in the Meah Shearim neighbourhood of Jerusalem a proponent of Torah observant Judasim. Like his brother Rabbi Moshe Blau he was active in the Agudat Israel during the British Mandate era.[1] But when the Agudat began to lean towards accommodating Zionism he broke away and founded Neturei Karta with the equally uncompromising Rabbi Aaron Katzenellenbogen in 1937.[2]
In the 40s he authored what became the anthem of Neturei Karta:
“ | G-d is our King, We are his servants The holy Torah is our Law |
” |
After the establishment of the State of Israel he continued his staunch opposition to any Jewish state aligning Neturei Karta with the Satmarer Rebbe Joel Teitelbaum, author of the anti-Zionist Vayoel Moshe. Prior to the Six-Day War he even went so far as to propose moving to Jordanian controlled East Jerusalem to avoid the secular temptations of modern Israel.[4]
After the 1961 death of his first wife, Hinda, he caused controversy by marrying the convert Ruth Ben-David. Born Madeleine Feraille, a Catholic, she had adopted Judaism and moved to Israel after saving Jews as a French Resistance fighter during World War II.[5] The couple were forced to move to Bnei Brak for a year until the wrath of the Haredi community had subsided. The controversy caused a permanent rift with the Edah HaChareidis and Rabbi Blau's two adult sons.[2]
Rabbi Blau died in 1974 never having reconciled himself with Zionism of the Israeli state.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Website of Neturei Karta International
- Petition to the United Nations
- Letter from Rabbi Amram Blau
- Where is Yossele? Ruth Ben-David before meeting Rabbi Blau
[edit] References
- ^ Uriel ZimmerThe Guardians of the Citry (Neturei Karta International) Accessed: January 22, 2007.
- ^ a b Micha Odenheimer, We Do Not Believe We Will Not FollowPDF (215 KiB) (Guilt and Pleasure) Accessed: January 22, 2007.
- ^ Anthem of the Neturei Karta (Neturei Karta International) Accessed: January 22, 2007.
- ^ Fifty Years Ago in the Forward (The Forward) September 22, 2006 Accessed: January 22, 2007.
- ^ The Lost Leader (Time Magazine) September 10, 1965 Accessed: January 22, 2007.
Persondata | |
---|---|
NAME | Blau, Amram |
ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
SHORT DESCRIPTION | Haredi Rabbi from the Hungarian community of Jerusalem, co-founder of the Anti-Zionist Neturei Karta |
DATE OF BIRTH | 1900 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Israel |
DATE OF DEATH | 1974 |
PLACE OF DEATH | Israel |