Socialism and Judaism — Inseparable or Isolated?

I am a member of Habonim Dror youth movement, which identifies as culturally Jewish rather than Orthodox, Socialist and Zionist. Being part of this movement has been a massive part of my Jewish education. I went on my gap year to Israel with the movement, where we discussed a socialist future for the State of Israel and more relevantly, the intrinsic links between Socialism and Judaism.

Many regard the two as conflicting philosophies. Personally, I find it difficult to separate them.

On my gap year, we were educated on the values of “Shivyon Erech Ha Adam” – the equality of human worth— and “Tikun Olam” – healing the world: two pillars of the thinking of Jewish Socialists. These ideas reminded me of Jewish values I had been taught in my 18 years at King David in Manchester.

During my Jewish Studies A-Level, I read the books of Amos and Isaiah. These figureheads of Jewish thought, carrying the word of G-d, actively condemned the exploitation of the lower classes and the lack of social responsibility held by the upper classes. They condemned nations fighting against nations. They promoted ideas of equality of all classes and people and amplified the commonly ignored righteousness of the poor. The struggles for social justice I had learned about in a Jewish context stuck with me in Israel when we were talking about Socialism.

Socialism demands that the human race takes responsibility for its future. It demands that the human race unites and works for prosperity as a true unified race, without exploitation or hatred. Judaism, for me, echoes this determination.

My most recent reminder of the links between the two came through involvement with Aish. Admittedly, I do not practice life as an Orthodox Jew nor do I feel I can fully relate to that lifestyle. But the speakers I have heard through Aish have discussed Socialism, just through Judaism. At a seminar at Clifford Chance law firm comparing British and Jewish Law, Rabbi Daniel Rowe spoke about the free market and taxes from a Jewish perspective. He talked from the viewpoint of responsibility rather than rights. According to his interpretation of Jewish values, if we were all brought up to approach the world asking ‘how can I help others?’ and ‘what is my responsibility to society?’ rather than asking ‘what can society do for me?’ or ‘what can I personally get out of society?’ the world would be a much happier place.

His use of the word ‘responsibility’ reminded me of a joke we used to have on Shnat about how our educators would relentlessly refer to our ‘responsibilities’ to each other and society. They were Socialist thinkers; Rabbi Rowe is a Jewish thinker. They discuss the same thing.

The connection between the two philosophies is something that intrigues me. Socialist ideas jump at me every time I read the Torah. I don’t believe it is a coincidence, I think that Socialism and Judaism can be mutually influenced. The link is something that should not be ignored just because of the long-haired, unpleasant stereotypes of socialists.

I don’t subscribe blindly to either philosophies, neither the Jewish religion in its modern structure, nor Socialism in its modern mani-festation. But the values, ethics and morals involved are, in my opinion, their raisons d’être.

In my eyes, the auras of Socialism and Judaism glow together.

by Joe Ailion