This article examines the special contribution of the journet to the orient to the Jewish identity and relation to religion of Israeli backpackers.
It includes the “easternization of the west” thesis and a variety of criticisms on the thesis is surveyed.
These criticisms serve in turn to the analysis of processes that the Jewish Israeli identity undergo, following the meeting place with religions in India (and more generally, Far east).
Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey.
Without her you wouldn’t have set out.
She has nothing left to give you now.
And if you find her poor, Ithaka won’t have fooled you.
Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,
you’ll have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.
(Ending lines of the poem “The City”, C. P. Cavafy)
The article (some 5500 words, in Hebrew) was included in a special issue of the journal Theory and Criticism dedicated to the subject “India / Israel” (and all its articles are accessible – see links below).
In his preface to the issue, Eitan Bar-Yosef writes on the article as follows:
Marianna Ruah-Midbar describes the role of Indian spirituality in the New Age culture in Israel. Focusing on Colin Campbell’s insights in The Easternization of the West (2007) – and particularly on the sharp criticism of Campbell’s thesis – Ruah-Midbar tries to explain how their encounter with India allows so many Israelis to rediscover Jewish traditions and restore their Jewish identity.
Within this research project there are more items – such as academic articles in Hebrew and English, a semi-academic column, and more. Links below.
Author
Marianna Ruah-Midbar
Links
For the article’s page on the journal’s Hebrew website – click here.
For the issue’s preface, by Eitan Bar-Yosef, in English – click here. (For the Hebrew version – click here.)
For the webpage of the issue dedicated to the subject “India / Israel” – with all its article accessible (in Hebrew) – click here.
For the Hebrew website of the journal Theory and Criticism – click here.
Year
Summer 2015
Language
Hebrew
Academic/Non-academic
Academic item
Bibliographical citation
Ruah-Midbar, Marianna, “Thank God for India – A Look at Jewish Israelis in Light of the Easternization of the West Thesis”, Theory and Criticism 44 (Summer 2015 – Special issue: “India / Israel”): 311-325. Available at: https://theory-and-criticism.vanleer.org.il/wp-content/uploads/woocommerce_uploads/2016/10/Teoria-44_Midbar.pdf [Hebrew]