Rabbi Elhanan Beck has lived outside of Israel since he was three years old, this is despite the fact that his family lineage in what he calls “Palestine” goes back seven generations.

Beck stands with what he says are the vast majority of Orthodox Jews who strongly oppose Israel. Their reason: The Jewish religious principle that Jews need to live in exile until the “peaceful” arrival of the messiah, and because of the “oppression” and “brutality” that Israel is built upon.

In this in-depth interview Rabbi Elhanan speaks about Judaism, Israel and Zionism and reacts to what he openly calls Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza.

00:00 Intro
00:56 Rabbi early life and connection to the holocaust
04:41 Life in England and anti-Israel activism
09:02 Judaism as a religion vs a race or state
12:53 The idea of Jewish people being in exile and what it means
13:30 What is Zionism
15:49 Zionism and Judaism - compatibility
22:20 The Rabbi's perception of non-religious Jews
28:28 The Problem with Zionism
32:27 Orthodox Jews and the state of Israel
35:27 How Zionism adopted some Orthodox Rabbis
38:27 The Orthodox Rabbi's who support Israel?
40:27 Jewish persecution in Europe
42:27 Jews who live in the muslim world
44:27 How Mossad created a rift between Jews and Muslim Arabs
46:27 Jewish rabbi speaks about no anti-semitism in Iran
48:27 What about having a fair and just Jewish state
52:49 Why some Orthodox Rabbi's support Zionism - protection vs belief
58:49 Isreal is the most unsafe place for Jewish people
01:03:54 Media doesn't show Orthodox Jews who are anti-zionist
01:04:59 taking a moment to break fast
01:06:33 Did he Rabbi always want to be a Rabbi
01:07:55 When did the state of Israel first hurt you?
01:09:12 How would you feel if you were in Gaza
01:11:55 Palestinian relationship with Jews
01:15:15 The Rabbi's feelings on Hamas and October 7th
01:18:15 Why Israel as a state cannot succeed
01:21:27