Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., October 09, 2008 Tishrei 10, 5769 | | Israel Time: 18:51 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 11:04 05/03/2008
Leviev: Zionism is bankrupt because of 'new American religion'
By Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: judaism, israel, lev leviev 

Businessmen Lev Leviev - who, in addition to being the richest person in Israel, operates a 100-school educational network in Israel, the former Soviet Union and eastern Europe - does not accept secular Jewish culture and believes that Zionism is bankrupt.

In a wide-ranging interview with Haaretz Magazine that will appear on Friday, Leviev also said that a prime minister who is prepared to negotiate over Jerusalem is betraying the Jewish people.

"The moment you ask a child in Israel what Yom Kippur means to him, and he answers the Yom Kippur War, or a fun day on a bicycle - then I don't know if that is Zionism or whatever you call it, but it has certainly become bankrupt," said Leviev. "And for that we are to blame, first and foremost, the moment we try to import the new American religion, and concentrate only on the new things that are being invented in our generation, and shrug off our Judaism."
Advertisement
Leviev also criticized the Israeli policy of investigating sitting prime ministers for suspected improprieties.

"We've forgotten that in order to have a prime minister in the country, we have to let him lead the country," he said. "When he finishes his term, investigate and try him, he's not running away anywhere."

Leviev, who serves as president of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the CIS, had kinds words for outgoing Russian president Vladimir Putin and his successor, Dmitry Medvedev. "Just as Putin was a wonderful president for the Jews, I think that Medvedev will be one, too," said Leviev. "I wish the Jews themselves would appreciate the Jews the way Putin knows how to appreciate them."


Related articles:
  • Leviev buys most expensive new British property for $70M
  • Putin spurns Leviev, invites 'Gaydamak's rabbi' to Kremlin
  • Diamond magnate Leviev funds religious programs in schools
  • Russian-Israeli tycoon: Russian aliyah absorption unsuccessful
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    A man of peace
    Vatican defends wartime pope Pius XII against charge he turned blind eye to Holocaust.
    Feminine features
    An Iranian motor company unveils plans to design cars specifically tailored to women.
      1.   zionism in london ? 06:54  |  herzl 05/03/08
      2.   Hang on a sec... 07:24  |  Simon 05/03/08
      3.   Made Billions out of Zionism 07:32  |  Leslie Udwin 05/03/08
      4.   The Land of Israel is ours by Historical and Moral right. 08:16  |  Jean Van Daem 05/03/08
      5.   It`s Bad Enough When.... 08:21  |  B`Galil 05/03/08
      6.   Shuvi shuvi. 08:26  |  We have gone astray 05/03/08
      7.   Brilliant 08:29  |  Prince 05/03/08
      8.   Says the man who chooses his domicile for tax reasons 08:32  |  RH 05/03/08
      9.   Hypocrite 08:38  |  Robin 05/03/08
      10.   Leviev 08:55  |  Mordechai 05/03/08
      11.   Secular Jewish culture / Jerusalem 08:58  |  DkS 05/03/08
      12.   Prepare for the onslaught 09:01  |  Slibovitz 05/03/08
      13.   Leviev promo headline 09:09  |  Alan Abbey 05/03/08
      14.   Leviev 09:11  |  Michael 05/03/08
      15.   American religion? 09:39  |  Ehud 05/03/08
      16.   Thought "Israel`s richest man" had moved to London 10:01  |  Chanalau, Tova 05/03/08
      17.   Zionism according to Lev: build settlements, then run 10:08  |  zingo 05/03/08
      18.   ISRAEL NEEDS MORE MEN LIKE LEVIEV 10:08  |  HAL TRIPP 05/03/08
      19.   What says the Rambam 10:23  |  HS 05/03/08
      20.   LEVIEV 10:30  |  Me 05/03/08
      21.   Israeli arrogance 10:45  |  Gilad 05/03/08
      22.   The great teacher 10:49  |  Minuteman 05/03/08
      23.   He`s glitz, he`s glam, he`s stealing Palestinian land 10:52  |  zingo 05/03/08
      24.   English and Russian Aristocracy religion 10:57  |  Eddie 05/03/08
      25.   WHAT IS IT? 10:58  |  Indrajaya 05/03/08
      26.   Sorry Buddy we are not for sale 11:05  |  SJ 05/03/08
      27.   this guy was backed by russians from scratch 11:17  |  stupid world 05/03/08
      28.   LEVIEV IS 100% RIGHT!!! 11:46  |  ktzin tzahal 05/03/08
      29.   The man is right!! 11:49  |  Israeli zionist 05/03/08
      30.   Zionism has alwys been bankrupt.. because it is a RACIST IDEOLOGY 11:50  |  TripleJump 05/03/08
      31.   #7 The Lion of Judah 11:50  |  Sam 05/03/08
      32.   savyon 11:53  |  "jean 05/03/08
      33.   Zionism is a Racist Ideology That Has No Place in Modern Society 12:06  |  Lev Bronstien 05/03/08
      34.   stop being sensitive - he is RIGHT accept the truth 12:07  |  S Judah 05/03/08
      35.   Israel Must Be A Jewish State & The Jews The Lords Of The Land 12:08  |  Joseph . E 05/03/08
      36.   Kind words ??? 12:16  |  Matteo 05/03/08
      37.   making aliya to London 12:22  |  shlomo 05/03/08
      38.   Zionism is bankrupt oo ye long ago 12:31  |  zion 05/03/08
      39.   Putin Wonderfull?? Are they not supporting Iran your ME rival? 12:34  |  Tupac 05/03/08
      40.   Lev Leviev did good in Israel 12:36  |  Dror 05/03/08
      41.   Dear Mr. Leviev (not yet Sir or Lord...)..... 12:51  |  Esther 05/03/08
      42.   Why Leviev? 12:53  |  Pathfinder 05/03/08
      43.   DKS "Yes, secular Israeli culture is so bankrupt" 13:05  |  Dror 05/03/08
      44.   #5 B`galil AMEN Perfectly true 13:20  |  petra 05/03/08
      45.   29 32 Who`s racist? 13:20  |  Gilad 05/03/08
      46.   To All Who Condem Zionism - You Don`t Know What It Is 13:36  |  B`Galil 05/03/08
      47.   emess 13:55  |  dovid 05/03/08
      48.   preaching by an oligarch 13:56  |  ari 05/03/08
      49.   hypocrite 14:00  |  ari 05/03/08
      50.   The Seperation of Religion and Corruption 14:23  |  Yaakov Sullivan 05/03/08
      51.   Reply # 5 That about just sums it all up 14:28  |  SJ 05/03/08
      52.   Leviev Is A Shrewd Busninessman 14:33  |  Yaakov Syullivan 05/03/08
      53.   The "American Religion" follows the true Rabbi of Israel 14:48  |  Virginia 05/03/08
      54.   He practices Judaism in a Bunker in Londistan 14:54  |  JMK 05/03/08
      55.   "Beirut , Damascus , Palestine` in Um Al-Faham" 14:55  |  What does yhis mean? 05/03/08
      56.   @ 34, Some day Joseph E., once they too have a Lord and He is 15:03  |  with them. 05/03/08
      57.   Leviev 15:27  |  Chayim 05/03/08
      58.   Yaakov Sullivan -- Leviev`s diamonds 15:28  |  zingo 05/03/08
      59.   Bankrupt zionism 15:30  |  Eli 05/03/08
      60.   #47 to jacob sullivan 15:32  |  just a jew 05/03/08
      61.   Number 4 - Jean van Daem 15:45  |  Bo Brummie 05/03/08
      62.   #48 SJ 15:48  |  Simon 05/03/08
      63.   Leviev, there is enough blame to go around... 15:48  |  bat yam 05/03/08
      64.   no. 42 15:56  |  right face 05/03/08
      65.   To all the envious TB the man has a point. 15:58  |  Norman 05/03/08
      66.   Zionism for Dummies (via Wikipedia) 16:11  |  Steve 05/03/08
      67.   Secular Jewish Culture/ Jerusalem 16:33  |  Geoffrey Holdsworth 05/03/08
      68.   Zionism is the result of Jewish self-hatred 16:35  |  Zalman Z 05/03/08
      69.   Zionism is bankrupt...... 16:43  |  David Hodara 05/03/08
      70.   #69 David Hodara 17:16  |  tbora 05/03/08
      71.   Norman & the rest 17:24  |  The Judge 05/03/08