Gadi Taub facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gadi Taub
גדי טאוב
Gadi Taub, 2009
Born	(1965-04-19)April 19, 1965 Jerusalem, Israel

Gadi Taub (Hebrew: גדי טאוב) was born on April 19, 1965, in Jerusalem, Israel. He is a well-known Israeli historian, writer, TV screenwriter, and someone who shares his opinions on political topics. He teaches at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and is known for his ideas about Zionism, which is the movement for Jewish self-determination in their own homeland.

About Gadi Taub

Gadi Taub grew up in Jerusalem. His grandparents on his mother's side were early Zionists from Poland who moved to what was then called British Mandatory Palestine in the 1920s. His father, Yitzhak Taub, escaped from Czechoslovakia in 1939 after the Nazi invasion. When his father arrived in Mandatory Palestine, he was held by the British. Later, he fought in the 1948 War of Independence. After the war, he became an economist and journalist.

Gadi Taub served for three years in the Israeli Air Force. From 1986 to 1998, he worked as a writer and presenter for children's shows on Israeli radio and TV. During this time, he earned his bachelor's degree in History at Tel Aviv University. He also wrote a book of short stories and a book of essays.

From 1998 to 2003, Taub studied in the United States at Rutgers University, where he earned his PhD in American History. His studies focused on American liberalism. While there, he also wrote a novel for young adults called The Witch from Melchet Street.

Career in Academia and Media

Since 2003, Gadi Taub has been teaching at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He became a senior lecturer in 2010. In 2007, he published a book about religious settlers. In this book, Taub suggested that the settlement movement was different from the original ideas of Zionism.

Gadi Taub was the creator and co-screenwriter for a TV series based on his novel. This series was shown on Israel's Channel 10 in 2012. He was also the main screenwriter and co-director for another TV series called "The Harem."

Since 1996, Taub has written columns for major Israeli newspapers like Maariv, Yedioth Ahronoth, and Haaretz. He has also written about politics and culture for newspapers in America and Europe, including The New York Times. He was a panelist on a political TV show and is part of an academic group that focuses on Zionist and humanist ideas.

Gadi Taub's Ideas

Zionism: Liberty vs. Land

Gadi Taub sees himself as a Zionist. He believes that all people, including Jews, have the right to have their own country. He has said that he supports the idea of a Palestinian state next to Israel in the future. However, he also believes that Israel should not allow a Palestinian state right now.

Taub talks about two types of Zionism. The first, which he calls "Zionism of Liberty," is the original idea. Leaders like Theodor Herzl and David Ben Gurion believed that Israel should be a democratic country where Jews can decide their own future. The second type, which he calls "Zionism of Land," appeared after the 1967 war. This idea focuses on a deep, almost mystical, connection between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel. Taub believes that "Zionism of Land" goes against the original democratic ideas of Zionism.

He thinks that if Israel keeps control of the West Bank, it goes against the idea that all people have a right to self-determination. He believes it could lead to a state where neither Jews nor Palestinians can truly govern themselves. Because of this, Taub has often criticized the settlement movement. He used to support Israel pulling out of occupied areas on its own.

Immigration Policy Views

Since 2016, Gadi Taub has supported the idea of sending unauthorized migrant workers out of Israel, unless they truly need asylum. He believes that when people criticize populism as being anti-foreigner, they sometimes ignore that it comes from a desire for citizens to have a say in their country's future.

Taub also believes it's important to tell the difference between moderate populist groups and more extreme, racist groups. He has criticized the idea of "multiculturalism" and "intersectionality." He argues that sometimes, people excuse the unfair treatment of women and gay people in some communities, and then say that any criticism of this is just prejudice.

Feminism as a Zero-Sum Game

Gadi Taub has also often shared his views on feminism. He argues that some parts of feminism have moved away from the idea of equality. Instead, he believes they see relationships between genders as a competition where one side wins and the other loses. He discussed these ideas in his 1997 book, "A Dispirited Rebellion."

The Judicial System and Government Power

Taub is a strong critic of the Israeli Supreme Court. He claims that since the 1990s, the Supreme Court has taken too much power from the elected parts of the government, like the parliament (Knesset) and the executive branch. He believes that the court's actions, even indirect ones, can stop laws before they are even voted on.

Taub is concerned that the judicial system is losing the public's trust. He believes that public trust is the most important foundation for the court's power.

Palestinian Victimhood as a Policy

Gadi Taub has also shared his changing views on the possibility of peace between Israelis and Palestinians. He has become a strong critic of what he sees as Palestinian refusal to accept peace deals. He believes this has made peace harder to achieve.

Published Works

Political and Social Science

• The Settlers and the Struggle over the Meaning of Zionism (2010, Hebrew, English)
• A Dispirited Rebellion: Essays on Contemporary Israeli Culture (1997, Hebrew)
• Against Solitude: Impressions (2011, essays, Hebrew)

Fiction

• Allenby Street (2009, novel, Hebrew)
• What Might Have Happened Had We Forgotten Dov (1992, short stories, Hebrew)
• The Witch from 3 Melchett Street (2000, novel for young adults, Hebrew)
• The Giraffe Who Liked to Feel Sorry for Himself (children, 2003 Hebrew, 2006 English)
• The Deer Who Liked Everything Clean (2005, children, Hebrew)
• Things I Keep to Myself (1990, children, Hebrew)
• Things I Keep From Yael (1992, children, Hebrew)
• The Lion Who Thought He was a Coward (2007, children, Hebrew)