Brit HaKanaim
Encyclopedia
Brit HaKanaim was a radical religious Jewish underground organisation which operated in Israel
between 1950 and 1953, against the widespread trend of secularisation in the country. The group was made up of students at the Porat Yosef Yeshiva
in Jerusalem and had more than 35 members at its peak. Among its members were Rabbi
Mordechai Eliyahu
, who later served as the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, and Shlomo Lorincz
who later served as chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee as a member of Agudat Yisrael.
The ultimate goal of the movement was to impose Jewish religious law in the State of Israel and establish a Halakhic state. The organisation's members trained using stolen weaponry, and would torch the vehicles of individuals who drove during Shabbat
and the shops of butchers that sold non-kosher meat.
Brit HaKanaim planned to disconnect the flow of electricity to the Knesset
and throw a smoke bomb into the Knesset Plenum during the course of a debate about the drafting of women into the Israeli Defense Forces. However, the group had been infiltrated by the Shin Bet, and its members were arrested before this attack could be carried out. Four of those arrested were sentenced to short periods of imprisonment. During the period of their detention there surfaced allegations of police misconduct in the treatment of the detainees, and a parliamentary inquiry was established to investigate the conduct of the police forces.
They completed their terms of imprisonment prior to the completion of the trial in the Jalmi prison, near Sha'ar HaAmakim
. Since, the group has also sometimes been referred to as the Jalmi Underground.
Another radical Jewish underground organisation which operated at this time was the Kingdom of Israel
.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
between 1950 and 1953, against the widespread trend of secularisation in the country. The group was made up of students at the Porat Yosef Yeshiva
Porat Yosef Yeshiva
Porat Yosef Yeshiva is a leading Sephardic yeshiva in Jerusalem, Israel, with locations in both the Old City and the Geula neighborhood.-History:...
in Jerusalem and had more than 35 members at its peak. Among its members were Rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
Mordechai Eliyahu
Mordechai Eliyahu
Mordechai Tzemach Eliyahu ) was a prominent rabbi, posek and spiritual leader. He served as the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1983 to 1993.-Biography:...
, who later served as the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, and Shlomo Lorincz
Shlomo Lorincz
Rabbi Shlomo Lorincz was a former Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Agudat Yisrael from 1951 until 1984, and a close confident of many gedolim.-Biography:...
who later served as chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee as a member of Agudat Yisrael.
The ultimate goal of the movement was to impose Jewish religious law in the State of Israel and establish a Halakhic state. The organisation's members trained using stolen weaponry, and would torch the vehicles of individuals who drove during Shabbat
Shabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
and the shops of butchers that sold non-kosher meat.
Brit HaKanaim planned to disconnect the flow of electricity to the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
and throw a smoke bomb into the Knesset Plenum during the course of a debate about the drafting of women into the Israeli Defense Forces. However, the group had been infiltrated by the Shin Bet, and its members were arrested before this attack could be carried out. Four of those arrested were sentenced to short periods of imprisonment. During the period of their detention there surfaced allegations of police misconduct in the treatment of the detainees, and a parliamentary inquiry was established to investigate the conduct of the police forces.
They completed their terms of imprisonment prior to the completion of the trial in the Jalmi prison, near Sha'ar HaAmakim
Sha'ar HaAmakim
Sha'ar HaAmakim is a kibbutz in northern Israel. Located near Kiryat Tiv'on, it falls under the jurisdiction of Zevulun Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 548.The village was founded in 1935 by immigrants from Romania and Yugoslavia...
. Since, the group has also sometimes been referred to as the Jalmi Underground.
Another radical Jewish underground organisation which operated at this time was the Kingdom of Israel
Kingdom of Israel (group)
The Kingdom of Israel , or Tzrifin Underground, was a violent political group active in Israel in the 1950s."Kingdom of Israel," was the name used by the group's members but it was better known to the Israeli public as the "Tzrifin Underground", after the Tzrifin military base, where its members...
.