The Political Use of the Teshuva Cassette Culture in Israel

Abstract

The present work of ethnography describes the political uses of audiotapes and videotapes by religious fundamentalists in Israel during the 1990s. The article deals with the use of the teshuva cassette culture in constructing Shas's political message in the 1999 Knesset elections. Shas presented the videoand audiotape ''J'Accuse'' as a way of contending with the crisis of confidence that resulted from the criminal conviction of its political leader. But the content of the cassette was not the only message. The cassette replicated the way the teshuvamovement tapes undermined and criticized the mainstream media discourse during the 1990s in Israel. In fact the cassette itself was the message. And this message should be studied in relation to the way the teshuva movement designed the cassette culture as a source of religious truth as well as political truth being concealed from the public.

‘Boundary work’ in a religious revival movement: The case of the ‘teshuvah movement’ in Israel

“…4 Teshuvah activity is diverse, with the most widespread activity being popular sermons and their by-products: video and audio cassettes and CDs. (see, Leon, 2011;Sharabi and Guzmen-Carmeli, forthcoming) Other common activities are lessons at open learning centers and educational organizations for penitents and those who are curious about Judaism; weekend seminars; local initiatives by individuals and organizations that take the form of classes and lectures in people's houses; street activities such as the stands for Hanachat Tefillin (the Jewish act of the laying of phylacteries); and teshuvah activity utilizing television and radio, internet websites and forums.…”

Ultranationalism and Ultra-Orthodoxy: The Case of Shas

“…One answer lies in an ethnic and class narrative that repeatedly emphasizes the link between the weakening of religious tradition and the weakening of the Mizrahim. A stirring expression of this message was the late-1990s Shas campaign surrounding the criminal conviction of the party's political leader, Aryeh Deri Leon 2011). Another answer lies in the religious attachment of non-Haredi but tradition-keeping Masortim to the rabbinical world; a connection anchored in religious faith in the power of the rabbinical blessing (Deshen 2005).…”

An uneasy stability: the Haredi parties’ emergency campaign for the 2013 elections

“…The same propaganda machine which in the past had rebuffed messages of de-legitimization aimed at Shas now stood confronting the party itself, ready to combat any attempt at de-legitimization aimed against Yitzhak. 23 Therefore, the working assumption of the Shas activists was that Yitzhak might take a significant bite out of their reservoir of voters.…”