Defending the Druze In The Mountains of Syria Part I

 Nadene Goldfoot                                                        

                                           Druze IDF Soldier

Israel launched airstrikes on Syrian regime military

 forces in the Druze-majority province of Sweida today. PM

 Netanyahu and DM Katz issued a joint statement instructing the                                               

                             A Druze unit of IDF

 IDF to “immediately strike regime forces and weapons

 deployed into the Sweida area of the Druze Mountain in

 Syria,” which they said were being used in operations against

 Druze civilians, violating a demilitarization policy agreed upon

 to prevent Syrian deployments near Israel’s border.

         Some Druze Men at a gathering  

The statement said, “Israel is committed to preventing harm to Druze in Syria due to the deep fraternal alliance with our Druze citizens in Israel and their historical and familial ties to the Druze of Syria. We are acting to prevent regime attacks on them and to ensure the demilitarization of the area adjacent to our border.”

     IDF soldiers with one Druze;  each one from another line of Arab, Israeli, all serving in IDF

Sweida is home to Syria’s largest Druze community, numbering around 700,000 people, many of whom fear persecution under the new regime, which has been accused of seeking to “return the Druze to pure Islam” and undermine their traditional way of life.

"Can it be that these Druze are our ancient members of of Israel taken by Sargon, the Assyrian king  so long ago in 721 BCE?  Their Y haplogroup of DNA is so close to our J1 community of Jews throughout the world".  

Druze, a sect from Islam with members in Syria, Lebanon and Israel were mentioned by Benjamin of Tudela in about 1170 CE being the first to describe the Druze and their religion to the Western world.  Out of over 200,000 plus 20,000 who migrated oversees, 53,000 live in Israel and are concentrated in 18 villages in Western Galilee and on Mt. Carmel.  The Druze cooperated with the Israeli forces during and since the War of Independence and Drue representatives sit in the Knesset.  they have their own religious courts which administer Druze religious law.

                                Druze with book

The Druze religion and Judaism, while both monotheistic and

 originating in the Middle East, have significant differences in

 their core beliefs, practices, and historical

 development.   Druze

 beliefs incorporate elements from Islam, Greek philosophy,

 and Hinduism, while Judaism is rooted in ancient Hebrew

 scriptures and traditions. Druze practices are secretive and

 emphasize reincarnation, while Jewish practices are more

 public and focus on divine law and

 tradition. Jewish Kabbalah also incorporates reincarnation.

Furthermore, the Druze are a closed community, not accepting converts, while Judaism, while historically endogamous, does not formally prohibit conversion. 

• Monotheism:

  Both religions believe in one God  Both recognize Moses as a prophet. The Druze also revere Jethro, Moses' father-in-law. Shared Roots:The Druze religion emerged from within Islam, but has incorporated elements from Judaism, Christianity, and other philosophical traditions. Family Unity and Devotion to Country:   Both Druze and Jewish communities emphasize family unity and loyalty to their respective countries. 

The Druze faith emerged from Ismaili Shiism in 11th-century Egypt but developed into a distinct religion with unique beliefs and practices. 

Key differences and reasons for separation

• Divine Incarnation: The Druze believe that the Fatimid Caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah was a divine manifestation, a core tenet that differs significantly from mainstream Islamic beliefs about God and prophets.
• Esoteric Teachings: The Druze faith emphasizes esoteric knowledge and hidden meanings within religious texts, known as the Epistles of Wisdom. This approach contrasts with the exoteric (outward) focus of mainstream Islam.
• No Conversions: The Druze religion does not accept converts, a policy established in 1043 CE, according to Understanding Religion.
• Rejection of Islamic Rituals: The Druze do not adhere to all Islamic practices, such as daily prayers, the pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj), or fasting during Ramadan.
• Persecution: The Druze faced persecution from various Muslim regimes who considered their beliefs to be heretical or deviations from Islam. 

These differences, along with the unique historical and political circumstances of the time, led to the Druze developing a distinct religious identity and separating from the broader Islamic community.

 Resource:

The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia   

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Druze#:~:text=Be%20that%20as%20it%20may,%22they%20loved%20the%20Jews%22.

israelAM

https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/ethnic-and-cultural-studies/druze#:~:text=The%20Druze%20are%20monotheistic%2C%20meaning,perfect%20agreement%20with%20God's%20will.

https://www.ifcj.org/learn/resource-library/who-are-the-druze#:~:text=The%20religion%20is%20heavily%20monotheistic,matters%20pertaining%20to%20their%20community.