Rabbi Moshe Ber Beck was a Hungarian-born rabbi and a pivotal international leader of the Haredi organization Neturei Karta. After spending his early years in Jerusalem’s Mea Shearim, he moved to Monsey, New York, where he became one of the most authoritative exponents of anti-Zionist theology within his movement.
Rabbi Beck was one of the few contemporary religious leaders to reject the legitimacy of the State of Israel entirely based on Torah and Talmudic law. He dedicated his life to preserving the purity of Jewish tradition and opposing the conflation of religion with political nationalism (Zionism). Under his leadership, Neturei Karta established significant global influence; while his movement remains highly controversial within mainstream Jewish circles, he maintained a consistent platform of dissent through rigorous theological interpretation.
Rabbi Beck’s pro-Palestinian stance was rooted in deep theological conviction: he believed that according to Jewish oaths, Jews are forbidden from establishing a sovereign state through force or political means before the arrival of the Messiah. Consequently, he viewed the creation of Israel as a rebellion against God. He frequently met with Palestinian leaders, such as Yasser Arafat, and advocated for the peaceful dissolution of the State of Israel and the return of the land to its original inhabitants. A core tenet of his was: “True Jews seek peace, kindness, and humility, whereas Zionism is the opposite of these values. The suffering of the Palestinians is a direct consequence of this betrayal, and it is our duty to ask for their forgiveness and stand with them.”