The Torah: Manual or Mythology?
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Why is Jewish indigeneity the one historical connection the world refuses to acknowledge?
In the first-ever guest monologue on Being Jewish, Debbie Lechtman, the educator and writer behind Roots Metals, challenges the narratives being used to erase Jewish indigenous history.
Lechtman explains why the Torah should be understood not simply as a religious text, but as an ancient national charter that preserves the mythology, genealogy, laws, and collective memory of the Israelites. She draws parallels to Greek mythology and points to archaeological evidence, including the Tell Dan and Mesha Stele – which reference the House of David – to demonstrate that ancient Israel and the Israelites were real. She also challenges the idea that modern Jews have no ancestral connection to that history, pointing to the continuity of Jewish language, traditions, laws, and religious practices.
Lechtman compares the Jewish fight for national self-determination to the Greek independence movement, highlighting the similarities in their histories and the very different standards applied to Zionism. Her ultimate message: Jews need to understand their own history before they can expect the rest of the world to understand it.
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CREDITS:
Written and Hosted by Jonah Platt, Executive Producer: Jonah Platt, Supervising Producer: Alex Alcheh, Associate Producer: Rachel Stern, Head of Operations: Josie Rothschild Ivker, Production Associate: Sasha Fiora, Operations Associate: Emma Webb, Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald, Chief of Staff: Abbe Feder, Production Intern: Tova Benarroch, YouTube Consultants: Jason Al-Samarrie & Zac Stein, Post Production by TIMEWEAVER, Creative Director: F. Brian Scofield, ACE, Lead Editor: Noam Klement, Editors: Gray Clevenger, Geoff McGee. Graphic Designer: Noah Bell, Theme Music by Gabriel Mann, Performed by Jonah Platt
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