Review of Illuminati: The Cult that Hijacked the World by Henry Makow

http://www.amazon.com/Illuminati-Cult-that-Hijacked-World/dp/1439211485

Henry Makow mentions me in this book on pg 11. He did not ask me if I wanted to have my name associated with this book. Had he requested permission to include my name in the book and had he sent me a manuscript before publication, I would have refused. I am beyond abashed that my name has been associated with the claims that are in this book.

One's first hint that something is wrong about any book that purports to be the product of research that deals with the very real economic conspiracy that has gripped the world is that it refers to the elite as "Illuminati". This term is meant to mystify. Honest researchers call them simply what they are – rich and connected.

While I am the first to say that Lurianic "kabbalah" is destructive to the Jewish People, and I have the support of many illustrious Rabbis on this point; I do not for a moment think that the Lurianic system is the true Kabbalah and I know it is of foreign, particularly Gnostic origin.

Having said that, Lurianism is not nearly as black as Makow describes it. If it were, it could not have infiltrated Jewish culture.

Compared to the purity of our Torah, Lurianic Gnosticism is impure and it is forbidden for Jews to fill their minds with such things. But it is not Satanism. It is actually purer than many gentile mystical traditions, including Xianity and Hinduism. It is not the horror that Makow, who admits to being an assimilated Jew who is ignorant of our Tradition and believes in Yeshu, claims.

I never thought the day would come that I would defend Lurianism against attack. But the claims of Makow are so outrageous that it has to be said that while Lurianism is forbidden to Jews because it is retooled Gnosticism; it is not Satanism.

There are so many outrageous and outraging, unfounded, contradictory, and necessarily uncited, accusations about the Jews in this book that I can hardly list them. I am too deeply appalled to repeat so much as a sampling of them.

I couldn't even bring myself to read the whole book, which Makow sent to me only after I asked him for a copy. I did so because I was informed that my name was in the book. Makow did not so much as send me a complimentary copy without my requesting it. It was so galling, so revolting, so offensive, that having found my name in the book after flipping through it a few times; I put it aside.

Never have I considered burning a book before. This one may just be fuel for our next Lag Ba'Omer bonfire.

Doreen Ellen Bell-Dotan, Tzfat, Israel

DoreenDotan@gmail.com