The Americanization of Muscular Judaism

Abstract

The term ‘muscular Judaism’, coined by Max Nordau in the late 19th century, has been interpreted in different ways. For Nordau, the image of a Jew standing strong and tall was a response to the anti-Semites and the Jews’ unmet aspirations for a national home. Muscular Judaism in practical terms translated into excellence in sports. As athletes, the Jews could make their mark and move from the fringes of society into the mainstream. This concept evolved over the years, reflecting changing times, shifts in global thinking, political developments and new national ambitions. After the establishment of the State, Israeli society underwent a process of Americanization that brought with it a new perception of muscular Judaism and body image. This article discusses three physical fitness trends that redefined the concept of muscular Judaism: gym training, bodybuilding and catch wrestling. These were rooted in the American aesthetic ideal, a far cry from the socialist ideology and collective worldview prevalent in Israel. Our principal argument is that muscular Judaism, as an aesthetic phenomenon shaped in gyms and scripted catch wrestling, heralded the onset of Americanization in Israeli society earlier than is generally accepted in Israeli historiography.