The Transformation of Jewish Identity in the Poetry of "Hayyim Nehman Bialek" and "Mahmoud Darvish"

Jewish identity is based on the historical, cultural, and religious heritage of the Jews, and the poetic elements which draws the poet's attention to particular events and inspires him to record those events. This research is based on the analytical and adaptive method, the purpose of which is to investigate the concept of Jewish identity and its conceptual structure in Nayman Bialek and Mahmoud Darvish poetry. Mahmoud Darwish compares the Jewish identity with the Arabic identity in order to remove the Jewish-only quality from the Jewish identity and emphasizes on the resistance of the Jews and their help and assistance. In this way, Jewish prophets are portrayed as the heroes who can save the Palestinian people from the Zionist oppression. Bialek's genius has taken many steps in the transformation of Jewish poetry. He employs the myths and religious teachings of the Jews in the service of Zionist philosophy, which leads to the consolidation of the concepts of racism, patriotism, and atheism. This research reveals the Jewish identity in Bialek's poetry and shows that Bialek does not apply the religious teachings of the Jews to serving the glorious purposes, education or poetry, rather he uses it as a means to focus on the concepts of "displacement", "legacy" and "cruelty" to compare the Jewish past and present painful situations such as ghettos, and holocaust. The Jewish identity in Darwish's poetry is based on the story of Hajar, Ismail, and Habukhuk to show the occupation of Palestine by the Zionists and the distinction of religious Judaism and Zionist extremism.