F.A.Q

 Modern Zionism is a movement whose goal is the return of Jews to Eretz Yisrael, or Zion, the Jewish synonym for Jerusalem and the Land of Israel. It began in the 1880s in Eastern Europe, especially Russia, as an ideal of building a home for the Jewish people and bringing about national and spiritual renewal. It became a political movement through the work of essayists and the campaigners of Eastern and Western Europe, spearheaded by the untiring efforts of Theodore Herzl.

The term was originally coined in 1890 by Dr. Nathan Birnbaum (1864-1937), philosopher, author and Yiddish-ist.

Zionism developed in different directions, and - since Israel's statehood in 1948 - it has been debated as the means to an end, rather than the goal itself. In this respect, it addresses the significance of everyday life in Israel and in the Jewish Diaspora.

Cultural Zionism

Belief that successful settlement and re-population of Eretz Yisrael was predicated on need for revitalization of Jewish culture and Hebrew language. Eretz Yisrael could then become necessary cultural and spiritual center for Diaspora Jewry. Based primarily on ideas of Ahad Ha'am.


Practical Zionism

Early manifestation of modern Zionist movement, urging return of Jews to and settlement in Eretz Yisrael, not predicated on political agreement.


Religious Zionism

Belief that Jewish nationalism is religious as well as political goal, to be realized as a Jewish homeland in Eretz Yisrael based on "Torah v'avodah," a synthesis of Torah with practical labor.


Synthetic Zionism

Term coined by Chaim Weizmann which urged fusion of political goals of Jewish homeland with practical goals of Jewish settlement, labor, and culture in Eretz Yisrael.


Revisionism

Zionist political movement, founded and led by Jabotinsky, urging accelerated realization of
Zionism in form of establishment of State. Opposed Weizmann's leadership and mainstream Zionist politics during British Mandate as too moderate.

This is an enormous topic, so we are going to provide some references rather than try to sum it up in a couple of sentences! "I believe that even when we will have achieved a land of our own, Zionism will not cease to be an ideal. For Zionism, as I perceive it, incorporates not only the aspiration to a secured plot of land for our wretched people, but also the desire for moral and spiritual fulfillment."
Theodore Herzl March 1904

For website articles discussing the meaning of Zionism today, please see:
http://www.jajz-ed.org.il/100/act/21zion.html
http://www.azm.org/rockaway1.html
http://www.azm.org/werblowsky.html
http://www.hadassah.org/news/dec97/newage.htm

Compiled from Academic Libraries (* = classic anthology)

1. Goldberg, David J. To the promised land: a history of Zionist thought from its origins to the modern state of Israel. Penguin politics. London; New York, NY: Penguin, 1996.

2. Gruber, Ruth, Israel on the Seventh Day, New York, Hill and Wang, 1968

3. * Hertzberg, Arthur. The Zionist idea; a historical analysis and reader. New York, Meridian Books, Philadelphia, Jewish Publication Society of America [1960, c1959].

4. Herzog, Chaim, The Arab-Israeli Wars, London, Arms and Armour Press, 1982
[review available from Amazon.com]

5. Karger, The first Zionist Congress in 1897: causes, significance, topicality. Basel; New York: 1997.

6. * Lacqueur, Walter Ze'ev, Rubin, Barry M., Eds., The Israel-Arab Reader, Penguin, New York, 1984

7. Louvish, Misha, The Challenge of Israel, New York, Ktav, 1969

8. Narkiss, Uzi, The Liberation of Jerusalem: The Battle of 1967
[review available from Amazon.com]

9. Penkower, Monty Noam, 1942. The emergence of Zionist thought. Series in Judaic studies. Millwood, N.Y.: Associated Faculty Press, c1986.

10. Penslar, Derek Jonathan. Engineering utopia: the World Zionist Organization and a settlement of Palestine, 1897-1914. 1987.

11. Roth, Cecil, 1899-1970. History of the Jews: an outline and discussion guide for a History of the Jews, from earliest times through the Six Day War, revised edition. New York: Schocken Books: [197-?].

12. Rubinstein, Amnon. The Zionist dream revisited: from Herzl to Gush Emunim and back. New York: Schocken Books, 1984.

13. Sachar, Howard Morley, The History of Israel from the Rise of Zionism to Our Time, Alfred Knopf Co., 1996
[review available from Amazon.com]

14. Sachar, Howard Morley, A History of Israel, Alfred Knopf Co., New York, 1976

15. Safran, Nadav, From War to War, Pegasus, New York

16. Shimoni, Gideon. The Zionist ideology. Tauber Institute for the Study of European Jewry series; 21. Hanover: Published by University Press of New England [for] Brandeis University Press, c1995.

17. Soshuk, Levi and Eisenberg, Azriel, Eds., Momentous Century, Herzl Press, 1984

Compiled from Amazon.com

This online bookstore yields a selection of publications, most of which are available in print or in reference libraries.

1. Essential Papers on Zionism (Essential Papers on Jewish Studies) -- Jehuda Reinharz(Editor), Anita Shapira (Editor); Paperback Original Sins :

2. Reflections on the History of Zionism and Israel -- Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi; Paperback

3. A History of Israel : From the Rise of Zionism to Our Time -- Howard M. Sachar; Paperback

4. The Founding Myths of Israel : Nationalism, Socialism, and the Making of the Jewish State, Zeev Sternhell, David Maisel (Translator) / Hardcover / Published 1998

5. From Rosh Pina and Degania to Dimona: A History of Constructive Zionism Yosef Gorny / Paperback / Published 1997

6. A History of Israel : From the Rise of Zionism to Our Time Howard M. Sachar / Paperback / Published 1996

7. Messianism, Zionism, and Jewish Religious Radicalism (Chicago Studies in the History of Judaism) Aviezer Ravitzky, et al / Published 1996

8. Moses Hess: Prophet of Communism and Zionism Shlomo Avineri / Paperback / Published 1985

9. To the Promised Land : A History of Zionist Thought from Its Origins to the Modern State of Israel (Penguin Politics) David J. Goldberg / Paperback / Published 1997

10. Zionism and Religion (The Tauber Institute for the Study of European Jewry Series, 30) S. Almog(Editor), et al / Hardcover / Published 1998

11. Zionism and the Creation of a New Society (Studies in Jewish History) ~ Ben Halpern, Jehuda Reinharz / Hardcover / Published 1998

12. Zionism and the Foundations of Israeli Diplomacy Sasson Sofer, et al / Hardcover / Published 1998

13. The Zionist Ideology (The Tauber Institute for the Study of European Jewry Series : No 21) Gideon Shimoni / Hardcover / Published 1995

14. Abba Hillel Silver and American Zionism
Mark A. Raider(Editor), et al / Paperback / Published 1997

15. Albion and Ariel : British Puritanism and the Birth of Political Zionism (American University Studies. Series Vii, Theology and Religion, Vol 166) Vol 166 Douglas J. Culver / Hardcover / Published 1995

16. Elusive Prophet : Ahad Ha'Am and the Origins of Zionism Steven J. Zipperstein / Hardcover / Published 1993

17. The Emergence of Zionist Thought (American University Studies, Series Ix, History, Vol 3) Monty Noam Penkower / Hardcover / Published 1991

18. Every Individual, a King : The Social and Political Thought of Ze'Ev Vladimir Jabotinsky Raphaella Bilski Ben-Hur / Paperback / Published 1993

19. History of Zionism Laqueur, Walter Laqueur / Hardcover / Published 1997

20. Israel : Politics, Myths and Identity Crises (Pluto Middle Eastern) Akiva Orr / Hardcover / Published 1994

21. New Encyclopedia of Zionism and Israel Geoffrey Wigoder(Editor) / Hardcover / Published 1994

22. The Post-Zionism Debates : Knowledge and Power in Israeli Culture Laurence J. Silberstein / Paperback / Published 1999 (Not Yet Published)

23. The Shaping of Israeli Identity : Myth, Memory, and Trauma Robert S. Wistrich, David Ohana / Paperback / Published 1995

24. Zionism at the Close of the Twentieth Century : A Dilemma Zeev Ben-Sira / Hardcover / Published 1993