Zionism Debates: Then and Now

Before Israel was established as a nation-state in 1948, there were intense debates among the Jewish community concerning the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine. Although most Jews agreed that Jerusalem and Israel were the rightful home of the Jewish people and the land would eventually be theirs again, Jewish religious and political authorities debated the circumstances surrounding the creation of this new nation of Israel. Spurred on by the pogroms of Europe and Western Asia, secular Zionists campaigned for Jews to return to Israel and establish a homeland there, where they would not be persecuted (Armstrong 1996, 382-3). Secular Zionists believed that the Jewish people's return to Israel would hasten the coming of the Messiah, who would restore the United Kingdom of Israel and make all things anew (Armstrong 1996, 382-3). Some secular Zionists- including Moses Hess, the father of Zionism- favored creating a socialist state in Israel, which would give rise to Marx's utopia by bringing about the messianic kingdom (Armstrong 1996, 382-3). Though many Jews did endorse secular Zionism, others were skeptical of its ability to precipitate the messianic age. Some rabbis believed that the return to Israel must only take place during the messianic age and under the Messiah's guidance (HaCohen Rabinowitz c. 1900). Though these Jews longed for a return to Israel and Jerusalem, they rejected the secular Zionists' belief that returning to Israel before the Messiah had arrived would hasten his coming (HaCohen Rabinowitz c. 1900). Orthodox teachers also opposed secular Zionism, believing that attempting to prematurely force the messianic age into being was incredibly impious (Armstrong 1996, 382). 

Jewish protestors in London calling for the dismantling of Israel
(photo taken by Alan Denney on flickr)

Today, a new perspective concerning Jewish people's relationship to Israel has emerged. Tzedek Chicago, a synagogue in Chicago, has recently defined itself as "anti-Zionist", claiming, "Through study and action, through deep relationship with Palestinians fighting for their own liberation, and through our own understanding of Jewish safety and self determination, we have come to see that Zionism was a false and failed answer to the desperately real question many of our ancestors faced of how to protect Jewish lives from murderous antisemitism in Europe" (Jewish Voice for Peace). The synagogue- and Jewish Voice for Peace, the organization associated with it- claim that Zionism and support for Israel are not essential components for Judaism, and hope for a future where Palestinians and Jewish Israelis can live in peace together as equals (Jewish Voice for Peace). These beliefs have sparked backlash from pro-Israel activists and religious authorities, and Tzedek Chicago has been reportedly been removed from local directories of synagogues (Rosenfeld 2022, Haaretz.com). Though Israel has been established as a nation-state in the modern day and receives a great deal of support from the Jewish community, it is clear that debates about Israel's legitimacy as a nation and Zionism overall still persevere. 

Additional Sources: 

Jewish Voice for Peace. 2022. "Our Approach to Zionism". Accessed April 10, 2022. https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/zionism/. 

Rosenfeld, Arno and The Forward. 2022. "Chicago Synagogue Officially Designates Itself ‘anti-Zionist.’" Haaretz,  April 2. https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/chicago-synagogue-officially-designates-itself-anti-zionist-1.10715005.

Sources for 19th and 20th centuries that we received in class. 

Image Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/alandenney/9428833616