Social and Historical Developments - Zionism Flashcards
Since when had Israel’s land been fought over?
The Abrahamic Covenant
When did Jews return to the holy land?
In Exodus - ‘mass exit’
Why were Jews thrown out again?
Temple destroyed in 70 CE, causing the diaspora
What was the impact of WWI?
Palestine was ruled by the Ottoman Empire, this was defeated by Britain in WWI which took control over Palestine
What was the impact of WWI?
Palestine was ruled by the Ottoman Empire, this was defeated by Britain in WWII which took control over Palestine
What and when was the Balfour Declaration?
1917, A letter which represents the first political recognition of Zionist aims, by a great power
What is the modern history of Israel?
- many jews and been moving to Palestine
- due to pogroms
- 1939 the Final Solution
- 1949 Britain gave the power over Israel to the UN
What did the UN decide to do with Israel?
Debated dividing it into two countries:
- Arabs said no
- Jews accepted and American President supported the new state
When was the declaration of Israel?
May 1948
What is Israel like today?
- Palestinians forced into Gaza Strip and West Bank
- Gaza strip run by political group called ‘HAMAS’ who want the Jews out
Who was Leon Pinsker?
‘Autoemancipation’ - argued that liberating could only occur via the establishment of a Jewish homeland
Who was Theodore Herzl?
‘The Jewish State’ - emancipation was an illusion, there needs to be a homeland established in Palestine
What was the Dreyfus Affair?
1894, accused of passing French military secrets, singled out because he was Jewish and falsely accused, the real trainer was found in 1906
What is ‘Zion’?
A biblical name for Jerusalem
What is Aliyah?
The concept of making a return to the promise land - immigration
What is ‘Zionism’?
A political term
Where is Zionism in the Torah?
- exodus: freed from slavery in Egypt, received the Torah, return to the promised land
- genesis: abrahamic covenant, given the promised land and represented by Brit Millah
- passover: the Seder ends with ‘may we be in Jerusalem’
What is religious Zionism?
The attempt to return to Zion on religious grounds, restore the land of Israel
What is secular Zionism?
Many believe Israel to be a political necessity to escape the bursts of anti-semitism
Who was Theodore Herzl?
Born into an assimilated family, he was the journalist on the Dreyfus affair, and afterwards became a Zionist
Even though Jews may seek to integrate into societies, they’ll never be treated as equals
What did Ben Yehuda do?
He emphasises the revival of the Hebrew Language - new settlers were determined to create a society based on the revival of Hebrew language and culture
Hebrew in the school - the younger generation to be only taught in Hebrew
Hebrew in the home - speak to all Jews in Hebrew
What are the Kibbutz?
A socialist settlement unique to Israel
What did the Kibbutz do?
- farming communities emerged to forge a new way of life
- developing darling communities which took the form of ‘Kibbutzim’
- based on the principle of joint property
What was the First Zionist Conference, 1897?
Herzl convened the meeting - it set out the goals of the Zionist movement
What were the aims of the Zionist movement?
(1) settlement in Eretz Israel
(2) organisation of Jewry in accordance with the laws
(3) strengthening a Jewish national sentiment
(4) steps towards obtaining consent of government
Who is Rabbi Alkalai?
(19th C) An Orthodox Rabbi
Believed that the coming of the Messiah would be hastened by the move to Israel - not supported by Orthodox Rabbis
Encouraged national unity and attempted to reconcile the split between reform and orthodox
Who is Rabbi Kalischer?
(19th C) Orthodox Rabbi
Opponent to reform
Many believe that Jews should wait for the Messiah before returning to Israel, Kalischer opposed this
What is the Mizrachi movement?
- the religious wing of the Zionist movement
- wanted to secure the future of Jewish people through study of the Torah, observance of the Mitzvah and return to the holy land
What was Einstein’s view on Zionism?
- like Spinoza, he did not believe in a personal God
- rejected nationalism
- experience of anti-Semitism convinced him the Jews needed a homeland in Palestine
- invite to be the President of Israel in 1952
What is the motto of the Mizrachi movement?
‘the land of Israel to the people of Israel according to the law of Israel’
What is the ‘Law of Return’?
In 1950 - by the Israeli Parliament, it gave the Jews those of Jewish ancestry and their spouses the right to migrate and settle in Israel with citizenships
What is Political Zionism? (Theodore Herzl)
The Jewish problem’s essence was not individual but national
What is the Jewish Question?
An international, political question
What did Herzl picture the future of the jewish State?
A socialist Utopia
What is practical zionism? (Leon Pinsker)
The practical means of gaining zionist goals
What was ‘Habit Zion’?
A pre-exciting movement in the 1880s that was reviving the Jewish land
What was the Second Aliyah?
Members of this who settled in Palestine would build modern towns and establish the first industrial enterprise
Who advocates for religious zionism?
Abraham Cook
Who is Abraham Cook?
A man of halakhah and believe that waiting 7 years for the promised land was impractical and unsustainable
The return to Israel would mark the end of a world-wide darkness (since the Diaspora)
Involved in the Balfour declaration
What is cultural zionism?
The creation in Eretz Israel of a Jewish cultural centre would act to reinforce Jewish life and in the diaspora
What did Asher Ginsburg believe?
At the centre, there would be a new Jewish national identity based in ethics and values
He criticised Herzl for his schemes - warned about the failure of Herzl
What is the Haredi position?
- concerned secularism will replace Jewish faith
- views Jewish nationality as unique and not based on a culture or language
- duty of the pious Jews to pray for Zion
- forbidden to accelerate the Messianic age
- only 10% of Jews in Israel are Haredi
What is Neturei Karta?
A group of Orthodox Jews who reject the new political ideology of Zion, the true Israel can only be established once the Messiah arrives
What is Rashi’s commentary on Zion?
Jews are required to wait for heavenly redemption, this is distinct from the realm of humans,t wherefore any Jewish state that is not Messianic represents a denial of the divine wisdom
How can Song of SOngs be interpreted as disagreeing with Zionism?
“oh daughters od Jerusalem […] the love before it is desired”
What is Neturei Karta’s main argument against Zion?
- Jews should not rebel against the non-Jews who gave them a sanctuary
- to not i=emmigrate en mass to Israel
- Talmudic evidence that it is too early
What is Neturei Karta’s main argument against Zion?
- Jews should not rebel against the non-Jews who gave them a sanctuary
- to not i=emmigrate en mass to Israel
- Talmudic evidence that it is too early
