Sunday, November 3, 2013

Hannah Wolinsky: Questions Due Monday November 4


How did Herzl describe his proposed Jewish State? 

Herzl sought to produce a “tolerant modern civil state.” The Promised Land should be a land of new life and hard work. There should be a “Society of Jews” to work in science and politics, helping to form this Jewish state. This society will gather all the information it can to determine whether or not Jews indeed want to go to the Promised Land and whether or not they should go. Every Jewish community should contribute to this society in order to help it develop. The “Society of Jews” will be in charge of public organizations, planning migration and places to settle, etc. Herzl believed in listening to the opinion of the people regarding where it is they wished to settle- Palestine or Argentine. In addition to listening to the people’s thoughts, Herzl decided that language should be a free concept and each man should be allowed to maintain his native language. The constitutional form of this new state will be an aristocratic republic, for it is impractical and absurd to continue old constitutional forms. Ultimately, Herzl wanted Jews to live happily in peace and to give hope to Jews everywhere.

What problem/s for Jews did the varying kinds of Zionism propose to solve?

Zionism reflects aspects from traditional Judaism, as well as modern Judaism. Zionism believes in the messianic destiny and history of Jews. It was time for the prophecy regarding Zionism to be acted upon.  The Hovevei Zion believed resettlement is the answer to the Jewish question. Both the Hovevei Zion and the World Zionist Organization were concerned with the Jewish problem/question. They wanted to secure Jewish culture and enable the recovery of Hebrew. Secular Eastern European Jews were already quite assimilated. Ahad Haam wanted to ensure the energy and life of these secular Jews in Eastern Europe. Western Zionism, on the other hand, was devoted to helping persecuted Jews. All pro-Zionism organizations had the same theme in common: the rejection of Jewish exile.


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