"100 Years of Jewish History"

by Steve Israel

Booklet Three: In and about the promised land

Religious and Secular Zionism

1. The Dilemmas

A. Questions in a Contemporary Context

• What do you know about different Zionist ideologies almost a hundred years ago?
• Do the same differences exist today?
• What was the religious argument against Zionism then and what was the religious Zionists' reply?
• Which sectors of the community are most Zionist today - and which are least Zionist?

B. Background Text

There were always tensions within Zionism; no matter where or when, there were always different groups with different ideas pulling in different directions. This is hardly surprising, considering that people were playing for the future of the one and only Jewish state -- and everyone had their own ideas as to how such a society should look.

One particular tension which came into play is the question of Zionism and religion.

• What was the relation between the two?
• Could they coexist?
• Or were they natural protagonists, with no possible connection?

These questions were not new and had been asked since the founding of Hibat Zion; the religious Zionists conducted their struggle on two fronts simultaneously:

• against opponents of Zionism in the religious camp to legitimize their position and prove they were not traitors to Judaism;
• and within the Zionist movement to ensure the place of religion within the new society.

From the early 1880s, the struggle had been hard and uphill. Now, under Herzl, as the Zionist movement became larger and more important, it was renewed.

Legitimization within the orthodox world

The issue was theological in character.

• Could modern Jews take the decision to return as a nation the ancient homeland and re-establish a Jewish society there? No-one doubted that -- in the end of days -- such a society should come into being, but did Jews have the right to try and work towards this for themselves?

The question was and is rooted deep in the traditional understanding of the Divine plan for the world -- and for the Jews within this world. According to Jewish tradition, the People had been exiled from their land -- the Land of Israel -- as an act of punishment: they had not lived the life that G-d had demanded of them -- and so, as predicted in the Torah, the nation had been punished with the loss of their Land.

After their Land was taken from them, the People had been scattered in Exile. They were there to atone for their sins; when they had proven their deep repentance and come to understand the Divine demands upon them, then G-d would usher in the Messianic era and the People would be gathered from their different places and returned to their Land, over which they would regain sovereignty. [Ezekiel]. The the Jewish state would live again, under its sovereign ruler, and the Messiah would arrive.

According to this traditional view, G-d alone would decide when the People were to be regathered and returned to their land. Individuals, even groups, were free to go and live in the Land - but for the nation as a nation, the decision was not theirs but G-d's.

The two lines of response by the different groups of religious Zionists were as follows:

1. There were those who accepted that the Return to Zion was indeed part and parcel of the Messianic process, but believed that it was up to Jews to launch that process. The Messianic process would not be a miraculous occurence -- at least not until its final stages -- it was a natural phenomenon which would be started by Jews taking their fate into their own hands and proving their fiath to G-d by beginning the process of Return themselves.

   This was the trial that G-d had in store for the Jews -- a test they were required to pass. If they proved their faith in G-d by doing this, then the process would be completed by the Divine hand. It was an illusion to believe that the People should wait passively for a miraculous Messiah to appear supernaturally and bring them back istantly -- that was not the way of G-d.

2. There were others whose approach differed considerably. Zionism was not a Messianic movement and would have no bearing on the final Redemption -- that would indeed bye ushered in b G-d and could not be affected or influenced by the People.

   However, it was permissible -- and, indeed, proper -- to save Jews from persecution and humiliation. This was the task of Zionism: to rescue and save the Jews. Naturally, this was to be done in a manner consistent with Torah, but it was not to be confused with the ultimate Messianic task.

C. Making a Decision

In small groups, work on the assignment below:

You are a religious Zionist leader at the end of the nineteenth century. You have been involved in the Hibbat Zion movement for years and -- even though it is clear to you that their success in steering the People to a safe haven in Eretz Yisrael has been limited -- you are convinced that this is partly the result of poor organization and organizational weakness in Russia. You are unswervingly convinced that this is the way forward.

The old leadership of the movement was fairly unimpressive, and your particular problem was that it comprised Maskilim for the most part, far away from your understanding of what a Jewish leadership ought to be. However, even if they were not observant Jews, they were reasonably knowledgeable. Now you have heard that an assimilated Jew named Herzl has moved to the leadership of the movement, working on completely different lines. He has unquestionable leadership abilities, which you acknowledge: he is probably the only person who could make a difference - but he is both non-observant and completely lacking in any Jewish knowledge.

Should you cooperate with Herzl?

1. Draw up a list of the "pros" and "cons" of cooperation with Herzl.
2. Draw up an agenda for immediate action to ensure that the Zionist movement under Herzl develops in a manner acceptable to you -- should you decide to join, despite your position and your reservations.
3. Are there any red lines which would oblige you to leave the movement if they were crossed? List them.

D. Speech writing

Herzl has invited you to speak at the Congress, which you take as an indication of respect for or openness to your ideas. You are going to join the movement and agree to speak.

At the last minute, you fall ill and are unable to travel. The speech will be read by someone on your behalf. Prepare it!

Editors: Michael Toben, Dr. Dov Goldflam, 1992
Internet Version: The Pedagogic Center, 1996
Editor: Gila Ansell Brauner

in conjunction with:
The Department for Torah Education and Culture in the Diaspora
Center for Creativity

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