Christian Zionism

Zionism, as a concept, was a nationalistic movement that advocated for the return of the Jewish people to their motherland, Israel. It also supported the recommencement of Jewish sovereignty in Israel. From its inception, Zionism advocated for the tangible entitlements and religious interest of the Jews in the land of Israel. Many Jews, mainly from Europe and Yemen, joined Zionism and started migrating to Palestine. This particular movement was also established in order to bring independence to…

movement of Israel. “Zionism had as its goal the creation and support of a Jewish national state in Palestine, the ancient homeland of the Jews (Hebrew: Eretz Yisraʾel, “the Land of Israel”). Though Zionism originated in eastern and central Europe in the latter part of the 19th century, it is in many ways a continuation of the ancient attachment of the Jews and of the Jewish religion to the historical region of Palestine, where one of the hills of ancient Jerusalem was called Zion (“Zionism”)”.…

Another major reason Herzl wanted to create a Jewish state is because of the economic and class inequalities many Jewish people faced in different European countries. Herzl, in one section, describes how many Jewish people had to work even harder than mainstream Europeans when they entered into the middle class from the lower income class. Herzl states, “For we had, curiously enough, developed while in the Ghetto into a bourgeois people, and we stepped out of it only to enter into fierce…

The Balfour Declaration serves as evidence that the British supported a national home being made for the Jews in Palestine. The Brits supported the Jews with the hope that they would support them back as they go into World War I. After all, the final say in the publication of this document was determined by Britain’s War Cabinet. Forming a national home for the Jews would allow Britain to gain support of Jews in other countries that may serve as neutral. Having another country as an ally would…

Zionist ideas stem from the biblical notion of a Jewish state given to the Jewish people by God. However, European anti-Semitism and Jewish persecution in the recent centuries is what fueled Zionism to become what it is today. Zionists looked to conquer Palestine and make it their own through whatever means necessary, including violence. Fear of being conquered and oppressed again still lingered heavily on the Jewish population following the…

From Mandate to State: The Yishuv of 1919-1948 For 4,000 years, the Jewish people lived in exile without a nation to call their own. To compensate for this lack of an official homeland, the Jews concentrated on keeping their traditions alive by maintaining their religion, sense of community and social system. It was terribly important to the Jewish people of Palestine to have a place of refuge for their persecuted relatives throughout the world. Jewish immigrants who sought asylum from…

There is a line in the musical Spamalot where Sir Robin sings to King Arthur; “In any great adventure, if you don 't want to lose ... you won 't succeed on Broadway if you don 't have any Jews!" (PBS, Broadway Musicals). If you can look past the sweeping generalization, Sir Robin’s surprising lyric turns out to be very true about musicals. Historians have recognized that Jewish immigrant culture heavily influenced the content of musical theatre when it was popularized in America during the early…

What makes the perfect parent? Countless magazines and websites strive to answer the question but often possess differing opinions on what techniques and parenting styles will foster the ideal child. In Chaim Potok’s novel, The Chosen, Reuven Malter and Danny Saunders grow up in polar opposite households. While both practice Judaism, their separate sects often highlight differences in their respective upbringings. Literature mimics real life and while reading, I found myself comparing the boys’…

Martin Luther’s legacy of writings against the Jews is very well known in theological and historical circles, which have been pondering over the meanings behind the writings and the factors that influenced Luther’s views of the Jews. A close reading of Luther’s works regarding the Jews reveals a major change in both tone and content from generally conciliatory and amiable to violent, vitriolic rants against the Jewish People. Luther’s tone is not the only aspect of his writings on Jews that…

land created an irreplaceable aim for land located in Palestine, which was found to be former Jerusalem (Britannica, Diaspora). Moreover, the Zionist movement in 1897 speed the process of Israel being formed in Palestinian land. With the creation of Zionism, a battle for a national Jewish homeland was set in place. According to Mitchell Bard, throughout the centuries, the expansion of Christianity resulted in different varieties of anti-sentiment. Bard states: “Jewish thinkers began to conclude…