Early Zionism IAFS/JWST 3650

Outline European Persecution of Jews Development of Zionism Zionist Settlers in Holy Land

Jewish Life in Eastern and Western Europe W Europe (mid/late-19 th c): – Economic integration – Growth of secular nationalism – Jews widely assimilated by end 19 th c

Jewish Life in Eastern and Western Europe E Europe (mid/late-19 th c): – Religious hostility, poverty – Russian restriction of Jews to Pale of Settlement

Pogroms [Puh-GRAHMS] 1881: Czar Alexander II assassinated Russian government response targets Jews Organized attacks on Russian Jews

Russian Jewish Responses Mass migration from Russia to US – 1m refugees by 1900 – 1.6m refugees by 1914

Development of Zionism 1860s: Moses Hess, Plan for the Colonization of the Holy Land – Proposals not taken seriously 1882: Leo Pinsker, Auto-Emancipation – To win equality, Jews must become nation among nations – Eretz Yisrael best location

Development of Zionism 1886: Nathan Birnbaum – Zionism is “movement to reestablish a Jewish nation in Palestine.”

Theodor Herzl ( ) Made his brand of Zionism into a world issue Assimilated Hungarian/Austrian Jew Shocked by Dreyfus Affair

Dreyfus Affair 1894: French army officer Alfred Dreyfus falsely accused of spying for Germany Bitter anti-semitic reaction 1906: Dreyfus exonerated

Herzl, The Jewish State (1896) Herzl reported on Dreyfus trial Confirmed pessimism about assimilation “In vain are we loyal patriots... in vain do we make the same sacrifices of life and property as our fellow-citizens... In countries where we have lived for centuries we are still cried down as strangers.”

Herzl, The Jewish State (1896) “I think we shall not be left in peace.” Therefore Jews needed a state of their own But where?

First Zionist Congress, Basel (1897) “Zionism seeks to establish a home for the Jewish people in Eretz Yisrael secured under public law.” Called for settlement, organization, strengthening Jewish national feeling, and obtaining governmental consent

QuickThink Why did the Basel Congress produce such a vague declaration?

Themes Early nationalisms... related to land? Russian pogroms: – Drove out millions of Russian Jews – Boosted Jewish discussion about alternative home

Themes Dreyfus Affairs confirmed worst fears re failure of assimilation Herzl won outside attention for this internal debate