In recent years, the concept of Zionism has become a topic of significant debate and controversy. Judaism is inherently Zionist as the book of Jewish faith, the Bible, says the Jewish people belong in the land of Israel. But one does not need to be Jewish to be a Zionist. There are more Christian Zionists in the US (30 million) than Jews in the entire world (15 million). This article aims to explore the historical roots of Zionism, its evolution, and its relevance in contemporary society.

A historical perspective

Zionism is often defined as the belief that Jews have the right to govern themselves in their ancestral homeland, a notion deeply intertwined with Jewish history and identity. The roots of this belief stretch back over four thousand years to the biblical narratives that depict Israel as the promised land for the Jewish people. Despite the historical complexities and periods of exile, the connection to the land has been a constant theme in Jewish prayers and cultural expressions.

The modern political movement of Zionism emerged in the late 19th century, catalyzed by a wave of nationalism sweeping across Europe. Jews faced widespread persecution, particularly in Eastern Europe, where pogroms and antisemitic laws were rampant. This environment fostered a renewed interest in returning to the land of Israel, which many Jews began to view as a real possibility rather than just a distant dream.

The role of Theodor Herzl

Central to the establishment of modern Zionism was Theodor Herzl, a Viennese journalist who became disillusioned with the prospects of Jewish assimilation in Europe. The Dreyfus Affair in France, where a Jewish army officer was wrongfully convicted of treason, served as a wake-up call for Herzl. He recognized that antisemitism was pervasive and that Jews needed a state of their own to ensure their survival and self-determination.

Herzl's vision was not merely about escaping persecution; he believed that establishing a Jewish state would ultimately eliminate antisemitism. He envisioned a society where Jews could live freely and proudly without fear of discrimination. This vision laid the groundwork for the Zionist movement, which sought to create a sovereign Jewish state in then-Palestine.

Streams of Zionism

As the Zionist movement gained momentum, various factions emerged, each with distinct ideologies and visions for what a Jewish state should look like. Six primary streams of Zionism can be identified:

1. Political Zionism: Advocates for a Jewish state modeled after other nations, emphasizing the need for political sovereignty.
2. Labor Zionism: Focuses on socialist principles, advocating for a state that prioritizes agriculture and labor rights.
3. Cultural Zionism: Emphasizes the revival of Jewish culture and identity, seeking to create a vibrant cultural hub rather than a strictly political entity.
4. Revisionist Zionism: Calls for a strong, independent Jewish state with a focus on self-defense and military strength.
5. Religious Zionism: Views the return to Israel as a divine mandate, emphasizing the spiritual significance of the land.
6. Non-Zionist religious Jews: While they long for a return to Zion, they oppose the establishment of a secular state, believing that only God should determine the time for the Jewish return.

The impact of antisemitism on Zionism

The rise of antisemitism in Europe played a crucial role in solidifying the Zionist movement. As Jews faced increasing violence and discrimination, the urgency for a safe haven grew. The horrors of the Holocaust further highlighted the need for a Jewish state, where Jews could find refuge and safety from persecution.

In the aftermath of World War II, the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 marked a pivotal moment in Jewish history. It was a realization of the long-held dream of self-determination in their ancestral homeland. However, the creation of Israel also led to complex geopolitical issues, particularly regarding the Palestinian population that had been living in the area. These tensions continue to shape the discourse around Zionism today.

Zionism today

In contemporary society, the relevance of Zionism is often debated. Some argue that with the establishment of Israel, the primary goal of Zionism has been achieved, and thus it is no longer necessary. Others contend that the principles of Zionism remain vital, as they advocate for Jewish identity, continuity, and a safe homeland for Jews worldwide.

Critics of Zionism often conflate it with nationalism and imperialism, leading to accusations of injustice against Palestinians. This has led to a growing anti-Zionist sentiment, which some argue can cross the line into antisemitism. The distinction between anti-Zionism and antisemitism is crucial, as it informs the conversation around Jewish identity and the legitimacy of Israel as a state.

In conclusion, Zionism is not merely a historical movement but a living concept that continues to resonate with many Jews today. It embodies the struggle for survival, identity, and a sense of belonging in a world that has often been hostile to Jewish existence. The journey of Zionism is far from over; it is a narrative that is still being written, one that reflects the complexities and challenges of contemporary Jewish life.

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Israel is working to thwart an initiative at the United Nations that would not define anti-Zionism as a form of antisemitism. 

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The initiative was proposed by UN High-Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations Miguel Moratinos, former foreign minister of Spain, who had earlier been appointed the organization's point man on Jew-hatred. 

Moratinos was tasked with enhancing a system-wide response, a plan for which he is scheduled to present in Córdoba in about two weeks. However, contrary to Israel's requests, he advocates for the adoption of a more lenient term for antisemitism, which, as mentioned above, would not equate anti-Zionism with Jew-hatred. 

Under the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which Israel is trying to get the UN to adopt, any attempt to deny the Jewish people their right to sovereignty is considered antisemitism. The definition has been accepted by several European countries, including Britain and Germany, and other EU bodies, as well as the United States State Department. 

Israel's Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan met with Mortinos when the former began his term. At the time, Mortinoc made it seem that he would promote the more accepted version of the definition, however, two years later, his plans have changed, and he has refrained from consulting with Israel and is promoting his plan unilaterally. 

Israel Hayom learned that Thursday, Erdan briefed the heads of Jewish organizations and presented them with the damage Mortinos' initiative could cause, as the kind of definition the UN adopts will impact its every action with regard to antisemitism and Israel.

Far left-wing Israeli organizations have also urged the UN to accept the more lenient definition of antisemitism, claiming that the IHRA definition is being "misused" to protect Israel from legitimate criticism.

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In his first visit back to the United States as chairman of the Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem, former Israeli Consul General in New York Dani Dayan seeks to impart a sense of unity that he believes is an essential piece in the knowledge of the Holocaust and Jewish identity around the world.

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Dayan is in the United States this week to speak at Sunday's virtual gala held by the American Society for Yad Vashem on the 83rd anniversary of Kristallnacht – the massive pogrom against Jews in Germany and Austria in November 1938.

"One of the interesting things that I value in Holocaust remembrance that Yad Vashem leads is that it's one of the things that unites Jews across the ocean," he said during an interview with Jewish News Syndicate while on a train from Washington to New York. "There are many issues that divide us: political issues, religious issues, and others, while the remembrance of the Holocaust is one that unites us in our pain, in our grief, and to some extent, also in the lessons we learn from the Shoah [Holocaust]. So it is also important, it's relevant, for the mission that I was very dedicated to when I was consul general in New York, and that is Jewish peoplehood and the unity of the Jewish people."

Dayan began his trip in Washington, visiting the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and its collection center in Bowie, Md. In New York, he plans to reconnect with Jewish leaders and political acquaintances he got to know in his previous role from 2016 to 2020.

He said that one of Yad Vashem's missions was to fulfill the obligation to learn what happened in the Holocaust and teach the world the lessons that moral individuals should heed – lessons that are universal.

"One of the quotes I find most moving is that the Holocaust [was not] the assassination of 6 million Jews, but is 6 million assassinations of one Jew each. In the Holocaust, 6 million individuals were murdered, and we have an obligation both toward them and toward future generations to know everything about it," said Dayan. "They expected us when they went to the gas chambers that we will not forget them, and we will strive to know exactly what happened to them."

The lessons, he said, point to the necessity of an independent, robust and secure Jewish state, as well as the need to forcefully and immediately confront antisemitism wherever it is found.

"We know today what the generation of the 1930s didn't understand. They didn't believe that it can grow to monstrous dimensions. We know that today," he said.

Dayan acknowledged that when he first came to the United States in 2016, he didn't see antisemitism as the pressing issue it is today, believing that it might have been an "overblown phenomenon" in the United States.

"But then, during my term, 15 Jews were murdered in antisemitic attacks – 11 in Pittsburgh; one in Poway, Calif.; two in Jersey City, NJ; and one in Monsey, NY. So after 15 murders, it's very difficult to claim that it is a bogus phenomenon," he stated.

Not only was antisemitism coming from the right – like the Unite the Right rally in 2017 in Charlottesville, Va., during his tenure – but a rise in thinly veiled antisemitism from the left posing as anti-Zionism. He also mentioned hatred stemming from Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, as well as that from the Black Hebrew Israelites, which influenced the attackers of a kosher market in Jersey City.

"We have to combat all its manifestations," said Dayan. "When you not only see a society in which there are signsof antisemitism and bigotry, but regimes that are fanatic, fundamentalist and call for the annihilation of the Jewish state, you have to react immediately and forcibly because otherwise, it could come to a magnitude that will be impossible to deal with. I think that's probably the most important historical lesson from the Shoah."

The experience of the Holocaust is one the world didn't always have as a reference. And thankfully, Dayan said that despite notable instances of and even an uptick in antisemitism, the kind witnessed these days in Europe and the United States is nowhere close to that of the 1930s.

"It may surprise you," he pointed out. "Holocaust denial is not a real issue today. There is no serious Holocaust denial except for the fringe elements on social media; no respectable leader or politician or figure will deny that the Holocaust happened. That was not the case 30 years ago, when there was a movement of denial even [among] intellectuals."

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Rather, the biggest contemporary issues are distortion and trivialization of the Holocaust.

It most often comes from governments and political parties that more often than not attempt to erase the historical record of their own citizens' culpability in atrocities. Examples of this can be found in Ukraine, Poland, Hungary and even France.

"Unfortunately, in European countries, the Nazis had collaborators – without them, it would have been impossible to carry out the malicious design, and those countries should acknowledge that," he said. "It's not enough to acknowledge that the Germans killed 6 million Jews; each country should also acknowledge what their own people did."

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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A satirical news show and an interfaith coalition of high school students dedicated to fighting hate are among the winning projects from the groundbreaking American Jewish Committee (AJC) Disrupt Antisemitism initiative, the first incubator to fund innovative ideas by young American Jews to combat antisemitism.

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A panel of AJC staff, journalists, and business leaders considered nearly 70 submissions and selected five. Each will receive $10,000 in seed money from AJC as well as access to AJC experts in advocacy, finance, and technology to help launch their projects locally, nationally, and online.

"Bold new ideas are critical to combat the growing threats to Jews in the US," said Meggie Wyschogrod Fredman, Director of AJC's Alexander Young Leadership Department. "The creative thinking of Jewish innovators will help the rising generation of American Jews lead us in fighting hate."

The winners were announced a week after AJC's The State of Antisemitism in America 2021, the largest-ever surveys of American Jews and the US public on antisemitism in America, was issued. Among its findings were that 90% of American Jews believe antisemitism is a problem, nearly one-quarter reported they experienced antisemitism in the last 12 months and 39% limited their activities or concealed their Jewishness out of safety concerns. In addition, 86% of American Jews, ages 18-35, think antisemitism is a problem, with 37% saying it's "a very serious problem," in the US today, and 30% said it has increased a lot over the past five years.

The winners of the Disrupt Antisemitism initiative include:

Olive Branch Pictures: Olive Branch Pictures is a graphic novel and animation studio that fosters mutual understanding between Israelis and Palestinians. Olive Branch is producing a film and graphic novel called Shira and Amal, about an Israeli girl and a Palestinian girl who learn to cope with the loss of loved ones by escaping into the world of music.

Uri L'Tzedek: The Orthodox social justice organization based in Scottsdale, Ariz., is guided by Torah values and dedicated to combating suffering and oppression. Uri L'Tzedek will take on antisemitism in progressive spaces by conducting workshops with partner organizations on how antisemitism is manifested and can be fought.

New Zionist Congress: The goal of New Zionist Congress is to combat the rising tide of anti-Zionism in youth-centered spaces. According to AJC's recently released State of Antisemitism in America survey, over 80% of both Jews and the US public consider anti-Zionism – as represented by the statement "Israel has no right to exist" – antisemitic. The group's board members include journalist Bari Weiss, Israeli actress Noa Tishby, and columnist Blake Flayton, the group's CEO.

Jew or False: A digital content series designed to fight antisemitism, Jew or False is a satirical news show that aims to fight Jew-hatred, inspire Jewish pride, and correct misinformation on issues important to the Jewish community. The project is led by writer and director Jason A. Kessler.

Intercommunity Youth Initiative: Conceived by students from Yeshiva University Los Angeles High School, the initiative will bring Jewish and non-Jewish high school students together for a fellowship program designed to build trust, foster understanding, and fight antisemitism and racism.

AJC has taken action to combat antisemitism since its founding 115 years ago. It works with governments to act and forge alliances with other religions and ethnic groups to form a united front against hate. AJC has conceived and helped establish bipartisan taskforces in the House and Senate to combat antisemitism to address antisemitism and protect Jewish communities.

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The Washington, DC affiliate of the environmentalist advocacy group the Sunrise Movement reiterated its opposition to Zionism but also apologized for rebuking three Zionist, Jewish advocacy groups in a newly released statement.

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Sunrise DC pulled out of a voting rights rally that took place in the capital on Saturday because three pro-Israel groups – the National Council of Jewish Women, Religious Action Center, and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs – were also participating. The Jewish groups are part of the Declaration for American Democracy Coalition.

Sunrise DC said in a statement last week that it would not attend the rally because "we oppose Zionism and any state that enforces its ideology." It described Israel as a "colonial project" that engages in "violent, oppressive tactics" and called for the three Jewish groups to be removed from the coalition since "Zionism is incompatible with statehood and political sovereignty."

The national Sunrise Movement said afterward that singling out Jewish groups for removal from a coalition is "unacceptable and antisemitic."

In a statement on Sunday that was shared on Twitter, Sunrise DC said "in our [original] statement, we named three Jewish organizations and criticized their positions on Israel but did not mention other organizations in the Declaration for American Democracy Coalition with similar positions. We apologize unequivocally for this."

"We now understand the way our action has fueled antisemitism, which benefits white nationalism and political movements that built power by dividing us, and endangers Jewish people drastically," the group added.

Sunrise DC also said it is "committed to learning and growing" as it continues to "stand against Zionism, antisemitism, anti-Palestinian racism and all other forms of oppression."

The group further claimed that Zionism is an ideology that led to Israel's "continued violence" against and "systematic oppression" of Palestinians.

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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A UK court is set to hear the appeal on Monday of a 21-year-old Israeli yeshiva student seeking asylum to avoid conscription in the Israel Defense Forces, according to media reports.

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The man's lawyer, Fahad Ansari, said that the Israeli, a Haredi Jew, claims he will be forced to commit apartheid against Palestinians if he is drafted, as well as face persecution in prison.

"Our client is attempting to prove his case in the context of Israel operating as an apartheid state," Ansari told the Middle East Eye.

"Unfortunately, in any asylum appeal involving Palestinians, whether they be from the West Bank or Gaza, there is never any discussion about the elephant in the room: the apartheid nature of Israel, which is ultimately the source of Palestinian suffering and flight from their land," he said.

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Al Jazeera said he opposes Zionism and Israel's existence, arguing against the Jewish state on political and religious grounds.

Some in the ultra-Orthodox community reject the right of Israel to exist as a state until the messiah returns.

The Israeli, for whom the court issued an anonymity order, fled Israel in 2017 after receiving a draft notice from the IDF.

UK Home Secretary Priti Patel rejected his petition in December. The hearing will be held in a Manchester court.

"All asylum cases are carefully considered based on their individual merits," the Home Office told the Middle East Eye after being asked about the case. "As legal action is ongoing, it would not be appropriate to comment further."

This article was first published by i24NEWS.

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An organization representing more than 10,000 alumni around the United States has denounced a recent antisemitic and anti-Israel statement by Rutgers University's Students for Justice in Palestine and the group Rutgers Mutual Aid, a group of Rutgers students and alumni.

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Alums for Campus Fairness sent a letter to Rutgers University president Jonathan Holloway via email on Tuesday denouncing the statement and SJP's "history of making Jewish and pro-Israel students feel unsafe through intimidation, violence and veiled antisemitism."

"We see the purpose of this recent statement is to isolate Rutgers Hillel for embracing Zionism as a central part of Jewish identity," ACF wrote in the letter. "While SJP brands itself as a progressive human-rights organization, its actual impact is to undermine any hope for peace, justice and human rights in the Middle East by delegitimizing, demonizing and applying double standards to Israel."

SJP and Rutgers Mutual Aid released a statement on July 26 that called Zionism one of the "real threats to Jewish safety today," attacked Rutgers' support of "apartheid Israel" and criticized Hillel's support of Israel. The statement also argued that Zionism "purposely ties all Jews to the Israeli regime and, by extension, its crimes."

The groups concluded their statement by calling on the university to condemn "all attempts to falsely conflate anti-Zionism with antisemitism."

ACF has now asked Rutgers to investigate and recognize SJP's "growing culture of intimidation and discrimination"; adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism; and meet with Jewish and pro-Israel community members to "understand challenges and discuss ways to improve the campus climate for the betterment of Jewish students."

To date, the letter has been signed by more than 400 alumni and community members.

ACF said that SJP's "history of activism often goes far beyond legitimate criticism of Israel, descending into outright antisemitism."

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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Anyone who follows the social media accounts of famous US ice cream maker Ben&Jerry's has noticed that the accounts, which used to update on a daily basis, have gone nearly silent since May 18 of this year, when Israel was in the midst of Operation Guardian of the Walls.

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While the company is not officially confirming the reports, chatter on the internet says that after the ice cream giant was targeted by anti-Israel users for its ties to Israel and the fact that it operates both a factory and sells its ice cream in areas considered disputed, the company decided to stay quiet on social media until the storm passed.

However, Ben&Jerry's silence appears to have fed the flames, and attacks on it and on Israel continue to gather steam.

One user whose account identifies her as "anti-Zionist" wrote that "Ben&Jerry's knows they can't go back to business as usual without addressing their involvement and investment in the settlements."

The user accused Israel of "colonialism and land theft."

Many users are even calling for a boycott of Ben&Jerry's, even though its Israeli operations are run by a franchisee and are not directly related to the US parent company.

Meanwhile, the company's Israeli social media account, which refrained from posting during the 11 days of the Gaza fighting, resumed its activity when the ceasefire took effect.

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Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan is promoting an initiative that would see the international body adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of anti-Semitism.

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So far, 30 countries have adopted the definition, according to which anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism.

To enlist the UN to the effort, Erdan recently met with the UN's senior "focal point" on anti-Semitism, Miguel Moratinos, over the weekend. The two discussed options for fighting anti-Semitism as well as the possibility of the UN adopting the IHRA definition of the term in such a way that obligates all of its organizations.

Moratinos is set to meet with central US Jewish organizations on the fight against anti-Semitism.

Such a move, which would likely take a few months, would find officials of countries like Iran in violation of the UN's position when they engage in Holocaust denial.

Erdan said, "Rising anti-Semitism around the world demands we act with additional tools and increase cooperation with the international community to create tools for enforcement against displays of anti-Semitic hatred in the field."

He said, "The UN's adoption of the official definition can limit some of the incitement against Israel at the UN that some of the member-states have grown accustomed to and will also better equip all UN to fight anti-Semitism."

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In Turkey, a senior official who is close to the president said that the virus "serves Zionist interests" and Turkish bloggers said that the Jews created the virus in order to take over the world.

Iran's PressTV ran a piece clearly insinuating that Israel and the US deliberately "engineered" the novel coronavirus as a form of biological warfare against the Iranian and Chinese regimes.

In France, a local politician shared an anti-Semitic video on social media that promotes the conspiracy theory that the virus was an invention that was designed to "cement Jewish supremacy."

In the US, a torrent of anti-Semitic content flooded twitter after it transpired that about 30 students who had attended The American Israel Public Affairs Committee's annual conference were forced into quarantine over potential exposure to a carrier.

"You created the virus, you started this," one user said with glee. "So you are telling me that I am going to be infected because a Zionist mother tried to talk with the pandemic manager?"

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