Zionism Commentary |
home |
Thoughtful articles about Zionism, anti-Zionism and the Israeli - Palestinian conflict
by Gil Troy
The Montreal Gazette, 26 April 2001-B3
On this, the 53rd anniversary of Israel's independence, it is all too tempting for friend and foe alike to define
Israel, and Zionism, solely by the Arab world's bloody hostility. To do so is to miss the normal miracles that occur in
Israel daily, the millions who are able to live and learn, laugh and play, in the Middle East's only democracy. To do so
is to underestimate the power of Zionism, a gutsy and visionary movement that outlasted the twentieth century's grander
and seemingly permanent revolutions such as Bolshevism, Nazism, fascism and communism.
The sad truth is that over a century after its founding, Zionism seems to be losing its luster. Arabs have demonized
Zionism as the modern bogeyman, and many have clumped Zionists, along with Americans and most Westerners, as the Great
Satans. The violence of the last seven months has revived the United Nations libel equating Zionism with racism. In
Israel, a small but influential group of intellectuals fancies themselves to be post-Zionists, while a negligible but
voluble minority of Jews in the Diaspora please man-bite-dog opinion page editors by proudly proclaiming themselves
Jewish anti-Zionists.
On this Israel Independence Day, Jews should reaffirm their faith and pride in Zionism, while the world should marvel at
its achievements. Zionists must not allow their enemies to define and slander the movement. No nationalism is pure, no
movement is perfect, no state ideal, but today Zionism remains legitimate, inspiring, relevant, to me and to most Jews.
A century ago, Zionism revived pride in the label "Jew"; today, Jews must revive pride in the label "Zionist."
I am a Zionist because I am a Jew ' and without recognizing a national component in Judaism I cannot explain its unique
character, a world religion bound to one homeland, a people whose Holy Days are defined by the Israeli agricultural
calendar, rooted in theological concepts, and linked with historic events.
I am a Zionist because I know my history ' and after being exiled from their homeland 1931 years ago, the defenseless,
wandering Jews endured repeated persecutions from both Christians and Muslims ' centuries before culminating in the
Holocaust.
I am a Zionist because Jews never forgot their ties to their homeland, their love for Jerusalem, and often established
autonomous governing structures in Babylonia, in Europe, in North Africa, governments in exile yearning to return home.
I am a Zionist because those ideological ties nourished and were nurtured by the plucky minority of Jews who remained in
the land of Israel, sustaining continued Jewish settlement throughout the exile.
I am a Zionist because in modern times, the promise of Emancipation and Enlightenment was a double-edged sword, often
only offering acceptance for Jews in Europe after they assimilated, yet never fully respecting them if they did
assimilate.
I am a Zionist because in establishing the sovereign state of Israel in 1948, the Jews were merely reconstituting in
modern Western terms a relationship with a land they had been attached to for 4,000 years since Abraham ' just as India
did in establishing a modern state out of an ancient civilization.
I am a Zionist because in building that state, the Jews were returning to history, embracing normalcy, a condition which
gave them power, with all its benefits, responsibilities, and dilemmas.
I am a Zionist because I celebrate the existence of Israel, and like any thoughtful patriot, though I might criticize
particular governmental policies I may dislike ' I do not delegitimize the state itself.
I am a Zionist because I live in the real world of nation-states, and I see that Zionism is no more or less "racist"
than any other nationalism, be it American, Canadian, or Czech, all of which rely on some internal cohesion, some sense
of solidarity among some historic grouping of individuals, and not others, some tribalism.
I am a Zionist because here in multicultural North America we have learned that pride in one's heritage as a Jew, an
Italian, a Greek, can provide essential and time-tested anchors in a world overdosing on materialism, consumerism, and a
sensationalism of the here-and-now.
I am a Zionist because in our world of post-modern identities, I know that we don't have to be "either-ors", we can be
can "ands and buts" -- a Zionist AND an American patriot; a secular and somewhat assimilated Jew BUT a Zionist.
I am a Zionist because I am a democrat, and for the last two centuries, the history of democracy has been intertwined
with the history of nationalism, while for the last century democracy has been a central Zionist ideal, despite being
tested under the most severe conditions.
I am a Zionist because I am an idealist, and just as a century ago, the notion of a strong, independent, viable,
sovereign Jewish state was an impossible dream ' yet absolutely worth fighting for ' so, too, today, the notion of a
strong, independent, viable, sovereign Jewish state living in true peace and harmony with its neighbors appears to be an
impossible dream ' yet absolutely worth striving for.
I am a Zionist because I am a romantic, and the vision of the Jews rebuilding their homeland, reclaiming the desert,
renewing themselves, was one of the greatest stories of the twentieth century, just as the vision of the Jews
maintaining their homeland, reconciling with the Arab world, renewing themselves, and serving as a light to others, a
model nation state, could be one of the greatest stories of the twenty-first century.
Yes, it sounds far-fetched today. But, as Theodore Herzl, the father of modern Zionism said in an idle boast that has
become a cliche: "If you will it, it is no dream."
Posted by permission from
http://www.giltroy.com/GilTroy/WhyIamaZionist.htm Why I am a ZionistThis article appears in Zionism Commentary
Note - Commentary does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Zionism on the Web
This site provides resources about Zionism and Israeli history, including links to source documents. We are not responsible for the information content of these sites. These links are NOT intended to be an exhaustive reference about Zionism, but the list will keep growing...
Please tell us about your favorite links and we will review them for inclusion.
Copying - Please do copy these pages, and especially these links to your Web site, giving credit to Zionism on the Web www.zionismontheweb.org
Thank you.
Please link to our Sister Web sites - at http://www.zionism-israel.com Information about Israel and Zionism
and http://www.zionism.netfirms.com The Zionism Pages
Wikipedia article about Zionism
- A comprehensive article including the history of Zionism as well as links to specific topics and articles about anti-Zionism.Zionism - Table of contents at the Jewish Virtual Library
Zionism - Definition and Brief History - A balanced article that covers the definitions and history of Zionism as well as opposition to Zionism and criticisms by Arabs, Jewish anti-Zionists.
Labor Zionism - Early History and Critique
- Contribution of Labor Zionism to the creation of the Jewish state, and problems of Labor Zionism in a changing reality.The US Library of congress has a comprehensive and balanced set of articles about Zionism:
Zionist Precursors - US Library of Congress
Political Zionism - US Library of Congress
Cultural Zionism - US Library of Congress
Labor Zionism - US Library of Congress
Revisionist Zionism - US Library of Congress
Jewish Agency Zionism pages - Links to basic information about Zionism from the Jewish Agency
Ambassador Herzog explains Zionism in the UN
Advocacy
Active Zionism - A Zionist advocacy site with many useful links
Realistic Religious Zionism - moderate religious Zionist Web site