Zionism is an astonishing political movement that emerged in the late 19th century. At that time, the Jews were desperate to return to their ancestral homeland. Moreover, the emerging Zionist movement’s goal was that all Jews are one nation, and they should have their sovereign state and return to their historical homeland (qtd. in NowThis World). Simultaneously, in modern realities, Zionism’s idea is nationalistic, manifests blatant racism, and one of its main tasks is to express the political views of the large Jewish bourgeoisie. Even though Zionism’s concept has changed its meaning, the critical fact remains that this topic is still discussed and essential for both Orthodox and non-orthodox Jews.
The word “Zionism” now has various meanings for different groups of people; this is due to the various attitudes of Jews to religiosity. When we begin to talk about the history of the Zionism movement, it is essential to note that the main hope of the Jews at that time was the prophecy that a Messiah would appear (qtd. in “The World Zionist Organization.”). They believed that he would return them to the land of Jerusalem. People hoped that the Messiah would restore them to the glory that the Jewish people had during David’s reign. They hoped that returning to the land of Jerusalem would bring them back to God since the Jews were expelled from Jerusalem’s territory, disobeying God. The Zionist movement’s founders were apparent supporters of secularism, but at the same time, the action itself was built on specific religious ideas. That creates confusion, as some people consider “Zionism” to be synonymous with when certain religious parties will come to power.
At the same time, there is a question about Zionism’s attitude among orthodox Jews and those who do not consider themselves religious Jews. One of the controversial issues is that initially, the primary sources of the Jews indicated that other nationalities could live on the land of Jerusalem, which is an important historical component of the Jewish people. Ardent Zionists’ opinion says that living on the same ground as Muslims is an unacceptable action for them (qtd. in “Zionism Definition by a Jew.3gp.”). Simultaneously, comparing the original Zionism with modern Zionism, it is important to note how much the approach to settlement in understanding modern Zionists have changed. Although considering this issue from a historical perspective, large groups of Jews have lived on Muslim countries’ territory in peace with Muslims, respecting each other’s traditions.
Moreover, in modern realities, Jews who profess traditional Judaism reject Zionism’s ideas, which carry the notion of secular nationalism, and call those Jews who believe in Zionism pseudo-Jews. Zionism called for removing at least some influence of the Torah and religion from the central apparatus and replacing them with armed materialism. That would automatically separate religion’s impact on the state apparatus, which is at odds with orthodox Jews’ understanding of Israel’s modern state. Furthermore, many orthodox Jews consider the state of Israel’s ideology to be opposite to what traditional Judaism teaches (qtd. in “Zionism Definition by a Jew.3gp.”). For Jewish believers, the atonement is essential: the Jews return to their historical homeland, led by the Messiah. On the part of those who adhere to traditional views, redemption can only occur in the case of a divine and magical action, the mass’s appearance. In contrast, Zionism is an action that was created and continues to move Israel by human hands, not by divine providence. The actions of politicians, the military, and ordinary citizens do not correspond to the ideas of orthodox Jews about how exactly the atonement should take place.
By discussing such situations and problems, people can once again look into the past and see the results of the strong influence that took place many centuries ago. People’s belief remains unshaken, which confirms that faith is an affirmative and active response to God’s terms.
Works Cited
NowThis World. “What Is Zionism?” YouTube, 2015, Web.
“The World Zionist Organization.” Knesset.gov.il, 2021, Web.
“Zionism Definition by a Jew.3gp.” YouTube.