A commonly misunderstood term, Zionism, is the belief that Jews have a right to self-determination in the land of Israel.

For 4,000 years, Jews have longed to return to their homeland.

However, until Theodor Herzl, the goal of return has simply been a dream.

Born in Budapest in 1860, Herzl’s dedication to Zionism stemmed from exposure to anti-semitism.

Between violent incidents of antisemitism and the emergence of pogroms, Herzl realized that Jews could not rely on any government to protect them.