Common Myths
About Zionism
Zionism is, in simple terms, the Jewish right to return to, and live in their indigenous homeland: Eretz Yisrael, also known as Zion.
For thousands of years, the displacement and expulsion of Jews from their homeland by global empires meant that Jews could long for, but not exercise this right. Their desire to return to Israel remained alive in their prayers, ceremonial rites, traditions, and political aspirations.
Miraculously, the wane of global empires and advancements in diplomacy and international law created unique circumstances that paved the way for Jews to return home.
Political Zionism, which sought to establish a Jewish state through diplomacy and the formation of an organized political movement, emerged in the late 19th century. It was viewed by Jews in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East as a means to end the persecution and subjugation of Jewish people everywhere.
The movement gained momentum in the late 19th and early 20th centuries under the leadership of prominent figures like Theodor Herzl, Chaim Weizmann, Menachem Begin, David Ben-Gurion, and Golda Meir.
The Political Zionist movement succeeded in its efforts to create a safe haven for Jews, and restored their national identity with the establishment of the State of Israel on May 15th, 1948.
“If a language which has stopped being spoken, with nothing remaining of it save what remains of our language – (if there is such a language) can return and be the spoken tongue of an individual for all necessities of his life, there is no room for doubt that it can become the spoken language of a community.”
—Eliezer Ben-Yahuda
