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'''Zionism''' was nationalist political movement by East European Jews dedicated to reestablishing the [[Israel|Jewish state]] in the land of Israel, starting in the late 19th century.  The goal was achieved with the independence of [[Israel]] in 1948, and the term now connotes political support for the continued existence of this Jewish nation. [[File:Zionism1.jpg|thumb|270px|in front: David Ben Gurian, Golda Maier, Theodor Herzl]]

'''Zionism''' was a nationalist political movement by East European Jews dedicated to reestablishing the [[Israel|Jewish state]] in the land of Israel, starting in the late 19th century.  The goal was achieved with the independence of [[Israel]] in 1948, and the term now connotes political support for the continued existence of this Jewish nation. [[File:Zionism1.jpg|thumb|270px|in front: David Ben Gurian, Golda Maier, Theodor Herzl]]

==History==

==History==

Although Jews have been returning to their homeland throughout the last two thousand years, the movement in its modern guise was started in the 1890s.  

Although Jews have been returning to their homeland throughout the last two thousand years, the movement in its modern guise was started in the 1890s.  

For many centuries there was talk but no action; Jews did not have their own country, and most were restricted to ghettos. By 1810 the [[French Revolution]] and [[Napoleon]] liberated most of the Jews of Europe from the ghettos, allowing a new level of mobility. The [[Romanticism]] of the 19th century inspired a modern Jewish identity that led to much talk of their own nation.  The movement was inspired by the writings of Moses Hess, David Luzatto, Leo Pinsker, Zvi Kalischer, and Yehudah Alkalai; funding came from philanthropists Moses Montefiore, Edmond de Rothschild, and Maurice de Hirsch.  

For many centuries there was talk but no action; Jews did not have their own country, and most were restricted to [[ghetto]]s. By 1810 the [[French Revolution]] and [[Napoleon]] liberated most of the Jews of Europe from the ghettos, allowing a new level of mobility. The [[Romanticism]] of the 19th century inspired a modern Jewish identity that led to much talk of their own nation.  The movement was inspired by the writings of Moses Hess, David Luzatto, Leo Pinsker, Zvi Kalischer, and Yehudah Alkalai; funding came from philanthropists Moses Montefiore, Edmond de Rothschild, and Maurice de Hirsch.  

The first wave of settlement began operations in Palestine in the 1880s; Palestine was part of the [[Ottoman Empire]] until it collapsed in 1918.<ref> Britain was in control of Palestine from 1917 to 1948, and from 1922 Britain had a mandate to rule from the [[League of Nations]].</ref>

The first wave of settlement began operations in Palestine in the 1880s; Palestine was part of the [[Ottoman Empire]] until it collapsed in 1918.<ref> Britain was in control of Palestine from 1917 to 1948, and from 1922 Britain had a mandate to rule from the [[League of Nations]].</ref>

===Settlement in Palestine===

===Settlement in Palestine===

A second, much larger wave of settlement began after the revolutionary upheavals in Russia in 1905.  Most settlers supported socialist versions of Zionism, both Marxist and non-Marxist. They pioneered a new type of settlement, the '''kibbutz''' (or "kvutzah"), a cooperative in which land was owned and worked communally by the Jewish settlers. These idealistic immigrants had an influence on the development of Zionism and the state of Israel far out of proportion to their numbers. The immigrants were aided by the Jewish National Fund (Keren Kayemeth), established by the Zionist Organization to buy land in Palestine as the inalienable property of the Jewish people. By 1914, 12,000 Jews were cultivating 100,000 acres in 43 agricultural settlements. The total Jewish population was 100,000. Zionists idealized the muscular young Jews tilling the soil of the Holy Land; the heroic self image of the brave pioneer stood in stark contrast to Gentile stereotypes of the feminized Jewish weakling or the avaricious Jew-as-money changer.

A second, much larger wave of settlement began after the revolutionary upheavals in Russia in 1905.  Most settlers supported [[socialist]] versions of Zionism, both Marxist and non-Marxist. They pioneered a new type of settlement, the '''kibbutz''' (or "kvutzah"), a cooperative in which land was owned and worked communally by the Jewish settlers. These idealistic immigrants had an influence on the development of Zionism and the state of Israel far out of proportion to their numbers. The immigrants were aided by the Jewish National Fund (Keren Kayemeth), established by the Zionist Organization to buy land in Palestine as the inalienable property of the Jewish people. By 1914, 12,000 Jews were cultivating 100,000 acres in 43 agricultural settlements. The total Jewish population was 100,000. Zionists idealized the muscular young Jews tilling the soil of the Holy Land; the heroic self image of the brave pioneer stood in stark contrast to Gentile stereotypes of the feminized Jewish weakling or the avaricious Jew-as-money changer.

During World War I, the British government sought Jewish support. In 1917 Weizmann secured from the British government the [[Balfour Declaration]], which promised support for "the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people," though nothing was to be done that might "prejudice the civil and religious rights of the existing non-Jewish communities." It did not promise an independent state--in Palestine. The League of Nations created a British mandate, with full control over Palestine in 1922.   

During World War I, the British government sought Jewish support. In 1917 Weizmann secured from the British government the [[Balfour Declaration]], which promised support for "the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people," though nothing was to be done that might "prejudice the civil and religious rights of the existing non-Jewish communities." It did not promise an independent state--in Palestine. The League of Nations created a British mandate, with full control over Palestine in 1922.   

In a third wave of settlement, tens of thousands of Jews arrived, mostly from Europe.  They lived separately from the Arabs, though in close proximity.

In a third wave of settlement, tens of thousands of Jews arrived, mostly from Europe.  They lived separately from the Arabs, though in close proximity.

The British cooperated with the a Jewish Agency, which was responsible for Jewish immigration and development. Financing came from the Zionist Organization, which by the 1920s was largely funded by the large Jewish community in the United States. Institutions of national life developed rapidly.  The Jews in Palestine were represented by an elected council (Vaad Leumi); it became the parliament ('''Knesset''') of Israel in 1948. Although most settlers were farm workers, there was a very active trade union movement, the '''Histadrut''', which also provided social welfare services. A military force, the '''Haganah''', became an unofficial army. A new fund, the Keren Hayesod, provided capital for the development of Jewish cooperative and communal villages, which were grouped in federations of all persuasions, from religious orthodoxy to Marxism. New schools were founded, topped off by the Hebrew University, opened in 1926, a scientific center at Rehovoth, headed by Dr. Weizmann, and a Technical College at Haifa.

The British cooperated with the Jewish Agency, which was responsible for Jewish immigration and development. Financing came from the Zionist Organization, which by the 1920s was largely funded by the large Jewish community in the United States. Institutions of national life developed rapidly.  The Jews in Palestine were represented by an elected council (Vaad Leumi); it became the parliament ('''Knesset''') of Israel in 1948. Although most settlers were farm workers, there was a very active trade union movement, the '''Histadrut''', which also provided social welfare services. A military force, the '''Haganah''', became an unofficial army. A new fund, the Keren Hayesod, provided capital for the development of Jewish cooperative and communal villages, which were grouped in federations of all persuasions, from religious orthodoxy to Marxism. New schools were founded, topped off by the Hebrew University, opened in 1926, a scientific center at Rehovoth, headed by Dr. Weizmann, and a Technical College at Haifa.

===Violence===

===Violence===

Hard times in the Great Depression led many to return to Europe r America; the Jewish population fell to 200,000 in 1933. The rise of Hitler, however, set off a wave of immigration, and by 1939 the Jewish population had reached 446,000. The rapid growth intensified the opposition of the Arabs. There were Arab riots against British support of a Jewish national home in 1921 and 1929, and from 1936 to 1939 there was rebellion throughout the Arab areas of Palestine. The British responded with a White Paper in 1939 that attempted to impose final limits on Jewish immigration and land purchases, but the situation of Jews in Europe was so desperate that immigration increased illegally. The British refusal to make further concessions to Jewish demands provoked attacks by Jewish terrorists of the Irgun, an underground organization Zvai Leumi, commanded by [[Menachem Begin]], and its offshoot (from 1940) the Stern Gang.

Hard times in the Great Depression led many to return to Europe or America; the Jewish population fell to 200,000 in 1933. The rise of Hitler, however, set off a wave of immigration, and by 1939 the Jewish population had reached 446,000. The rapid growth intensified the opposition of the Arabs. There were Arab riots against British support of a Jewish national home in 1921 and 1929, and from 1936 to 1939 there was rebellion throughout the Arab areas of Palestine. The British responded with a White Paper in 1939 that attempted to impose final limits on Jewish immigration and land purchases, but the situation of Jews in Europe was so desperate that immigration increased illegally. The British refusal to make further concessions to Jewish demands provoked attacks by Jewish terrorists of the Irgun, an underground organization Zvai Leumi, commanded by [[Menachem Begin]], and its offshoot (from 1940) the Stern Gang.

1947 the UN recommended the ending of the British mandate and the partition of the country into Arab and Jewish states; Jerusalem was to be internationalized. Zionists reluctantly supported this proposal, while Arabs rejected it. Fighting broke out and on May 14, 1948, the British high commissioner departed, and the same day the Vaad Leumi declared the independence of the State of Israel, which was quickly recognized by both the United States and the Soviet Union. The next day five Arab countries launched a military attack against Israel. But they were quickly defeated, allowing Israel to annex half of Jerusalem and half of the territory allotted to the Palestinian Arabs, while [[Jordan]] annexed the remainder of Palestine except for the Gaza Strip, which was occupied by Egypt.  

In 1947 the UN recommended the ending of the British mandate and the partition of the country into Arab and Jewish states; Jerusalem was to be internationalized. Zionists reluctantly supported this proposal, while Arabs rejected it. Fighting broke out and on May 14, 1948, the British high commissioner departed, and the same day the Vaad Leumi declared the independence of the State of Israel, which was quickly recognized by both the United States and the Soviet Union. The next day five Arab countries launched a military attack against Israel. But they were quickly defeated, allowing Israel to annex half of Jerusalem and half of the territory allotted to the Palestinian Arabs, while [[Jordan]] annexed the remainder of Palestine except for the Gaza Strip, which was occupied by Egypt.  

The next three years 1948-51 saw a mass immigration in which approximately 700,000 Jews emigrated to the new state, mostly Holocaust survivors from Europe, thereby doubling the Jewish population.

The next three years 1948-51 saw a mass immigration in which approximately 700,000 Jews emigrated to the new state, mostly Holocaust survivors from Europe, thereby doubling the Jewish population.