Among campus activists, the word “Zionist” has simply come to be an insult, while in the Middle East it serves as a synonym for “Israeli” for those whose antipathy is so great that they refuse to pronounce the hated country’s name. For others still, it is nothing but a codeword for Jew. And for most American Jews, Zionism means support for Israel, and “anti-Zionism” the view that Israel should be dismantled or destroyed, that the country is a unique source of evil in the world.
But when the term first emerged at the end of the 19th century, it referred to a specific ideology, or, more accurately, a set of competing ideologies often engaged in fierce debate, while anti-Zionism included a variety of rival visions for the Jewish future. In a new five-part online course offered by Tikvah, the political scientist and former Knesset member Einat Wilf, together with the filmmaker Zoé Tara Zeigherman, explains the intellectual history of Zionism and of its opposition. You can register for free at the link below.
Read more on Zionism & Anti-Zionism: https://lp.tikvahfund.org/zionism