Zionist

Zionist has become a dirty word in some circles in the United States. According to a revisionist definition, I would be placed in the Zionist camp for the simple fact that I believe Israel should exist. I do firmly believe that limits need to be set by the U.S. government in relation to money given to Israel. I do not condone all of the actions of the Israeli military in Gaza. I do object to a word being used pejoratively and differently from its original meaning.

I came of age in a period when most of the world favored the state of Israel. The country had a democratic government with socialist values. The Kibbutz movement was successful and viewed positively. When I was a teenager and young adult, I idealized Israel, a land of strong, healthy, handsome people who worked together for the common good. I wore Israelis sandals and blouses and enjoyed Israeli folkdancing. I studied Hebrew and spent a month in the country. No one chastized me for my beliefs and preferences.

Of course, times have changed, and so have I. Israel evolved from a small idealistic nation to a world power, a thriving center for research and business. The people became wealthier and priorities changed. The country remained the only viable democracy in the middle east. Palestinians, those who lived in the area for centuries, demanded a better life and their stolen land returned. They had become prisoners in their own land. Unfortunately, the Israeli governments never took their wishes seriously or rather comprehensively. Based on these opinions, I am not a Zionist.

History clarifies. Zionism was a political movement established in the 18th century, but not gaining significance until the late 19th century. I learned about Theodore Herzl in religious school. He convened the first Zionist conference in Basel, Switzerland in 1897, its guiding principle being "to create for the Jewish people a home in Palestine secured by public law." The Ottoman Empire refused. Great Britain suggested land in Uganda, but the Zionists hoped for the land called Palestine. It should be noted that nationalist movements were very popular in the period leading up to World War I. A Jewish renaissance in the form of theater, literature, and art occurred primarily in Europe. Hence, Zionism gained some popularity. Constant violence and discrimination of Jews fueled a passion to return to the "holy land."

For centuries, Jewish people dreamed of returning to places referred to in the Torah. Nothing happened, and the legal permission to form a Jewish state was postponed due to World War I. Only a minority of Jews were Zionists. Small groups of European Jews settled in Palestine during the early 20th century. Most were Labor Zionists who started the collective farm movement eventually known as the Kibbutzim and Moshavim. A strong more conservative faction has influenced Israel since its beginnings, much more hawkish in nature. Though, truth be told, these militants were partially responsible for protecting the vulnerable Jewish settlers who were periodically attacked by Arab forces before statehood. The Ottomans and the British did not protect the Jews. The Balfour Declaration supported the establishment of a Jewish state, but this was merely a statement. Theodore Herzl's dream became reality when David Ben Gurion announced the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, partially approved by the United Nations. However, no one stopped to consider the Arab residents of the area.

I object to the use of Zionism or Zionist as a polarizing instrument. Zionism or being a Zionist is not a criminal act, though truthfully it taints of colonialism very similar to the founding of America. No one can turn the clock back and have the Jews negotiate with the Arabs about who should be in which part of the land. No one can change racist viewpoints of the early 20th century. These were worldwide tendencies not limited to a small number of Jewish pioneers.

To be called a "Zionist" today has become an epithet among progressive groups, Jewish and non Jewish. Notwithstanding numerous efforts to define the difference between criticizing the governments of Israel and believing in its right to exist, Zionism has become a dreaded word among liberal Jews.

After decades of Israel's poor treatment of Palestinians by increasingly right wing Israeli governments, the climate has intensified with dreadful violence on both sides, from the Intifadas to Oct 7, 2023; from settler violence to bulldozing neighborhoods. Alarmingly, the worst actions by Israel--justifiably condemned-- are associated with anyone who is Jewish or does not believe in the destruction of Israel. Liberal American Jews find themselves in a horrible quandry.

A right/wrong situation has recently developed--if you are with us (completely anti Israel) or not. If you are not with us, you believe in genocide, a stretch by anyone's thinking. Known as intersectionality, a slippery slope if there ever was one. To be a true Democrat or Liberal, one must tick off all the boxes to be a member in good standing. Now, one of the boxes concerns Israel. If I check the box, I seemingly join forces with those who go too far in condeming Israel. If I do not check the box, I become associated with the group who supports Israel no matter what.

I can hear some saying, "Let it go. Zionist or not; check the box or not. You know what you think." However, it does matter. The platform of the Democratic party will include statements about Israel, one way or another. People running for office in the upcoming midterm elections, will speak about Israel. New people will be elected. Policies will change. None of these are inherently negative. The new political leaders, discussions, and changes may enable those who are radicalized to promote dangerous ideas which often lead to violence. That is bad.

https://www.annefrank.org/en/topics/antisemitism/are-all-jews-zionists/

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Zionism

https://www.reddit.com/r/geopolitics/comments/1cqtk3e/meaning_of_being_a_zionist/

©Karen Levi 2026