Zionism and the Negation of the Diaspora - Essay Example

Negation of the Diaspora Zionism and the Negation of the Diaspora The concept of negation of the Diaspora was a slogan that showed a negative attitude toward the Diaspora. It was commonly supported by the Zionists who suggested that solutions of the national problem can be found beyond the Diaspora (Hertzberg, 1971). This position of the Zionists reflected a negative attitude towards Diaspora or exile, which is an objective attitude because it relates to the issue itself rather than the reactions of the Zionists. This paper argues that the negation of the Diaspora demonstrates objective negative attitude that the Zionist Jews had towards Diaspora, and the Zionists demonstrated this slogan by opposing dispersion and advocating for the establishment of Jewish State in the historic homeland of the Jews. This slogan was demonstrated through the acts and thoughts of Zionists. Zionism rose as a movement of the Jews in the western world that fought for the Jewish rights and unity after being dispersed and alienated in foreign lands for a long time (Oz, 2003). Zionism considered religious mechanisms essential to revive and foster national consciousness of Jews. They were concerned with the establishment of the Jewish solution to the Jewish problem. Zionism is also considered as a movement that supported the establishment of Jewish state in the Jewish historic homeland in early 20th century (Hertzberg, 1971). Zionists existed in different groups, but they all had common thoughts for the Jews. They supported the identity of the Jews, opposed Jewish assimilation, and fought for liberation from anti-Semitic discrimination, Jewish persecution and exclusion which were common problems of the Jews in Diaspora. Zionists though of a way to end this problems and they argued that the best way was to establish a state for the Jews in their historical homeland. The slogan of “negation of the Diaspora” was the key drive of the Zionists to support the establishment of a Jewish state. It was an underlying assumption that strengthened the position of the Zionists. According to this movement, Diaspora restricted the full growth of individual and national life of the Jews (Hertzberg, 1971). The solution offered by the Zionists was the establishment of a new Jewish identity through nationalism and nationhood. The problem of the Jews was that they were treated as inferior in their Diasporas (Magid, 2006). Material and spiritual troubles affected them throughout the world. In the Eastern countries, they lacked material needs. They struggled to satisfy their basic needs because they were denied due to their Jewish origin. In the West, Jews were emancipated, but they lacked spiritual needs (Magid, 2006). They could not enjoy their legal rights. The Jewish also wished to belong to the national society, but they were kept out. They were also hated and treated contemptuously as if they were not worth the enjoyment of benefits in the society. As a result of these problems, Zionists wanted to fight for the establishment of their own state, because they would not fit into the life of Diaspora (Hertzberg, 1971). Their actions and thoughts against the inferior treatment in the west led to the Zionism movement and the concept of the negation of Diaspora. Zionism suggested that the Jewish problems could not be solved easily using the improvement of material wellbeing. People in Diaspora can be encouraged to become farmers and artisans, and they could improve their material wellbeing (Hertzberg, 1971). However, the primary problem with the Jews was the religious problems. Zionism believes that the Jewish State brings remedy to poverty and offers a state of tranquility to the Jews (Hertzberg, 1971). The Jewish state would provide refuge to Judaism and a cultural bond to unite the Jews. In this regard, Zionism operates with political propaganda through which the negative attitude toward the Diaspora is manifested. In order to support their choice of the Jewish State as the solution to the Jewish problems, the Zionists opposed Diaspora in all possible terms. They hold a subjectively negative view whereby they consider the presence of the Jews in Diaspora as analogous of a lamb among wolves. Therefore, Zionism thought it would be beneficial to the Jewish if the state of Jews would end once and for all. Seen as an objective negative attitude, “the negation of the Diaspora” is considered to be in relation to the Zionists’ belief that the Jews cannot survive as scattered people at a time when spiritual isolation is ending (Hertzberg, 1971). There was no defence against foreign culture in the Diaspora. This would cause drawbacks to the Jewish national characteristics and traditions, and would lead to the disappearance of the Jewish people. Zionism and Zionists therefore lived up to the expectations of the Jewish people to establish a separate state by negating Diaspora and considering it as the major cause of the problems affecting the Jews. Another line of thinking that promoted the negation of the Diaspora was the thinking that the Jews were doomed to extinction, and they needed a remedy to that. The process of assimilating Jews by forcing them to give up their Judaism was common among those who were in Diaspora (Oz, 2003). These problems were mainly caused by dispersion. Therefore, putting an end to it would resolve the problem of possible extinction. Gathering Jewish people across the world and putting them together in their historical land would secure their future. The Zionists thought that the Jews who were willing to assimilate to other religions to get rid of their Judaism should remain wherever they are, but those who were not wiling should become part of the Jewish state. The Zionist’s revolutionary view and way of life demonstrated that they broke away from the ancient traditional beliefs of the Jews because the ancient belief of the Jews was characterized by subjectively negative and objectively positive attitude towards Diaspora (Magid, 2006). The ancient Jews believed that they would struggle for their survival no matter how the situation may be. In this case, the traditional Jews did not believe in their extinction as suggested by the Zionist group. They would survive on their own even in Diaspora. The Zionists refused to believe that the dispersion of Jews across the world is possible, and that the Jews cannot survive in the Diaspora (Hertzberg, 1971). This view was opposed by the autonomists who argued that exile should be permanently part of the Jewish life. They argue that Diaspora is beyond their power to eliminate and that the national life of the Jews in Diaspora should be strengthened. Despite these criticisms, Zionists maintained their position as a national liberation movement that would help in providing solutions to the Jewish problems. The by Zionists that the Jews would not survive in Diaspora was clearly fulfilled through various unfortunate events that befell them in 1930s. Through the Nazi Germany and its affiliates, Jews were persecuted in masses and were declared as illegal refugees across Europe and Australia (Hertzberg, 1971). As anticipated by the Zionists in early 20th century, Nazism and Communism led to mass destruction of the Jews. For instance, the Holocaust resulted in the massacre of millions of Jews. It was therefore apparently clear that the Jews would not survive and would even become extinct in Diaspora. These events, especially the Holocaust, united the Jews who realized that the best thing they could do was to go back to their homeland and establish a Jewish state in their original homeland (Oz, 2003). Despite opposition from Non-Jew Palestinians and Britain, Jews started to heed the Zionism calls and migrate to their historical homeland to re-establish their Jewish identity and nationality. The nationality and identity of the Jews was also demonstrated through the actions of the Zionists. Zionism encouraged Jewish cultural identity which was characterised by development in drama and literature through great imagination (Oz, 2003). This imagination was largely encouraged by the desire of the Jews to improve their survival in Diaspora. As the Jews in Diaspora tried to improve their material possessions and religious strength, they attempted new and imaginative ways of doing things (Magid, 2006). Zionism encouraged the Jews to re-invent themselves by living in negation to Diaspora. As a result, they developed unique artistic characters and romantic temperament. From this discussion, it is clear that the negation of Diaspora was an essential slogan in the history of the Jews. It was a way of opposing Diaspora and supporting the establishment of a Jewish State as a means of solving Jewish problems. Zionism suggested that Diaspora would cause destruction and an extinction of Jews. This prediction was depicted in various persecutions, discrimination, exclusion and mass murder of Jews. Zionists therefore suggested a solution – to establish a Jewish state in the historic homeland of the Jews, which is Palestine. References list Hertzberg, A. (1971). The Zionist Idea: A Historic Analysis and Reader. New York: Atheneum. Magid, S. (2006). In Search of a Critical Voice in the Jewish Diaspora: Homelessness and Home in Edward Said and Shalom Noah Barzofsky’s Netivot Shalom. Jewish Social Studies: History, Culture, Society, 12(3), 193–227 Oz, A. (2003). A Tale of Love and Darkness. New York: Harcourt Publishing Ltd. Read More