Theodor herzl

Maybe Herzl would have been impressed by the state we established, but we in the World Zionist Organization know that the work is far from over.

Zionism’s old-new centripetal liberalism is still open, democratic, tolerant, individualistic. But it is also communitarian, traditional, family-oriented, meaning-making and soul-stretching.

Over the past 2,000 years, Jews have suffered through exile and desolation. From the Romans to the Holocaust, they faced enemies and antisemites who tried to annihilate them.

The dual tragedy of Theodor, that of the young man and his older self, is how both promises turned to dross under the harsh sunlight of reality.

Writer, thinker, and Herzl admirer Gol Kalev believes the Zionist leader’s ideology and strategies are still relevant to current issues.

The time has come to abandon old rivalries in order to offer interpretations of Judaism consistent with democracy so that Israeli voters can vote for a Jewish and democratic state.

On its 75th birthday, would Herzl be proud or disappointed at how Israel developed, perhaps both?

As Israel matures, Zionism is morphing and adopting a more religious tone than its secular founders. Was this inevitable? Should it be stopped? How can we adapt?

Jews living in Israel, even if they never put on tefillin, observe a single Shabbat or visit the Western Wall, live and breathe Judaism.

A proposal for a Zionist counting of the Omer, a purposeful reflection on the significance of just a few of the anniversaries, commemorations, and celebrations in the weeks ahead.