This paper asks you to read, understand, and explain primary sources about Zionism during its early years. Zionism was a much-debated topic when it began in the late nineteenth century with many Jews staunchly supporting it and many other Jews opposing it
Write a paper of around 700-1000 words that answers the following questions, based on the primary sources listed below.
- Why did some Jews support Zionism in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century (c.1882-1909)? In other words, what are some arguments Jews made in favor of Zionism at this time?
- Why did some Jews oppose Zionism in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century (c.1882-1909)? In other words, what are some arguments Jews made against of Zionism at this time?
Your paper must have a thesis that addresses both (1.) and (2.). You must discuss at least one primary source for each question.
Early in your paper, you should explain what the term Zionism meant in Europe in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century (c.1882-1909), the years covered by our primary sources. Be mindful that Zionism did not have exactly the same meaning when it began as it does today.
The only acceptable sources for the paper are the primary sources listed below and Michael Brenner’s A Short History of the Jews. The use of other sources, even when cited, constitutes plagiarism and will result in a grade of 0 on the assignment.
In your conclusion, you should explain what the debates about Zionism in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries teach us about Jewish history. You should NOT assume that what happened after 1909 was inevitable. It was one of many possible outcomes. Your answer should either (1) explain what the debates over Zionism teach us about Jewish history at the time they were happening or (2) connect or compare the debates over Zionism to another topic we have already discussed in the course to make some general claim about Jewish history.
Based upon previous papers, we wanted to note that you should avoid using “we” language when writing about Judaism, or making claims from your own Jewish identity if you identify as Jewish. You may use first-person language to write “in this paper, I argue that…” but not “we Jews value…”. You should not assume that your reader shares your perspective or identity. It also important to always capitalize the words “Judaism,” “Jewish,” and “Jew(s).”
Sources:
Leo Pinsker, “Auto-Emancipation,” in Mendes-Flohr and Reinharz 589-591.
Eliezer ben Yehuda, “The Revival of Hebrew,” in Mendes-Flohr and Reinharz, 597-598.
Theodor Herzl, “A Solution of the Jewish Question,” in Mendes-Flohr and Reinharz 599-603.
“Protest Against Zionism,” in Mendes-Flohr and Reinharz 603-604.
The First Zionist Congress, “The Basle Program,” in Mendes-Flohr and Reinharz, 605.
Ahad Ha’am, “The First Zionist Congress” in Mendes-Flohr and Reinharz, 606-608.
Rabbi Zadok HaCohen Rabinowitz, “The Zionists Are Not Our Saviors” in Mendes-Flohr and Reinharz, 608-610.
Theodore Herzl, “Women and Zionism” in Mendes-Flohr and Reinharz, 610-612.
Theodore Herzl. “The Uganda Plan” in Mendes-Flohr and Reinharz, 618-622.
Grading Guidelines:
13.5-15 – The introduction provides a roadmap for the paper and a strong thesis statement. The paper gives a thorough and nuanced definition of Zionism and thoroughly answers both questions. The paper cites two primary sources, one for each question. Quotations are used as evidence for the paper’s claims rather than making the claims themselves. The paper provides a clear account of what the debates around early Zionism teach us about Jewish history. The paper is easy to understand and does not include grammatical or typographical errors, thereby demonstrating that the paper has been proofread.
12-13.2 – The introduction provides a roadmap for the paper and a thesis. It gives an accurate definition of Zionism and answers both questions. The paper cites two primary sources, one for each question. Quotations are used as evidence for the paper’s claims although they may be slightly too long. The paper discusses what the debates around early Zionism teach us about Jewish history. The paper is easy to understand with only a few grammatical or typographical errors.
10.5-11.8 – The introduction discusses the paper’s topic, but there is no thesis statement and the paper is poorly organized. The paper discusses Zionism but its definition is insufficient or inaccurate. The paper presents arguments from only one primary source and only answers one question. The paper mentions that the debates about Zionism teach us something about Jewish history. The paper is difficult to understand and contains several grammatical or typographical errors. The paper may be fewer than 700 words.
9-10.5 – The introduction discusses the paper’s topic, but there is no thesis statement and the paper lacks a conclusion. The paper discusses Zionism but its definition is insufficient or inaccurate. It does not cite any primary sources or adequately answer either question. The paper mentions that Zionism teaches us something about Jewish history. The paper is poorly written and organized with many typos.
Use only the sources that are shown above and make sure to use one for each of the questions. The total word count for the paper has to be less than 1000 words. If you have any questions don’t be afraid to ask.