The Chosen + Zionist Movement

In the book, "The Chosen," at one meal, Reuven mentions that some feel it is time to establish a Jewish state, which sends Rabbi Saunders into a fierce tirade against Zionism: for the ultra-orthodox, a secular Jewish state established by man without the coming of the Messiah is against God's will.  So what exactly is Zionism....?

Zionism is both a nationalist movement and an ideological one that supports the establishment of a Jewish state in the area where Canaan and the Holy Land were thought to be, which is in the region of Palestine and Israel, based on a long Jewish connection to that area.

The modern Zionist movement emerged in the late 1800s in Europe as a reaction to anti-Semitism (disliking Jews simply because they were Jewish).  Soon after this, most leaders of the movement associated the main goal with creating the desired state in Palestine, an area that was controlled by the Ottoman Empire at the time.

Zionism proposed the establishment of a state where Jews would be free from the persecutions, humiliations, discrimination, and antisemitism they had been subject to, most recently during World War 2.  A variety of Zionism, called cultural Zionism, founded and represented most prominently by Ahad Ha'am, fostered a secular vision of a Jewish "spiritual center" in Israel.  Unlike Herzl, the founder of political Zionism, Ahad Ha'am wanted Israel to be "a Jewish state and not merely a state of Jews."

It should be noted that the movement was not without issues.  There was Jewish opposition to the Zionist movement long before the state of Israel was declared in 1948.  Even today, some ultra-Orthodox groups oppose the state of Israel because they believe the true Jewish state will only be established with the coming of the Messiah.  There are also critics of the Israeli building of settlements.  The Israelis see these things as necessary for protection, while Palestinian supporters see it as a colonizing land grab.

Our spine read for this unit is The Chosen

Get the entire unit in the Advanced High School Literature bundle!

Includes six unit studies covering a variety of topics presented in more mature literature selections.

• Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.
• There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
• After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
• You will also find a short list of reading books, including a featured novel that the unit builds upon.
• There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
• Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
• We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.

Our family has used unit studies as curriculum for many years, and we hope that your family will enjoy these, too!

 

Product sample: The Things They Carried & the Vietnam War

Units include:

· Oliver Twist & the Industrial Revolution

· Things Fall Apart & the Colonization of Africa

· The Chosen & the Zionist Movement

· Five People You Meet in Heaven & Human Impact

· The Things they Carried & the Vietnam War

· Crime and Punishment & Free Will vs Determinism