Zionism is the return of the Jewish people to their own land, poetically called Zion. Modern Zionism emerged at the end of the nineteenth century as a political movement with mostly secular leadership, but its roots were religious and historical. It culminated in the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. Brenner, a professor of Jewish history and culture at the University of Munich, begins by recounting the movement's religious origins and early history and then chronicles Jewish immigration to Palestine. He describes the formation of Zionist political parties, the course of action by Zionists in the Diaspora, Palestine under British rule with its shifting policies, Zionist ideology since 1948, and Arab reactions to Jewish settlements. The book is an excellent reference for readers interested in Jewish history. George CohenCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
" A concise yet insightful survey...An accessible yet scholarly translation" -- Midwest Book Review
"...an excellent reference..." -- Booklist
Prof. Michael Brenner's brilliant short survey of one of the most interesting and embattled movements of the contemporary world is the most reliable introduction available in English into a subject that has become in recent years a matter of much controversy, very often on the basis of ideological prejudice or simply ignorance. This admirably objective review of a multi faceted movement deals both with its cultural and political origins and manifestations." --Walter Laqueur, author of The History of Zionism, 1972