Zionism is actually one of the oldest ingenious movements that has thrived throughout the ages. Yes, the Biblical story tells that the Patriarch Abraham and Matriarch Sarah came to this land from Mesopotamia, and that at time of famine his 12 sons went from there to Egypt where this family grew into clans, but, even while they dwelt there, they longed to return to the promised land. Later after the 12 tribes had returned to the land and became a united nation under the leadership of King David who chose Jerusalem as capital and the rest is history.
A lot of people mistakenly think that Zionism is a movement that began with the awakening of modern nationalism in Europe in the late 19th century. While it is true that many heroes of Zionism can be found in that landscape, they can equally be found in Jewish communities in North Africa and throughout the Arab world. But, also along the history of the diaspora which dates back to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in the year 70 when the Jews lost their independence in the land of Israel and were forced into exile.
Zionism actually means the longing for the Jewish national capital Jerusalem which was founded by our King David some 3000 years ago. Zion refers to Jerusalem. Jews in every part of the diaspora pray facing Jerusalem and pray to see it rebuilt. Zionism means that we never gave up. This city and land were captured many times throughout history, some of those invaders thought that they would succeed in erasing the Jewish nationality and our connection to the land, but they failed.
Zionism is actually one of the oldest indigenous movements that has thrived throughout the ages. Yes, the Biblical story tells that the Patriarch Abraham and Matriarch Sarah came to this land from Mesopotamia, and that at time of famine his 12 sons went from there to Egypt where this family grew into clans, but, even while they dwelt there, they longed to return to the promised land. Later after the 12 tribes had returned to the land and became a united nation under the leadership of King David who chose Jerusalem as capital and the rest is history.
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