Cited by 3Religion, Theology, History, Judaism, ChristianityJewish and Middle Eastern StudiesJewish Identity and Society

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 8 of the 8 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; 1 of the 62 sources its claims cite were checked for support.

The Heralds of Zionism as Theological Revolutionaries

Open access
Mashiach, Amir·2021·Religions

Abstract

In historiographical research, there is an approach that perceives the ideologues who preceded the Hovevei Zion movement (1881) and the Zionist movement (1896) as “heralds of Zionism”. These ideologues operated, or at least proposed the idea of the Jews’ return to the Land of Israel and establishment a political entity in the Land, beginning from the 1860s. The researchers are divided, however, on the identification of the heralds. Some locate them even earlier, in the 17th century, while others deny their very existence. This article wishes to claim that the heralds of Zionism were Orthodox rabbis, such as R. Kalisher, R. Alkalai, R. Friedland, R. Guttmacher, R. Bibas, and R. Natonek, who operated in the early half of the 19th century and transformed the Jewish theology that advocated a passive-spiritual-Divine redemption into an active-practical-natural redemption. For this purpose, it is necessary to immigrate to the Land of Israel and cultivate the land. They contended that once the People of Israel would do so, the redemption would arrive.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

The article argues that the “heralds of Zionism” were Orthodox rabbis active in the early 19th century who transformed Jewish theology from passive-spiritual-Divine redemption into active-practical-natural redemption through immigration to and cultivation of the Land of Israel. It claims this theological revolution influenced later Hibbat Zion, the Zionist movement, and Israeli Jewish identities, though direct impact is difficult to discern.

Key findings

  • The paper identifies R. Kalisher, R. Alkalai, R. Friedland, R. Guttmacher, R. Bibas, and R. Natonek as Orthodox rabbinic heralds who operated in the 1820s–1850s, not only from the 1860s, and who preached natural redemption, human activism, immigration, land cultivation, and—for Bibas and Kalisher—a Jewish army.
  • Specific teachings include R. Kalisher’s call that “the precept of planting the land is in fact a major precept” and his proposal for a military/police force; R. Alkalai’s claim that “our exile began with clay and bricks and all work in the field, and our redemption will begin with clay and bricks and all work in the field”; and R. Guttmacher’s assertion that if 130 Jewish families cultivate the holy land, “the redemption will commence even if the Israelites are not worthy of it.”
  • The article argues the heralds revived a biblical-Jewish identity of activism, labor, and military capacity against a rabbinical-exilic identity of passivity and Torah study as the supreme value.
  • It claims influence was indirect through Hovevei Zion and R. Shmuel Mohilever, and direct through Herzl’s family and R. Alkalai; Ben Gurion recognized Alkalai and Kalisher as architects of the Zionist enterprise, while the ultra-Orthodox sector was not influenced.

Methods

  • Historiographical and theological essay that redefines the “heralds of Zionism” by examining rabbinic writings, secondary scholarship, and historical context.
  • Sources include writings by Kalisher, Alkalai, Friedland, Guttmacher, and Natonek; testimony about Bibas via Alkalai and Scottish missionaries; and modern historians such as Katz, Ettinger, Goldstein, and Stanislavski.
  • Main analysis is qualitative textual and ideational comparison, not empirical data collection or statistical analysis.

Limitations

  • The paper states that the heralds’ direct success is hard to discern because Eastern European Jews believed in miraculous redemption, Western European Jews believed in Emancipation, and living conditions in the Land of Israel were harsh; it also notes that R. Bibas’s writings no longer exist, so information about him comes from R. Alkalai and two Scottish missionaries.
  • Evident from the text: there is no systematic empirical measurement of influence, and some influence claims are framed as probable or indirect (“more than probable,” “undoubtedly”) rather than documented.
  • Evident from the text: the argument relies on selected rabbinic texts and secondary interpretations, with no formal limitations section beyond the author’s acknowledgments of evidentiary gaps.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.3390/rel12121100

Cites

8 of 8 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

69 No basis given · 44 Not checked yet · 43 Sources not found · 37 Own interpretation · 5 Own result · 1 Supported · 1 No full text of the sources

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 79
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 85
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 1
129 of 129

Citations

Cites

Show all 8 references

Research works printed but not linked: 19

  1. Angel, Marc D. (1978). The Jews of Rhodes, Sepher-Hermon Press.
  2. Berholtz, 1994, Mevasrey Hatzionut—Mahapecha Beretzef Hamasoret” (The Heralds of Zionism—A Revolution in the Continuity of Tradition), Taleley Orot, 5, 250
  3. Conforti, 2009, “Hayehudi Hehadash Bamahshava Hatzionit: Leumiyut, Ideologya Vehistoriograpya” (The New Jew in the Zionist Movement: Ideology and Historiography”), Yisrael, 16, 63
  4. Etkes, 2005, “Hagaon Mivilna Vetalmidav Ke’tzionim Rishonim’—Gilgulav shel Mitos” (The Gaon of Vilna and his Students as ‘First Zionists’—The Metamorphoses of a Myth), Zion, 80, 69
  5. Frankel, Jonathan (1997). The Damascus Affair: “Ritual Murder,” Politics, and the Jews in 1840, Cambridge University Press.
  6. Friedland, Nathan R. (1858). Kos Yeshua Unehama, Zoltzbach Press.
  7. Friedland, Nathan R. (1878). Yosef Chen, Goldman Press.
  8. Goldman, 1992, Professor George Bush: Hibraist Amerikani Veproto-Tzioni Professor George Bush: American and Proto-Zionist Hebraist, Hadoar, 71, 16
  9. Katz, 1950, “Leberur Hamusag Mevasrey Hatziyonut” (Clarifying the Term ‘Heralds of Zionism’), Shivat Zion, 1, 91
  10. Lebel, 1989, Holeh Ahavat Yerushalayim—R. Yehuda Alkalai—Hareka Hapoliti Vehakehilati Lepoalo” (Sick with Love for Jerusalem—R. Judah Alkalai—The Political and Communal Context of his Actions, Pe’amim, 40, 21
  11. Mashiach, 2012, “Haetos Hayehudi Veteoriyat Hahizdamnut Bitkufat Hameridot Hagdolot Beshelhey Bayit Sheni” [The Jewish Ethos and Opportunism in the Times of the Great Revolts in the 1st and 2nd Centuries A.C.], Mar’eh, 7, 23
  12. Mashiach, 2014, “Mehayamim Hahem Lazman Hazeh—Nituach Ofi Hamigzarim Bahevra Hayisre’elit Bahoveh, Le’or Hazehuyot Hayehudiyot Meha’et Ha’atika” (From the Days of Old to This Time: A Study of the Sectors of Israeli Society in the Present in Light of Jewish Identities from Ancient Times), Social Issues in Israel, 17, 38
  13. Morgenstern, 2002, “Yahadut Hagola Vehakmiha Lezion, 1240–1840” (Dispersion and the Longing for Zion, 1240–1840), Tchelet, 12, 51
  14. Salmon, 1991, “Harav Shmuel Mohilever—Rabam shel Hovevei Zion” (R. Shmuel Mohilever—The Rabbi of Hovevei Zion), Zion, 56, 47
  15. Salmon, 1998, "Zramim Ra’ayoniyim—Reshit Haleumiyut Hayehudit Bir’i Hamehkar" (Ideological Streams—The Beginning of Jewish Nationalism as Reflected in the Research), Iyunim Bitkumat Yisrael, 8, 565
  16. Salmon, 2010, “‘Hayehudi Hehadash’ Bamahshava Hatzionit-Datit” (‘The New Jew’ in Religious-Zionist Thought), Yisrael, 17, 237
  17. Shmuel, 2002, The Pioneer who Precedes the Camp, Kovetz Hatzionut Hadatit, 4, 597
  18. Weinreb, 1937, “Yesodot Hatziyonut Vetoldoteha” (Foundations of Zionism and its History), Tarbiz, 8, 69
  19. Winkler, Ruth (2021, May 07). Meharav Alkalai ve’ad Dr. Teodor (Binyamin Zeev) Herzel—Hamekasher Vehamavdil Behashivatam” (From Rav Jehudah Alkalay to Dr. Theodor Herzl—Connection and Differences in their Thought), Fourth Annual Conference for Research Students in Political Science. Available online: https://jalkalai.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/d790d79cd7a7d79cd7a2d799-d795d794d7a8d7a6d79c.pdf.

Metadata

Authors
Mashiach, A.
Affiliations
Ariel University (IL)
Corresponding author
Mashiach, Amir
Venue
Religions
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2021-12-14
Volume
12
Issue
12
Pages
1100
ISSN
2077-1444 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4200417349
Cited by
3
References
8
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2023: 1
FWCI
0.83
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Religions (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Religious studies › Religion, Theology, History, Judaism, Christianity
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Religious studies › Jewish Identity and Society
Keywords
Jewish theology, redemption, agricultural settlement, 19th-century Judaism

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