Antisemitism: Origins of Religious Zionist Thought in America

• In Event: Jewishness in the American Imagination

Abstract

Initiative from below: The Onset of Religious Zionist Thought in America.
Gershon Greenberg
The first (albeit overlooked) stage of religious Zionist thought in America (1880-1915) was decidedly worldly and a-messianic in disposition. Following rabbinic tradition, its representatives
awaited leadership by world leaders for the ultimate restoration of, and autonomy in, the Land of Israel. This condition would be met in 1917 by the Balfour Declaration – which tied this-worldly
(historical) and other-worldly (trans- historical, messianically-framed) dimensions together.
During the last decades of the nineteenth century, religious Zionist groups formed across America (New York, Cincinnati, San Francisco). Concurrently, a network of European yeshiva
trained thinkers in America, associated personally with Yitshak Elhanan Spector of Kovno (who himself supported HIBBAT TSIYON), victimized by antisemitism (including blood libel) on the
one hand, and offended by assimilation (including Reform Judaism) on the other, turned to HOVEVEI TSIYON writings in Europe (Tsevi Hirsch Kalischer, Natan Friedland and Shemuel
Mohilever) to articulate reasons to abandon America, and to settle and restore the Land of Israel.
Yehoshua Singer (Buffalo), Ralph Rafael and Moshe Sivitz (Pittsburgh), Shimon Finkelstein (Syracuse), Joseph Meir Levin (Wilkes-Barre), and Gedaliah Silverstone (Washington D.C.)
believed that God would ultimately intervene and bring about Land of Israel-centered redemption. But they adhered told to KIMA KIMA (step-by-step actions on the natural level) and
ITARUTA DELITATA (awakening return from below) principles. While they sought a land developed in spiritual terms, with Torah scholars determining its character, following European HIBBAT TSIYON, they focused on organizing the purchase of land through the Colonial Bank in England. They recognized the indispensable role of the wealthy, in enabling Torah-based life in the land. They also looked favorably on Theodor Herzl. Along with this, mindful of the Talmudic stipulation not to oppose the ruler (Ketubot 111a) and of rabbinical tradition (e.g., Shelah, Shenei Luhot Haberit Hashalem; Malbim ad Micah 4:8), they awaited for Zionist support by American and European political rulers.
This early stage of religious Zionist thought in America anticipated the governmental Balfour Declaration, to enact the blending of historical and messianic dimensions. Hayim Hirschensohn (Malki Bakodesh) would become its leading expositor

Author

• gershon greenberg, American University, Washington, D.C.