The First Zionist Congress in 1897

A mosaic of concise and generously illustrated articles introduces the reader to the First Zionist Congress, the circumstances leading up to it, and its consequences. Succinct biographical sketches highlight known and lesser-known Jewish and Zionist personalities and provide fascinating insights into the everyday life of Jewish communities. Reflecting the structure of the exhibition, the publication first examines the origins of Zionism as a response to the changing patterns of life...
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A mosaic of concise and generously illustrated articles introduces the reader to the First Zionist Congress, the circumstances leading up to it, and its consequences. Succinct biographical sketches highlight known and lesser-known Jewish and Zionist personalities and provide fascinating insights into the everyday life of Jewish communities. Reflecting the structure of the exhibition, the publication first examines the origins of Zionism as a response to the changing patterns of life for European Jews in the last century. The First Zionist Congress in Basel and its resolutions, the so-called 'Baseler Programm', are the focus of the next chapter. The ramifications of the congress up to the foundation of the State of Israel are explored in detail and a variety of issues such as the evolving fractions of the Zionist movement, the role of women, relationships with the Arabic-Palestinian inhabitants and the influence of the Shoa receive special attention. A lively discussion of the relevance of Zionism today concludes the publication. A team of historians from the University of Basel has put together a publication which serves both as a guide to the exhibition and a valuable source for further study. It is strongly recommended to anybody interested in contemporary history, Jewish history, or the history and reception of Zionism as well as to all those seeking to form their own opinions about an influential social movement of our century.