This is an exploration of the origins and development of Zionism, illustrating the theory and history of the Zionist movement and the creation of the state of Israel. In recent years, there has been an explosion of interest in Middle Eastern affairs. The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is a constant theme on television and in newspapers. Yet there is considerable misunderstanding about the origins and ideology of the Zionist movement. This volume seeks to address these issues by providing a concise but comprehensive guide to the origins and development of Zionism from its inception in the nineteenth century until the creation of the Jewish state of Israel in 1948. Dan Cohn-Sherbok explores how, in the early stages of Zionism, a number of Jewish thinkers including religious Zionists, spiritual Zionists and secular Zionists formulated various theories about the need for a Jewish homeland. Illustrating the history of the Zionist movement up to the creation of Israel in 1948, the author also provides an extensive explanation of the various forms of anti-Zionism which emerged in the early history of the Zionist movement.

Author Biography

Rabbi Dan Cohn-Sherbok has a Ph.D. in theology from Cambridge University, UK, and an honorary doctorate in divinity from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, USA. He is currently Visiting Professor at St Mary's University College, London, UK, and was the first Professor of Judaism at the University of Wales, UK. He is also a member of the Arts and Humanities Research Council's Peer Review Council, UK. He has written numerous books, including The Paradox of Anti-Semitism, Dictionary of Jewish Biography, Messianic Judaism and Modern Judaism.