----- Original Message ----- > The Zionists would > govern the middle east pretty much in the way they worked as stewards in > Eastern Europe
JD: I don't get this. In general, the Jews in Eastern Europe were generally treated as second-class subjects, submitted to pogroms and the like. Joanna: Well, in Poland for example, the Jews were used to collect taxes/tribute and to insulate the aristocracy from the anger of the populace. The pogroms were one expression of that insulation. > Keep in mind that zionism rose at the same time as jews were being > enfranchised across europe (with every social revolution). The zionists drew > their support from those who would otherwise have been local leaders of the > Jewish ghettos, but whose social standing and economic security was now > threatened by the enfranchisement of the jews. JD: please explain. How does this compare to non-Zionist Jewish groups in Eastern Europe at the same time? Well, first we need to distinguish political Zionism (focused on the creation of a Zionist state) from spiritual Zionism (focused on reaching a spiritual rather than geographic state). Now when we say Zionist, we mean political Zionist; but this form of Zionism is of very recent vintage. Other Jews were encouraged by their assimilation into the mainstream and by their political enfranchisement. If you have time, you should look at the history of the movement. I'll see if I can find the books I read at the time. Reading the founding documents was a real eye-opener. Joanna -- Jim Devine / "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own way and let people talk.) -- Karl, paraphrasing Dante. _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
