The Paradox at Zionism’s Core (Lecture 1)

What is Zionism—an ancient dream or a radical modern invention?
In this in-depth lecture, we explore the central paradox of Zionism: its attempt to fuse thousands of years of Jewish tradition, longing, and messianic hope with the entirely modern, secular, political concept of a nation-state.

Drawing on Biblical sources, rabbinic texts, medieval poetry, early modern mysticism, and modern political thought, this class walks through 3,000 years of Jewish connection to the Land of Israel—and the profound tensions embedded within it.

In this session we cover:

The “Old–New” paradox at the heart of Zionism

Why your 16th-century ancestors would think the State of Israel means the Messiah has already come

The historic roots of Jewish longing for Zion: Tanakh → Talmud → Medieval Spain → Kabbalah

Messianic activism vs. religious passivity: Should Jews wait for redemption or help bring it?

The rise of the Haskalah (Jewish Enlightenment) and the challenge of modern emancipation

Early waves of aliyah centuries before modern Zionism

How Tel Aviv got its name from Herzl’s Altneuland (“Old New Land”)

Why Orthodox anti-Zionism existed before 1948—and what distinguishes it from modern anti-Zionism today

The difference between anti-Zionism with a hyphen (historical, ideological critique) and anti-Zionism without a hyphen (modern political hatred)

The collapse of Jewish individualism online and the rise of the “digital ghetto”

The relevance of all this to today’s campus climate, IDF protests, and young Jewish identity

Themes explored:

Jewish history

Zionism and the Israeli–Palestinian conversation

Anti-Zionism vs antisemitism

Messianism and Jewish philosophy

Medieval Jewish thought (Maimonides, Judah Halevi, the Zohar)

Herzl, early Zionist ideology, and nation-state formation

Modern Jewish identity on college campuses

Israel’s Declaration of Independence and competing Jewish narratives

Whether you're new to this conversation or deeply immersed in Jewish history, this lecture gives you the intellectual foundations to understand today’s debates—on campus, in politics, and within Jewish communities worldwide.

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