2012 Penn Lecture in Judaic Studies - On the Road: Travel in Jewish History

The Jewish State or a Cosmopolitan Tourist Destination? Rethinking Herzlian Zionism
(Note: This lecture will be delivered in Hebrew)

Dimitry Shumsky

The perception of Theodor Herzl (1860–1904) as the prophet of the Jewish nation state, often distorts his historic image. Particularly troublesome is the habit of reading his approach to Zionism in The Jewish State (1896) and The Old New Land (1902) retrospectively through the lens of the State of Israel. Reading these texts in such a way filters out the aspects of his writing that are not relevant to the character of Israel. One such aspect is Herzl’s vision of the future Jewish state as a cosmopolitan tourist destination—a place that would integrate various cultural products to attract tourists from around the world. This aspect of Herzl’s work will be the main focus of the talk.

Temple Beth Hillel - Beth El 1001 Remington Road Wynnewood, PA 19096