Key Theme for 5757 and 5758:

"The Centenary of the first Zionist Congress
&
Fifty Years since the Establishment of the State of Israel"

Director-General Circular

4. Goals and Objectives / IV. Zionism - Where do we go from here?

For today's students, dealing with the subject of Zionism in the educational system must carry meaning in terms of both values and education.

The assumption is that through the discussion of Zionism, of the position of the State of Israel, and of Israel-Diaspora relations, the students will learn the facts and in a variety of ways acquire an in-depth feeling for the special historic experiences of the Jewish people in the last hundred years.

But the major event that should take place in the educational system -- in our humble opinion -- is to ask the question, "Where do we go from here?"

A. Dilemmas

• 1. What is the role of the Zionist enterprise now?
• 2. How valid today are the objectives that were laid down at the beginning of Zionism, and what additional objectives must be pursued with a view to the future?
• 3. Which Zionist definitions have outlived their day, and which ones make it possible to continue/develop/change directions?
• 4. In what ways is it possible and necessary to examine critically the events and behaviors that have marked the course of Zionist history?
  What are the risks and what are the benefits inherent in such an approach?
• 5. What significance did myths have in the past? How should we relate to them today?
• 6. What is the role of Zionist ideology in the State of Israel?
• 7. What is the relationship between Zionism and the Jewish religion?
• 8. Where do I (student, educator) stand in respect of the ideas of the Zionist movement?

And many more questions which the students will need to ask!

B. The Post-Zionist Approach

One of the approaches which students might wish to consider or adopt is the "post-Zionist" approach.

* In the view of the "post-Zionists," Zionism realized its objectives with the founding of the State of Israel, thereby completing its task

* The State should now renounce its Zionist goals, such as the ingathering of the exiles, and so on. Zionism, they argue, as a modern national movement has become an ideological, political, social, and cultural anachronism, and is no longer addressing the real challenges of our times.

* In their view, Zionism was a nefarious, colonialist movement, an idea which failed completely to resolve the problem which it claimed to solve, instead creating wrongs and injustices for Palestinians and Jews alike, and so it must be abandoned and its negative effects remedied.

* The direction to be taken, they argue, is to integrate in the supranational trends of "post-Zionist" universalism and individualism.

According to others, the objective of the post-Zionists in this debate is to put an end to the Jewish character of the State of Israel and adopt the outlook of a secular, democratic state. They maintain that this is a debate not about the past, but about the future, with the past serving solely as a means to change the present and reshape the future.

We believe that mature students, who posses the knowledge and analytical tools, will be able to cope with "post-Zionist" texts and with opposing texts, and will be able to explore and develop positions grounded in knowledge and reflection.

C. Definitions of Zionism

Various definitions of Zionism have been given in different times. It is important that these definitions be collected, and perhaps also that philosophers, politicians, and others be approached for a range of suggested definitions of Zionism today. At this point, personal or group definitions could be put forward, with an emphasis being placed on the practical implications of each definition that is proposed.

* At the Denmark Comprehensive School in Jerusalem, the senior staff and a select team of teachers, working with a group of students, made an attempt to come up with an agreed definition of Zionism.

Their proposal read as follows:

"Zionism is an outlook which espouses the sovereignty of the Jewish people in Eretz Israel and which considers that those who profess it are duty-bound to take part in this sovereign enterprise."

* This definition can be compared and contrasted with the definition of Zionism which appeared in the Basel Program: "Zionism strives to create for the Jewish people a national home in Eretz Israel, secured by public law."

E. Continuity and change

One of the tensions that appears when exploring this subject is the tension between continuity and change.

What should be continued from the Zionist "story," and what should be changed?

It is possible that after debating and shedding light on the subject, the following message can be presented to students:

Your parents' parents [or their friends / family ] began a long process of making the Zionist vision come true. You have to decide whether or not you are going to be part of this process.

If you become part of it, you can change, improve, interpret, add, or subtract, but the direction and the goal are the original vision of your parents.

Or maybe you want to come up with a new vision?

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