Conflict in Zion

Different Positions on Hebrew

by Steve Israel

A. Questions in a Contemporary Context

1. Create a case for Hebrew today.
2. Should Arabic or English be the compulsory second language in Israeli schools today? Why?

B. Background Text

The early 1880s saw an increase in activity in Eretz Yisrael. Several thousand immigrants poured in at the beginning of the decade; more settlements were founded. Hovevei Zion -- which had kept a low profile in Russian because of that government's suspicions of any nationalist activity within the Empire -- was officially recognized by the Russian government on condition that it restricted itself to philanthropic activity on behalf of the Jewish community in Palestine and refrained from nationalist activity inside Russia. The movement subsequently opened an office in Jaffa, and its activities became much more coordinated. The Baron de Rothschild, increasingly involved in settlement activity, was drawn into new spheres of philanthropy, including large-scale land purchases.

Despite the constant return of immigrants to their countries of origin, the influx to Eretz Yisrael continued to outweigh the departures. At the same time, the rise in activity led to a rise in conflict and tension within the overall community there.

It had become increasingly clear that the wave of Aliya which had begun after 1881 was not just a continuation of the traditional aliyot of groups and individuals, but contained within it the seeds of something new and substantially different. This gave increasing cause for concern and anxiety among the pre-1881 community.

It was clear to these veteran residents that there were groups and individuals within this new wave of Aliya who wanted to see the community of Eretz Yisrael developing along lines very different to the traditional concept. It had become a very worrying reality, the portents of change generating a feeling of alienation.

It is here that the terms "old yishuv" and "new yishuv" first come into usage. "Yishuv" means a settled community. In reality, it was more complicated than a post-1881 and pre-1881 divide, although it was a conflict of 'old' and 'new'. Many of the new immigrants moved straight to the traditional holy cities and attempted to live the same lifestyle as their predecessors, centered on prayer and study. On the other hand, some groups within the "old yishuv" wished to put their traditional lifestyle on a firmer and more rational economic basis, including on agriculture, considered the supreme symbol of the "new yishuv".

Another factor was language. Many of the new immigrants believed that Hebrew should be spoken by Jewish in the Land on an everyday basis, and there were also circles in the old yishuv who thought likewise.

One misconception is the supposed differentiation over living off charity, supposedly connected with the old yishuv, with the new yishuv creating a model of living off one's own labor. In actual fact, while there were many in the old yishuv strongly opposed to the dependence on outside financial help, many of the new farmers were almost totally dependent on the Baron de Rothschild and his funds.

Nevertheless, a sharp-eyed observer would be able to discern that two forces -- opposed in their essential outlook on the world -- were indeed beginning to emerge in direct contradistinction. The center of the new was clearly circles within the new settlements and the old-new town of Jaffa, with its key institutions. The center of the old was clearly in the four traditional cities -- although both centers retained subgroups whose position were nearer to that of the other grouping.

In its purest form, the new yishuv stood for a lifestyle -- whether religious or secular -- based on the idea of a revival of the Jewish national spirit in Eretz Yisrael. The national tongue was to be Hebrew; the educational system must embrace languages, technology, science and other secular subjects, as well as Jewish studies; the attempt must be made to place the Jewish nation's economic life on a strong productive basis; settlements should be built and Jews should once again become farmers.

Despite the fact that the two camps had plenty of overlaps and ambiguities, by the mid-1890s, it was increasingly obvious that they each had cause to feel threatened by the other....

C. The Basic Positions - Review

1. Assign the six characters below to three basic positions on a scale of world-views from the purest "old yishuv" at one extreme to the purest "new yishuv" at the other. Explain your decision.

2. Examine the central position. How does it combine as a mixture of both extreme viewpoints? Are there characters whose positions could really be midway between this and the extremes - if so, who would they be?

3. How do the characters at the extreme opposite ends of the spectrum view each other? Divide into 2 groups, taking one one of the two characters. Write letters to the editor or a short article pointing out the preposterous nature of the character at the other extreme.

Moses David Shub

Born in Romania 1854, a religious man. A founder member of the "Society for the Settlement of Eretz Yisrael through Working the Land" in his home town. As representative of his group, he was sent out to Palestine and bought the land on which Rosh Pinah was established. When the settlement came under the Baron de Rothschild, he relinquished his land rather than accept the subsidies and became instead director of the school - the first Hebrew-speaking school in the new settlements.

Rabbi Arih Leib Frumkin

Born in Lithuania 1845, a scholar, merchant, rabbi and farmer. He served as a Rabbi in Russia, became involved in the Hibbat Zion [Love of Zion] Movement and came out to Eretz Yisrael after the riots of 1881. He settled in Petach Tikvah where he farmed, as well as opening a school which offered religious and secular studies [to the anger of some of the other settlers.] After a work accident, in which two Arabs were killed, he was forced to leave the country and went to London, where he started a business. Later, he returned to Petach Tikvah, where he devoted himself to scholarly work.

Eliezer Ben Yehudah

Born Lithuania 1858. After a yeshiva education, he ceased being religiously observant. In the late 1870s, he concluded that the future of the Jewish People was in Eretz Yisrael and came on Aliyah in 1881. All his life, he worked to push the idea of the Jews needing to return to their land and for the living national language to be Hebrew. He published newspapers in which he argued the need for Hebrew culture and a productive life -- and ultimately criticized many aspects of the old, traditional lifestyle. Initially, in Jerusalem, he observed the mitzvoth, in order not to cause too much opposition to his new ideas -- but when he realized how many people were opposed to him anyway, he openly left the traditional lifestyle.

He was the first teacher of Hebrew in Hebrew in the country -- and the first to insist that only Hebrew be spoken at home.

Rabbi Joseph Sonnenfeld

Born in Slovakia 1849, settled in Jerusalem 1873. For the rest of his life, fought assiduously against the introduction of any secular influences into the life of the Jewish community in Eretz Yisrael. He was involved in a number of initiatives to develop orthodox neighborhoods outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. He was opposed to bringing old orthodox institutions under the control of the Zionist authorities and led the struggle against the attempt to open secular schools in the country.

Ze'ev Tomkin

Born in Russia 1861. He came from an assimilated background, but became a firm supporter of the Return to Zion after 1881. He was involved in the Hibbat Zion Movement and when it became official in 1890, and opened an office in Jaffa, he was sent to Palestine to run it. There, he became very involved in the land purchase operations and in coordinating the work of the new settlements. Ultimately, he left the country when his work came under severe criticism after a number of his projects failed.

David Yellin

Born Jerusalem 1864, into an important Jerusalemite family of followers of the Vilna Gaon, who had arrived at the beginning of the same century. He was the first Ashkenazi pupil of the first Jerusalem school to teach secular studies, despite the threat by leaders of the Ashkenazi community to excommunicate his father for this action. Later, he became a teacher at this school. He became closely involved in the establishment of an association for Hebrew teachers and joined Ben Yehuda in the struggle to promote the speaking of Hebrew.

[Next] [Activities] [Zionist Century] [Homepage]