Zionism – Part I
The Creation of the State of
Israel
Let’s Get Practical!: Definitions
Chalutzim – Hebrew word meaning
pioneers
 Aliyah – Hebrew word literally meaning “to
go up.” It is used to mean returning to
(immigrating to) Israel.
 Plural - Aliyot
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Let’s Get Practical!: The Aliyot I
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1st Aliyah – 1880-1902
 Hovevei Tzion and Bilu
 Plantations funded by Philanthropists
2nd Aliyah – 1900-WWI
 Organized by Zionist Movement
 Immigration of workers, development of
communal settlements
3rd Aliyah – 1919-1923
 Mostly Eastern European and Russian Jews
Let’s Get Practical!: The Aliyot II

4th Aliyah
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1924-1929
Mostly Polish Jews, many of whom could not
immigrate to America
Arab violence picks up near end of period
5th Aliyah
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1929 – 1939
British White Paper limits immigration at end
of period.
Let’s Get Practical!:
Modern Hebrew

Eliezer Ben Yehuda
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Born in 1858 in Lithuania
Palestine in 1881
Father of Modern Hebrew
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Adapted language
Created dictionary
Setting the Scene: The Balfour
Declaration
Setting the Scene:
Palestinian Mandate
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June 24, 1922
UN sets up Mandate
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Part of Treaty of Versaille
Approves Balfour Dec.
Gt. Britain responsible for
administration, help estb.
Jewish state, safeguard civil
and religious rights of all
Jewish agency estb.
Setting the Scene:
Mandate for Palestine

The Mandatory shall be responsible for
placing the country under such political,
administrative and economic conditions as
will secure the establishment of the Jewish
national home, as laid down in the
preamble, and the development of selfgoverning institutions, and also for
safeguarding the civil and religious rights
of all the inhabitants of Palestine…
Setting the Scene: Arabs

Prior to WWI area controlled by Turkey
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Majority of residents Arab
Peasants farmed land belonging to few wealthy
families
Standard of living very low amongst majority
of Arabs
Concerns

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Growing nationalism
Fear of changes brought by Jews
Setting the Scene: Jews

Always been some Jews in Palestine
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Prior to Zionism, hand full of very religious
Jews
With Zionism
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Large waves of immigration
Improve land & hire Arabs initially
Promise of Jewish homeland
Arab Attacks
1922 – Supreme Moslem Council
 Mufti – Haj Amin al-Husseini
 August 15, 1929 – Hebron Massacre

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July – Jews planning attacks on Moslem
shrines
Nation-wide pogrom
British investigate and find on side of
Arabs
White Paper of 1939

Attempt to Clarify the British Position, in
light of Peel Commission

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Never meant Jewish home land at Arab
expense.
New state in 10 years - Arabs & Jews share
governmental authority.
Limits Jewish immigration to no more than 1/3
of Arab population.
No more transfer of land from Arabs to Jews
Statehood: Resolution on Palestine

February 14, 1947

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British announces intention to return mandate
to UN
November 29, 1947

UN approves partition plan
Statehood:
UN Partition Plan
Statehood:
May 14, 1948

8:00 a.m.


Mid-Afternoon,
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British lower the Union Jack in
Jerusalem
Arabs attack Jews
4:00 p.m.

David Ben-Gurion reads the
Declaration of Independence
of the State of Israel
Statehood: Law of Return
July 5, 1950
 Every Jew has the right to immigrate to
the country.
 An immigrant’s visa shall be granted to
every Jew who has expressed his desire to
settle in Israel
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Next Week
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Read pages 634-699.