Israel Speaks
In the late 19th century a national ideology called Zionism
was born among the European Jews.
The central goal of Zionism was national freedom and the establishment
of a Jewish state in the land of Israel.
The most prominent figure of this national movement and
the visionary of the state of Israel was Theodor Herzl.
A mountain in West Jerusalem is named after him and the
Herzl museum is located there.
Moti Friedman is the director of the museum.
Herzl began travelling around Europe with the purpose of meeting
state leaders and explaining to them about the problem of the Jews.
He also turned to the Germans who had influence over the Turks, -
who, at the time, governed the land of Israel.
When the German emperor Wilhelm II visited the land, Herzl travelled
to Jerusalem to meet him.
This was Herzl's only visit to the land of Israel.
In 1903 in the city of Kishinev in the Tzarist Russia
Jews were the targets of violent attacks. Synagogues were burnt
and some 50 Jews were killed in this pogrom.
About a year after that, Herzl died succumbed to an illness
at the age of only 44.
The ideologies of Herzl and other Zionist leaders spread to the entire
Jewish world.
Seera Beize is a Finnish Jew who now lives in Jerusalem.
I was born in Helsinki. My name was Sheera Shuback.
My grandparents came to Finland and my parents were born in Finland.
I went to a Jewish school.
When I turned 18 and finished school I left to Israel for a year.
I had been here already before, -
because my mother was a Zionist and she wanted us to come here
to study.
When I was 14 years old, she sent me here to a kibbutz.
I spent one month here alone.
I come from quite a Zionist family.
Of course, the Zionism that was in the community, -
and even today the Jewish community is very Zionist, -
came from Herzl.
We always helped in Keren Kayemet in gathering money.
My mother and father were involved in different things
in the community. The entire community was doing Herzl's work
on behalf of Israel and Finland.
They had found a good mid way.
They are good Finns and participate in the Finnish life, but they always
stand to support Israel.
Reuben Stiller always said: I defend Israel even though I don't
always understand why, because I don't always agree with everything.
Here there are also quite many Jews who were born in Finland.
This also proves that they have adopted Herzl's ideology.
In school we studied Jewish history. The Jewish school has 9 grades.
In the 7th, 8th and 9th grades we learned about Herzl and Draifuss
and anti-Semitism and everything related to it.
On our wall we had the pictures of the Israeli president and Prime Minister.
I don't remember seeing a picture of Herzl.
He was a historic figure, but after moving here, I realized he was a
significant person.
When looking back today, it's interesting to see that rabbis or
religious leaders could not have done what Herzl did.
Herzl believed in diplomacy.
He travelled a lot searching for assistance, for example, -
from Prince Wilhelm and other politicians.
He knew that without their help it would not succeed.
The Orthodox rabbis were afraid.
Galut is a punishment and one cannot go against God's punishments.
This applied to most of the Ultra Orthodox rabbis.
Even some Zionist rabbis said: "We will know when the time comes."
Therefore, Herzl was not the first Zionist. We had people from
Hibad Zion who came in the 1880's as well as others.
However, Herzl got the masses behind him and the support he wanted.
That's where the movement started.
The books and articles published by Herzl have been translated into
several languages. The most famous of them is the "Old New Land".
In this book Herzl describes his vision of the Jewish state
to be established in the land of Israel.
I just heard that Herzl's books have been translated again.
You can read about the Jewish state and the Old New Land.
With regards to the Arabs, they were very naive.
On the other hand, Herzl said they would see that it's worth going
with us, because they will also get a better life, if we are able
to build a state.
Shimon Peres is talking about it even today.
If we have a strong economy, people want to join us.
If not, they don't want to.
Perhaps that's some kind of a policy.
On the other hand, Zabotinsky was involved with the militants.
They understood the need for defence.
The pogroms continued and continued and the Jews didn't do anything.
Trumpledor and Zabotinsky had enough and said, we must defend ourselves.
We have to move to our own country and have our own army.
The Russian Zionists came here in the 1990's, although they
might not have wanted to.
There are almost one million Russian speaking Jews here
and our army is also very Russian speaking.
It's quite unbelievable and I think even Herzl, who was a kind of a
prophet, could not understand what would happen.
Theodor Herzl died over a hundred years ago, but even today there
are many Zionist youth who consider him a pioneer.
Erez Tadmoor is an activist of the "If you will it" organization.
"If you will it" is based on Herzl's words: -
"If you will it, it's not a dream."
Our ideology and faith depends on us.
We can take our faith into our own hands and influence our future.
If we want, with our own strength we can return to the land of Israel.
It all depends on our own will and our national courage.
I believe that if it was true 110 years ago it is true today.
Generally speaking, we focus on national Zionism, -
which was founded by Herzl.
National Zionism is based on the belief that the success of Israel
is based on moral values and our faith in our own independent state.
First of all, we have to believe in it.
When people in Israel understand that, the world will also understand.
We are not only trying to act ideologically, -
but also return Zionism to Judaism and make it a trend again.
One of the ways to do it is to use pictures of Zionist leaders.
People who wear T-shirts with pictures of Che Guevara
don't know his ideology.
It's much better to wear shirts with pictures of people, -
whose significance we understand.
Although Herzl personally was not a religious person, his attitude
towards religion was very respectful.
Herzl has been portrayed as an atheist and a secular man, -
which is not true.
He simply had his own mission which did not include studying
in the yeshiva.
He was a journalist who wrote.
Nevertheless, Herzl showed the way for everyone.
The purpose was to have all kinds of Jews here: -
leftists and rightists.
Some participate in the protests with the Palestinians
showing the humanistic Judaism. Others build the Negev.
There is enough work here for everyone.
Herzl's most important characteristic was his ability to see and interpret
events in the right way.
It's hard to call him a prophet like Moses or Jeremiah, but definitely
a person who sees so much in the future, is a prophet.
Birkei Avot says that wise is the one who sees the future.
He understands what the results are.
Herzl spoke 50 years after that and he was right.
It was very hard to understand what kind of a state it will be
and what kind of Jews would come. No one could know that, -
but he understood.
He didn't speak of the Holocaust which was quite far away, -
but he spoke about anti-Semitism and having our own home.
He didn't even speak of a state.
He said that Jews need to escape the pogroms, anti-Semitism
and everything that was around him.
Herzl was a strong leader who had a lot of skills
to understand the future as well as social and political processes
and see the changes which occured in Europe
and the world in general.
He was able to see where the world is going to in the future.
That is an important skill for every statesman.
I think Herzl was one of the most significant statesmen in 1900-1920.
Today we can see the fulfillment of his vision.
There is no other nation in the world who were able to
build their own state in such a short time and who have
a strong economy today, democracy and high living standards
and stands against all its enemies.
Nevertheless, we are succeeding.
The success of Zionism is phenomenal which is mainly due to Herzl's
abilities as a statesman. He was able to visualize the future
and walk towards his vision.
Inspite of everything, many think that Herzl is still not appreciated
enough.
Maybe it will take some time.
The Herzl museum has just been renovated and it's located next to
the Yad Vashem museum.
I recommend first visiting Yad Vashem and then
coming here to Herzl's grave.
Also other Zionist leaders and Rabin are buried here.
They are a part of the complex.
We go up and down as a nation. There are harder times and easier times.
When you first visit the also recently renovated Yad Vashem, and then
the Herzl museum, you get an overview of 150 years.
"I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointed
festivals, which is a burden and reproach for you. At that time
I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue the lame; -
I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and honor in every land
where they have suffered shame. At that time I will gather you; -
at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise
among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes
before your very eyes," says the LORD. - Zephaniah 3:18-20
Translation: Sonja Mattayev