#4: The Jewish Homeland in the Making, 1904-1918

Building the Impossible Dream: The History of Zionism

Following Herzl’s untimely death in 1904, efforts to settle the Land of Israel were accelerated, led by young idealists who played key roles in laying the foundations for a state that could serve as a light unto the nations. In parallel, Herzl’s disciples and opponents alike, led by Chaim Weizmann, continued his path of diplomacy, culminating in the Balfour Declaration of 1917, in which Great Britain pledged that after conquering Palestine it would endeavor to facilitate in it the creation of a Jewish national home. This episode analyzes how these parallel tracks led in a decade and a half to the creation of a Jewish community in Israel that could serve as the nucleus for a future state.

Supplemental Materials:

• "The Self-Actualizing Zionism of A.D. Gordon" by Hillel Halkin.
• "The Forgotten Truth about the Balfour Declaration" by Martin Kramer.