This week Rabbi David Woznica writes of pivotal events that led to the creation of the Modern State of Israel which are important for us, and our children, to know. The Balfour Declaration—November 2, 1917  The British White Paper—May 17, 1939 With The Balfour Declaration having been approved by the British cabinet, Lord Arthur James Balfour, Foreign Secretary of the British Empire, wrote to Lord Rothschild (president of the British Zionist Federation): "Dear Lord Rothschild, His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object… I should be grateful if you would bring this declaration to the knowledge of the Zionist Federation. Yours, Arthur James Balfour" This was an extraordinary statement. The British had a mandate over Palestine and that mandate continued until the United Nations voted to partition for the State of [...]

This week Rabbi David Woznica writes of pivotal events that led to the creation of the Modern State of Israel which are important for us, and our children, to know.Theodor Herzl and the First Zionist Congress"Im tirtzu, ein zo agadah"—If you will it, it is not a dream—Theodor HerzlTheodor Herzl made Zionism an international movement. Herzl was raised in Budapest and Vienna. He became a highly respected journalist. And while antisemitism was a concern, it was the Dreyfus trial (see yesterday’s entry) that shaped him to become a Zionist*. Herzl was present when Dreyfus was humiliated as French mobs called for his death and shouted “Death to the Jews”. Herzl concluded if this could happen in France (which was the first European country to give Jews equal rights), Jews were not safe anywhere.As a result, Herzl became passionate about creating a modern Jewish State. He wrote Der Judenstaat (The Jewish State), a sixty-three page pamphlet which [...]

This week Rabbi David Woznica writes of pivotal events that led to the creation of the Modern State of Israel which are important for us, and our children, to know. The Dreyfus Trial—The Dreyfus Affair In 1894, Alfred Dreyfus was falsely accused of spying for Germany. He was a captain in the French Army. It took twelve years before the case was resolved. In the interim, the French government fell. However, during those years, Jews were subject to horrible antisemitic attacks, much as a result of the antisemitism of the Catholic Church. During the investigation, it became clear the charges were fabricated. The spy working for Germany existed, but it was another man. The French Army and government leaders on the political right worked to suppress the evidence. France was shocked when the novelist Emile Zola wrote J’accuse in the newspaper. He wrote “May all my works perish if Dreyfus is not innocent… I (do) not [...]