Theodore Herzl Solution To The Jewish Question Analysis

In his essay “Solution to the Jewish Question” Theodore Herzl puts forward the thesis that a political solution, in the form of the creation of a Jewish national state, is necessary to resolve what he deems the “Jewish Question (Herzl, pg. 424).” Herzl elaborates on a prominent phenomena that prompts our attention, in which he dubs the profound barbarism of our day, mainly known as anti-Semitism. Herzl believes that the Jewish question still exists today and to think otherwise is obscene. Persecution he states is wherever the Jewish people domicile and the only way to circumvent further persecution is by finding a solution on a political basis. Herzl believes that the Jewish question is no more a social issue than a religious one, however
Herzl proposes that we shall release the banner of the so called “New Jew” and let our voices permeate across the globe. It is time we fight back with honor and integrity to establish the legitimacy of the Jewish people, and await their new revival. However, this national movement cannot be managed without a gestor, but it cannot be one single individual rather it must be a union of several persons, a body corporate. The body is to be called the society of the Jews and will have to put forth its labor in science and politics. Herzl is in hopes that this movement will open up a general discussion of the Jewish question, Herzl desires that the discussion around a Jewish State will not take the form of inflammatory rhetoric and sentimental vindication, but meaningful debate and politics (Herzl, Pg. 427). The Society of the Jews will be the nucleus of the public organizations by its ability to disseminate information that is needed to find out whether or not the Jews desire to emigrate to the Promise Land. Lastly, Herzl touches on public opinion and its prominence in establishing where the Jews ought to
He fails to touch on the notion of Eastern Zionism. Eastern Zionism sees Zionism as aligning to a true, strong and unified Jewish culture. If a Jewish State is to be just that, a Jewish State, it is necessary for it to grow organically through a strong and powerful sense of Judaism. Being that Judaism is a Religion, this requires a revival of religious and spiritual life and culture. Once this has come about in the holy land then a Jewish State can grow through natural methods and retain its authentic Judaism. If however, a state for the Jewish people is created only through mass immigration of Jews, with little attention to cultivation of a real and authentic Jewish spirit, this state will inevitably become a blend of various national influences from which the immigrants come, with perhaps a small side of a hodgepodge form of Judaism for good measure. The secret to our peoples continued survival lies in the power of the spirit not in the material. A purely political idea however, based only on a political identity will inevitably fail to include this spiritual and cultural aspect. This spiritual aspect can only be retained through the blossoming of a spiritual culture. In order for Judaism to remain intact, we as Jews must cultivate our Judaism. “Hibbat Zion looks to a Jewish State to provide only a