Part IV · Torah on Zionism
A timeline of opposition.
From the First Zionist Congress in 1897
to the present — the chronology of
Torah leaders who rejected the project,
in their own time, from within their
own tradition.
1897
First Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland
Orthodox rabbis across Europe — Galicia, Hungary, Lithuania — publicly reject the political program from day one.
1917
Britain issues the Balfour Declaration
Britain issues the Balfour Declaration, promising a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine, but not a Jewish state.
1924
Eidah Charedis founded to unite the Orthodox Jews of Palestine
Eidah Charedis founded to unite the Orthodox Jews of Palestine against the Zionists and their Chief Rabbinate.
1937
Peel Commission proposes a Jewish state
Rabbi Aaron Kotler and Rabbi Elchonon Wasserman declare at Agudath Israel convention that any state would be a denial of the Jewish belief in the messiah
1946
Anglo American Committee recommends that Palestine be neither a Jewish state nor an Arab state
Anglo American Committee recommends that Palestine be neither a Jewish state nor an Arab state; Rabbi Michael Weissmandl urges Jews to accept this compromise
1947
UN General Assembly votes in favor of partition
UN General Assembly votes in favor of partition; as violence and war ravage Palestine, Brisker Rav works to prevent declaration of a state
1948
Zionists declare independence
Zionists declare independence, triggering a war in which thousands of Jews and Arabs lose their lives
1959
Satmar Rebbe publishes Vayoel Moshe
Satmar Rebbe publishes Vayoel Moshe, which becomes the classic text on the Torah approach to Zionism
1967
Israelis win Six Day War
Israelis win Six Day War; some Jews celebrate; Satmar Rebbe responds with his book Al Hageulah V’al Hatemurah
1977
Israeli government starts to offer support
Israeli government under Menachem Begin starts to offer tempting support to religious schools, even those that are non-Zionist and teach only Torah.
1979
Keren Hatzalah (Rescue Fund) founded by anti-Zionist
Keren Hatzalah (Rescue Fund) founded by anti-Zionist communities to assist those schools that refuse government funding
2003
Rabbi Moshe Dovid Kats establish Torah Jews
The Satmar community asks Rabbi Moshe Dovid Katz to establish Torah Jews — to carry the Rebbe’s voice into the age of mass media.
