JWST 366 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Hovevei Zion, Leon Pinsker, Jewish National Fund

• School: McGill University
• Department: Jewish Studies
• Course: JWST 366
• Professor: Daniel Heller

Document Summary

5 mil jews, the largest # of jews in europe, live in russian pale of settlement. Not emancipated, restricted wrt where they can live, work. However, small # of jews increasingly gain access to interior russian society 1860s- Jews and other minority groups allowed to leave pos if they serve in russian army or attend university. New class of jewish intellectuals who write in russian, identify as russian jews, urge pos jews to express loyalty to russia in hopes of emancipation. However, in 1880s, tsar assassinated, one of collaborators jewish, wave of pogroms for about 5 years. Basically erases all efforts of jewish intelligentsia assimilation. Leads to rise of eastern europe zionism. Promotes idea of autoemancipation in the wake of pogroms. Totally new idea, outside paradigm of religious zionists (waiting for messiah) vs. emancipated western jews looking to states for rights. Pinsker looks not to god or state, but within. Believes that enlightenment value won"t answer jewish ? .