The Jewish state - an attempt at a modern solution of the Jewish question

Originally published in 1896 as Der Judenstaat, The Jewish State has taken its place among the likes of The Communist Manifesto and Common Sense as polemic writings which have changed modern history. Theodor Herzl's advocacy for a separate, independent Jewish state as a remedy for centuries of hostility and persecution served as the basis for modern Zionism. And though his vision would not be realized in his lifetime, it did set the course for the creation of the Israel we know today. This edition, based on the original translation to English by Sylvie D'Avigdor, includes an introduction by Alan Dershowitz, who is among Israel's most prominent and most vocal scholars defenders. The Harvard law professor, who has been calledIsrael's lead lawyer in the court of public opinion, discusses The Jewish State's place in history and its impact today. … (more)

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LibraryThing member keylawk

Theodor Herzl was a German journalist. He was one of 300 journalists who actually attended the 2d notorious trial in Paris of Alfred Dreyfus.

As a witness to anti-Semitism which did not bother with "proof" or evidence of any kind, in a Court of Law, he came to believe Jews would never be accepted

in Europe. He began advocating for the creation of a Jewish state where Jews would not be persecuted for the crime of Being Jewish.

This idea led to the creation of Israel.

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LibraryThing member SGTCat

This is essential reading for anyone that's interested in understanding the causes of the problems in the modern Middle East. It is the first expression of Zionism and the ideas it expresses led directly to the founding of Israel. You can see the ideological roots of the Jewish Agency, Jewish

National Fund and Histadrut in this text.

That being said, it's also one of the most poorly written works I've read, though the author admits the work is repetitious and not really that great in the conclusion. The main objective, he says, was to open a conversation about the Jewish question, which he most certainly did. So, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone looking to do casual reading.

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