HERZL, Theodor

From a progressive Jewish background, and with legal training, his awareness of the strength of anti-semitism was heightened during the notorious Dreyfus trial in France. This led him to argue that the establishment of a Jewish national homeland was the only solution. Initially he did not believe that this needed necessarily to be in Palestine, but annual meetings of the newly formed World Zionist Organisation (he was elected President) persuaded him that S American or African alternatives would not be acceptable to many Jews.

Life

• Jewish Virtual Library entry on Herzl

• Herzl and Zionism 

Writings

• The Jewish State

Video

Theodor Herzl - the founder of Zionism (3 mins)