In contemplating an issue celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the State of Israel, we found ourselves in a unique editorial position. Most of us would define ourselves as Zionists, but how did we define our Zionism? There’s practical Zionism, religious Zionism, secular Zionism, sexual Zionism, and creative Zionism, among other terms both classical and innovative. If we had to come up with 26 terms, each beginning with a different letter, that together created a picture of what Zionism is, what would it be? How would our lists differ? Would a cohesive Zionist mission statement emerge?

Good questions, we thought. So we went for it. Here are the results of our search: a collection of terms—people, places, initiatives, and events—that have made a palpable impact on Zionism the way we experience it today. It represents some input from editors and the work of one intrepid Israeli writer. But everyone is welcome to express dissent or agreement online. Read the list, learn a thing or two, and then join us online to continue the discussion. Two Jews, three definitions of Zionism, right?

Autoemancipation

Leon Pinsker’s call for practical Zionism preceded even Herzl’s. This pamphlet, inspired by the pogroms of 1881, was a passionately written expose of the origins of anti-Semitism. In it, Pinsker concluded that Jew hatred is a form of daemonophobia (fear of ghosts), directed at a people unlike all others—without a land, without a home. As long as the Jews wander bodiless (and landless) in the Diaspora, Pinsker argued, others will consistently lash out at them. Pinsker called upon the Jews to liberate themselves from landlessness, to assume a body that would complement their spirit.

Begin, Menachem

Emerging on the scene in the 1930’s as the leader of the right-wing Etzel organization, Menachem Begin became the first non-socialist Prime Minister of the State of Israel in 1977—after thirty years as the opposition in the Knesset. In a move that surprised the world, Begin negotiated the Camp David Accords shortly after being elected. The Accords set in place a peace agreement with President Anwar Sadat of Egypt, wherein Israel agreed to withdraw from the Sinai Peninsula and return it to Egypt.

Canaanism

An Israeli political movement which reached its peak in the 1940’s and called for embracing the indigenous culture of the land of Canaan and casting off Judaism’s superstitions. Their emblem was “Nimrod,” represented as a statue of the biblical hunter king, naked and uncircumcised, carrying a bow and with a hawk on his shoulder. Needless to say, the statue and the movement were highly controversial.

Dreyfus Affair

The trial of French-Jewish artillery officer Alfred Dreyfus, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1894 for treason against France. Attending the trial as a reporter for an Austro-Hungarian newspaper, Theodore Herzl was surprised to hear the crowds yell not “death to the traitor,” but “death to the Jews” during and after the conviction, which came only through false evidence. In 1906, Dreyfus was found innocent and exonerated. It was in this moment that Herzl transformed from an assimilated Jew into the father of political Zionism. (According to Wikipedia, actor Richard Dreyfuss and actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus are distantly related).

Eban, Abba

Born in South Africa, raised in Britian, Eban was a diplomat and politician known for polished presentations to the United Nations in a time when the UN was openly hostile to the fledgling Jewish State. Abba Eban served in various positions in the Knesset under several prime ministers, and also served as president of the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot. A veteran of many peace talks, Eban famously quipped that “the Arabs never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.” Eban’s television series, “Heritage: Civilization and the Jews,” was viewed by an estimated 50 million Americans and was shown internationally. The accompanying book achieved a best-seller record for non-fiction.

Falashmura

The Jews of Ethiopia, also known as Bete Israel, and previously known as Falasha (although this is a local Ethiopian term that means “stranger” in Amharic and considered pejorative). Tracing their heritage as far back as King Solomon, with some claiming to be descendants of Moses, the heritage of the Ethiopian Jews is unique due to their estrangement from the oral tradition. Over 85% of Ethiopian Jews have immigrated to Israel, most through Operation Moses (1984) and Operation Solomon (1991).

Gurion, David Ben

Born David Grun, there are few people who have impacted the State, the Zionist movement, and the Jewish People more than this rather petite fellow. Unruly as his hair-style, Ben Gurion was a poor corporal in the British Army–but thanks to his leadership the Jews received the IDF (he came up with the plan), the State (he was the first prime minister), and the complex structure of Israel’s political system. And more pertinent for this israpedia: due to Ben Gurion’s insistance, Zionism transformed from a global movement of Hebraic empowerment into a call for immigration. Jews worldwide have been confused ever since.

Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America

From its founding in 1912, Hadassah members mobilized around the platform of “practical Zionism,” raising funds to send nurses to the Holy Land to treat trachoma and provide maternity care. The small organization quickly became a strong support in the health infrastructure of what would thirty years later become the Jewish State. Hadassah’s activism helped to create centers of healing in Israel, with two famous Hadassah hospitals, in Ein Kerem and on Mount Scopus. The organization has also supported youth aliyah, absorption and education; dedicated state-of-the-art medical and educational facilities; and contributed to medical advancements in areas including mother-and-child care, burns and trauma treatment, and gene therapy. In 1936, Hadassah also adopted the Zionist Young Judaea youth movement as an official project, taking an active role in supporting Zionist youth in America and YJ projects in Israel.

Infected Mushroom

The legendary trance duo, Erez Aizan and Amit Duvdevani, were pioneers of the Israeli underground trance scene and are today of international acclaim. Named after a defunct punk band from Haifa, Infected Mushroom has contributed to electronic music composition and synthesis techniques and has shaken thousands of partiers in Israel and around the world.

Jabotinsky, Ze’ev

In the years before World War I, Ze’ev (Vladimir) Jabotinsky and Yosef Trumpeldor determined that in order to have a seat at the table in subsequent post-war negotiations, the Jewish people should participate in the struggle and the liberation of Palestine from the Turks. At first, the British limited Jewish participation to a transport group, which came to be known as the Zion Mule Corps. With time, a Jewish Legion was formed. Today, there are more streets, parks, and squares named after Jabotinsky than any other Jewish or Israeli historical figure, and the Likud party claims to continue his legacy.

Klezmer

The traditional music of Eastern European Jews now enjoying new-found prominence in Israel, but with a twist. Many young Israeli musicians have infused Klezmer with jazz and hardcore metal, hip-hop beats and classical music to create a vibrant new Israeli sound that is at once historical and contemporary.

Law of Return

The law that entitles any Jew to receive citizenship status strictly on account of his/her Judaism. Highly controversial in the 1950’s with American organizations such as the American Jewish Committee, the law insinuated to some that Jews were politically aligned primarily with the State of Israel, raising dual-loyalty questions that haunted non-Zionists. Over the years, this law has forced Jews everywhere to revisit the “who is a Jew” issue, resulting in multiple amendments to the law.

Maccabi Tel-Aviv

Think Jews can’t jump? Tell that to the multiple-time European basketball champions, with one of the best track records in the league. Sure, some of the players are not exactly Jewish, but when they win—representing the modern and diverse State of Israel—they fill Jewish hearts around the world with pride.

Netafim

The world leader in irrigation solutions, Netafim was born on a kibbutz when the founder of the company noted that a tree growing next to a leaking pipe grew better. After some research, Netafim has created irrigation systems that have multiplied crop yields and reduced water consumption around the world.

Orthodoxy

As a traditional form of religious lifestyle, when Orthodox Judaism participated in the building of the State with its own inflection of Zionism, it often saw the State in messianic terms. Currently, as the reigning denomination in the Israeli rabbinate, Orthodox rabbis determine religious law within the State of Israel. However, many non-Orthodox residents resent their power over all aspects of Jewish life. Because of Orthodox control over marriage and divorce, today there exists a serious plight for agunot, women who, because of a rabbinical stricture, remain trapped in bad marriages. (See “A Woman to Watch,” page 8).

Palestine

Some people see this as the “P Word,” a name for Israel which instantly provokes trouble (providing the P in Arafat’s “PLO,” Palestine Liberation Organization). Used to describe Israel’s pre-State (or British Mandate) period, it is a historic definition based upon a Roman renaming of the land following their conquest in the first century. Ottoman maps, as well as other maps throughout Arab history, did not know the name—the first time the name “Palestine” appeared in Middle-Eastern publications was when the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem used it to describe their nesletter at the turn of the 20th century. Since the end of British Mandate, “Palestine” has been used by the land’s Arab residents to claim wrongful eviction from their land.

Qumran

Qumran is the settlement nearest to the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947 (and slowly excavated until 1979). The discovery of the cache of nearly 900 scrolls found in eleven caves have prompted extensive excavations, yielding finds of ritual baths and cemeteries, and provoking speculation as to who lived there. Some archeologists believe the area was occupied by Essenes while others believe that Hasmoneans or Sadducees dwelt there. Because they are the only known surviving copies of Biblical documents made before the year 100 CE, they present evidence of considerable diversity of belief and practice within late Second Temple Judaism. Some of the scrolls are kept in the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

Russian Immigration

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Israel absorbed one million Russian immigrants over ten years, which is equivalent to the United States absorbing the whole population of France. Russian immigration brought a fresh injection of culinary tastes, cultural sophistication and technical excellence to Israel and was the most successfully absorbed immigration wave in the State’s history.

Sabich

A local delicacy, competing with falafel for gastronomic attention. The sabich, which originates from the cuisine of Iraqi Jews, consists of thinly sliced fried eggplants, a hard boiled egg, hummus and tahini, and an assortment of fresh vegetables stuffed into a pita. This simple food has hoards of fans that have been known to wait in line for over an hour at some of the more established eateries.

The Technion

Situated on Haifa’s Mount Carmel, the Technion is ranked as one of the best technological schools in the world. Its graduates are responsible for firewall internet security, Pentium computer processors and ICQ instant messaging, among other innovations.

Uganda Project

In 1903, following brutal pogroms in Eastern Europe, the British offered Herzl the opportunity to found a Jewish autonomous state in a part of Uganda that is now Kenya. The Zionist movement nearly collapsed when the Sixth Zionist Congress voted to consider the option, but because of the land’s unsuitability and its cultural insignificance to the Jews, the Congress politely declined the offer in 1905.

Vetek/Vatikoot

An unofficial ranking system in the IDF based on time served in the army. The vatikim, the elders, are exempt from such nuisances as cleaning toilets or staffing the mess hall. Naturally the “tza’ir,” the younger member, has to assume double the work. While unfair, proponents of the system (mostly vatikim) see it as giving a feeling of promotion and something to strive for.

Wingate, Orde Charles

Major General Orde Charles Wingate was a non-Jew stationed in Palestine in 1936 as an intelligence officer. He saw the founding of a Jewish state as a fulfillment of Christian prophecy and closely tied himself to the Jewish community, known as the Yishuv. Wingate formed, trained, and commanded the Special Nights Squad, the Yishuv’s first special forces. While Moshe Dayan said that “Wingate taught us everything we know,” the officer was a known eccentric. He sometimes walked around wearing only a shower cap, and often wore a raw onion on a string around his neck, in case he wanted a snack. The Wingate Institute, Israel’s National Centre for Physical Education and Sport near Netanya, houses the Israel Sports Hall of Fame and the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

Xenophobia

In any A to Z list, X entries are inevitably the hardest. But one cannot deny that xenophobia, the fear of others, did play a major role in the expulsion of Jews from various countries over the years, and consequently in the foundation of a place that Jews could always call home. Without the persecution that Jews encountered while living in xenophobic countries, there would have been less of an imperative to seek a homeland.

Yozma

Yozma literally means innovation, but refers to a project created to attract venture capital groups to Israel, in which the government would match funds brought in and sell out its part in the company. This project has helped Israel become second only to the Silicon Valley in terms of start-ups per capita, earning the nickname “Silicon Wadi.”

Zionism

25 entries into the Zionism dictionary and you still need to ask? The Jewish people will never agree on one singular definition of Zionism, which might be for the best. What definition could encompass everything listed above, not to mention the emotional connection of millions to various connotations of the term? PresenTense defines Zionism as the movement to realize the collective potential of the Jewish People. But the fact that its definition is still debated shows that Zionism is still very much alive, a part of our ever-forming national identity and an idea still impacting our daily lives.

How do you define Zionism? What’s your Zionism A to Z? Log on to http://presentense.org to read other opinions by our editors and writers, and to discuss what Zionism means to you.

Tal Perry, a former New York resident, lives in central Israel. Via a passion for Judaic and Zionist history and Fourier series, Tal explores the bizarrely trivial yet unanswered questions of modern Jewish life in Israel.