ZIONISM. The movement among the modern Jews known as Zionism aims at the return of the Jews as a political unity to Zion. But it is a religious movement in the sense that this return is a going back to the centre of the ancient faith, and is regarded as a fulfilment of the predictions of the ancient prophets. Associated with this is the revival in Palestine of the ancient and classical language as a spoken speech. The movement began by the establishment in Palestine of Jewish colonies. In 1880, through the generous help of Baron Edmond de Rothschild. of Paris, a great impetus was given to the work. Later, Baron de Hirsch left his fortune to the Jewish Colonization Association, which has devoted part of it to the colonization of Palestine by Jews. M. Gaster speaks of the movement as follows: " We are standing at the beginning of this movement, which alone will assist in solving one of the most perplexing problems in modern sociology; will free Enrope of an element which, in spite of all phrases to the contrary, is still con sidered as alien, and will he treated as such according to circumstances. There are some, among the richer
Jews, who have vested interests and narrow conceptions; they are held fast in the meshes of •elf-delusion and can not differentiate between the rights and duties of a citizen and the historical obligations of a national and religious life; they are still holding aloof from this move ment. The vast masses, however, the sufferers and toilers of the earth, have rallied enthusiastically round it. In one way or another, realized sooner or later, with the assistance of all, or carried out in spite of many, this is the sign under which Judaism enters the new century." See M. Gaster, "Jews and Judaism " in Great Religions of the World, 1902: N. Sokolow, History of Zionism, 1600-1918, vol. 1., 1919.