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Ahad Ha'am and Early American Zionism

Mon, December 17, 5:00 to 6:30pm, Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center, Federal 1 Complex

Abstract

The negation of the exile has been a major part of Ahad Ha'am's thought, and his sporadic references to American Jewry are no exceptions. Despite this, Cultural Zionists in the United States were able to use his ideas as a basis for diaspora Zionism. Figures such as Solomon Shechter, Israel Friedlander and Judah Magnes were influenced by his ideas. This paper will not only explore the ways they adapted and transformed Ahad Ha'am's ideology in a way compatible with their conceptions of American Judaism, but also Ahad Ha'am's own reactions to them. Though sometimes dismissive of their efforts, his correspondence with various American Zionists reveals a fascination with American Jewry, as well as his willingness to provide advice and occasional support to the advancement of Jewish national and cultural consciousness in the United States.

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