A cure for the “slandering Zionism epidemic”

Moshe Phillips | April 28, 2026

“The whole “I don’t hate Jews, only Zionists” statement is a nonsensical one, no different than saying I don’t hate Christians, only those who believe in Jesus. Zionism is the movement to bring Jews back home to their ancestral land. It is core to Judaism and for thousands of years, Jews, throughout the world, prayed toward and about Jerusalem countless times every single day. You can’t separate the land of Israel from Judaism …” — Hillel Fuld, April 12, 2026, on X.com

During Passover a friend asked me to recommend one book that explains why someone should be a Zionist. The nuance of the question can easily be missed: there are many very good books I could recommend to someone who wants to understand Israeli history or who wants to get advice on how to defend against anti-Israel lies.

No one in our time is going to become a Zionist by reading Herzl, so the question is an important one as Zionism is increasingly misunderstood.

In fact, a survey conducted by the Jewish Federations of North America revealed that just 37% of American Jews stated that they identified as Zionists. Another 15% said that they were anti-Zionist/non-Zionist. A huge 48% of those surveyed, it can be surmised, are pro-Israel but not Zionists, and I would argue that a big reason for this is that we have allowed Zionism to become a dirty word.

There’s no good reason for any Jew who is pro-Israel to resist using the term Zionist to describe themselves. Zionism is a team sport and the object of the game remains what it has always been: the saving of Jewish lives.

But what recent book conveys that? One book published in 2025 came to mind right away, and unfortunately, it has caught the attention of far too few American Jews. Universal Zionism: The Movement Powering Today’s Jewish-Christian Alliance was written by Rabbi Tuly Weisz. Weisz was born and raised in Ohio and later served as the rabbi of an Orthodox synagogue there. He and his young family moved to Israel in 2011. His viewpoint is at once fresh and original and yet anchored in both Jewish tradition and traditional Zionism.

The book is divided into four specific parts. In his substantial introduction, Weisz shares his personal story and prepares his readers for what is to come later by grounding his ideas with his thoughts about what happened after the Hamas-led October 7 terrorist invasion of Israel. Here, Weisz writes, “What proved even more shocking than the October 7th attacks was the global response that began on October 8th.” But even in that section of the book Weisz displays an amazing faith and positivity that “G-d has made an eternal promise never to abandon Israel.”

But what leads me to recommend the book so strongly are its middle two sections. In “Political Zionism” and “Religious Zionism” Weisz in about 115 pages provides a very solid review of these two wings that comprise mainstream Zionism. From Herzl to Rav Kook, from the Balfour Declaration to the Six-Day War and nearly every other important event and figure, Weisz introduces his readers to the basics of Zionism.

In the final section, Weisz explains what his conception of “Universal Zionism” is. He invites Christians into the Zionist movement and writes, “At the heart of Universal Zionism lies a simple but radical proposition: the Bible still means what it says about the Land of Israel. Jews and Christians who take Scripture seriously must support complete Jewish sovereignty over the … biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria …”

He goes further, writing, “Imagine churches and synagogues in every city becoming centers for Israel education …” Weisz seems to see his “Universal Zionism” idea as especially necessary after October 7th and writes “over time it became painfully clear: to Hamas, the real battlefield is in the global court of opinion.” 

On this point, it is hard to argue with Weisz. When nearly half of American Jews must be more than just a little mystified by the word Zionism, there’s something wrong. Very wrong. Far too many American Jews have a strong emotional attachment to Israel but don’t want to call themselves Zionist. Zionism is a patriotism that has something necessarily unique about it, because the history of the Jewish People has something unique about it. The love of Jews for the Land of Israel was found in all lands of our dispersion for nearly 2,000 years. This love drew Jews from every corner of the world to resettle our ancient homeland. This includes a common religion, a shared history, and a consciousness of a bitter exile filled with violence and oppression. This uniqueness is what makes the Zionist movement so polarizing and makes many American Jews uncomfortable. The task of the hour is to explain to the world that Zionism is beautiful.

 

Moshe Phillips is the national chairman of Americans For A Safe Israel (www.AFSI.org), a leading pro-Israel advocacy and education organization. 

**Article first appeared at https://israel365news.com/417754/a-cure-for-the-slandering-zionism-epidemic/

April 29, 2026 | 7 Comments »

Leave a Reply

7 Comments / 7 Comments

  1. zionist novel early 19th century

    +10
    The primary early influential literary works promoting proto-Zionist ideas or Jewish nationalism were published in the mid-to-late 19th century. Key titles include Ahavat Zion (1853) by Avraham Mapu and Daniel Deronda (1876) by George Eliot. These novels ignited Jewish national identity long before the organized Zionist movement. [1, 2, 3]
    The most significant early works that helped shape the Zionist movement and establish a Jewish national consciousness include:
    * Ahavat Zion (1853) by Avraham Mapu: Recognized as the first modern Hebrew novel. Written in biblical Hebrew, it tells a romantic adventure set in ancient Judea and emphasizes a return to the soil, nature, and Mapu’s vision of Jewish national independence in the ancestral homeland. [1, 2, 3]
    * Daniel Deronda (1876) by George Eliot: A foundational English Victorian novel. The title character discovers his Jewish heritage and commits himself to the cause of a restored Jewish homeland in Palestine. It profoundly impacted both Jewish and Christian thinkers and is widely credited with inspiring the early Hovevei Zion (Lovers of Zion) settler movements. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
    * David Alroy (1833) by Benjamin Disraeli: An earlier British novel that depicts the exploits of a medieval Jewish prince who receives a prophetic vision to revolt against oppressors and reclaim a Jewish kingdom in Jerusalem. [1]
    * Altneuland (1902) by Theodor Herzl: While published at the very start of the 20th century, this is the defining novel of political Zionism. Written by the founder of modern Zionism, it serves as a utopian blueprint for a futuristic, technologically advanced, and cooperative Jewish state. [1, 2]
    For a closer look at the evolution of these literary themes, you can explore the critical analysis in The 19th-Century Novel That Reaffirmed My Zionism – The Atlantic. [1]

    If you are looking for specific translations, thematic analysis, or historical comparisons, let me know how you’d like to narrow down the reading list!

    cites this article. The beginning is interesting but it has a pay wall and I don’t want to subscribe to the Atlantic for a year.

    The 19th-Century Novel That Reaffirmed My Zionism
    George Eliot took up the question of Jewish self-determination in her last novel, Daniel Deronda, and arrived at a surprising answer

    “The 19th-Century Novel That Reaffirmed My Zionism
    George Eliot took up the question of Jewish self-determination in her last novel, Daniel Deronda, and arrived at a surprising answer.”

    By Judith Shulevitz

    “’I’m a zionist who often walks through the campus of Columbia University, which since October 7 means I feel like Dr. Evil in a frumpy sweater. The protest chant du jour is “Min el-maiyeh lel mayieh, Falasteen Arabiya” (“From water to water, Palestine will be Arab”);  a recent sign of note expresses support for the Houthis, the terrorist group whose motto includes the phrase “Death to America, death to Israel, a curse upon the Jews.” I put myself through this because I write in the Columbia library and you court bad luck when you change a writing routine. But the slogans get to me. So recently I decided to boost my morale with Zionist works of art, preferably of the escapist variety. I thought about binge-watching Fauda, but the hairbreadth escapes from Hamas arch-villains are too stressful. As it happens, though, I was already reading a Zionist novel. It dates from 1876, and I was vaguely aware that it had a Zionist angle but hadn’t anticipated just how soaring its vision of Jewish ingathering would be. The novel had none of the ambivalence that hedges so many discussions about Israel today, even the friendly ones.”

    by Judith Shulevich

    https://www.theatlantic.com/books/archive/2024/01/zionism-george-eliot-daniel-deronda/677284/

    • howard fast heroic jewish novels influence complete bibliography

      +15 Howard Fast (1914–2003) was a prolific American-Jewish author whose historical fiction championed underdog resistance and social justice. His heroic Jewish epics redefined Jewish-American literature by moving away from the stereotype of the victim, instead framing Jewish history as a triumphant, militant struggle against oppression, tyranny, and assimilation.Core “Heroic Jewish” NovelsMy Glorious Brothers (1948): His most famous Jewish-themed work. It tells the story of the Maccabean Revolt, framing the Hanukkah story as a fierce, guerrilla war of liberation against the oppressive Seleucid Empire.Moses, Prince of Egypt (1958): A radical reimagining of Moses not just as a prophet, but as an Egyptian prince who uncovers his heritage and transforms into a heroic revolutionary who leads his enslaved people to freedom.Agrippa’s Daughter (1964): Focuses on the Jewish rebellion against Rome, depicting strong-willed, heroic Jewish figures fighting for independence during the first century AD.The Crossing (1971): While focused on George Washington, it highlights the heavy involvement of Jewish patriots, such as Haym Salomon, who financed the American Revolution.Influence and LegacyFast’s heroic portrayals were revolutionary. For decades, his stories gave readers a sweeping, muscular vision of Jewish history that fostered immense cultural pride. His works directly paved the way for a generation of robust Jewish-American historical fiction, proving that stories of ancient Jewish warriors and revolutionaries could resonate globally. He received the National Jewish Book Award for his lifetime contributions.Complete Selected BibliographyFast was a hyper-prolific writer, publishing dozens of novels under his own name and several pen names (notably E.V. Cunningham).Major Non-Fiction:The Picture Book History of the Jews (1942)The Jews: Story of a People (1970)The Art of Zen Meditation (1977)Major Historical/Political Novels (1930s–1950s):Conceived in Liberty (1939)The Last Frontier (1941)Citizen Tom Paine (1943)Freedom Road (1944)The American (1946)Spartacus (1951) – Written while imprisoned for refusing to name names to the House Un-American Activities Committee.The Lavette Family Saga (1970s–1990s):A highly successful series following a Jewish-American family across the 20th century.The Immigrants (1977)Second Generation (1978)The Establishment (1979)The Legacy (1981)The Immigrant’s Daughter (1985)An Independent Woman (1997)Other Notable Novels:Max (1982)The Outsider (1984)The Dinner Party (1987)The Pledge (1988)For a highly detailed, scholarly catalog of every short story, pseudonym, and manuscript, you can consult the Howard Fast: Comprehensive Bibliography & Texts project.Would you like to explore how his imprisonment and Hollywood blacklisting specifically shaped the political themes in his Jewish novels, or are you looking for a recommendation for where to start reading his works?

      • howard fast spartacus jewish inspiration?

        +12 Howard Fast’s Spartacus was directly inspired by his Jewish heritage, personal experiences with antisemitism, and his commitment to socialist-leaning social justice. The novel was deeply influenced by this background in several distinct ways:Rebellion and Diaspora: Fast explicitly connected the oppressed Roman slaves to the Jewish struggle against empires. This is most evident in the character of David, a young Jewish rebel within Spartacus’s army who survives to lead his people toward the creation of a new homeland—a clear allegory for Zionist aspirations.The Maccabean Parallel: Fast’s broader literary interest in historical rebellions was heavily rooted in Jewish history. Just a few years before writing Spartacus, Fast published My Glorious Brothers (1948), a novel about the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire. This established a thematic foundation of the underdog fighting an empire that carried over into his epic of ancient Rome.The Prison Connection: Fast wrote much of Spartacus (1951) while incarcerated in a federal prison for refusing to provide names of Communist associates to the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). Fast’s own persecution, framed by his background as a marginalized Jewish writer fighting the establishment, fueled his writing of the gladiator’s rebellion against Roman tyranny.A “Jewish” Production: The cinematic adaptation was heavily driven by Jewish artists sharing Fast’s ethos. Star and producer Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch) teamed up with blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo to bring Fast’s vision to the screen, deliberately shaping the film’s climax around collective defiance in a way that resonated deeply with McCarthy-era blacklisting.If you are interested in Howard Fast’s work, I can:Detail how his experiences with antisemitism inspired his other works like Freedom RoadExplain how the book’s themes served as a protest against the Hollywood BlacklistProvide background on his non-fiction book The Jews: Story of a PeopleLet me know how you’d like to explore this further!

      • mohammed ali melvin krulewich howard fast influence on attitude towards jews and israel and his influence if any on black jewish relations.

        Muhammad Ali, Melvin Krulewitch, and Howard Fast influenced attitudes toward Jews, Israel, and Black-Jewish relations in distinct ways. Their impact ranged from political activism and literary advocacy to personal, cross-cultural collaborations. [1]

        Muhammad Ali
        Muhammad Ali’s influence on Black-Jewish relations and attitudes toward Israel evolved significantly across his lifetime. [1]
        * Nation of Islam Era: After converting to Islam in 1964 and aligning with the Nation of Islam, Ali mirrored the group’s anti-Zionist rhetoric. He publicly criticized “Zionist control” in America and leveled harsh claims against Israel. These remarks created notable friction with mainstream Jewish communities. [1, 2, 3, 4]
        * Deep Personal Ties: Despite his political stances, Ali maintained deep, public bonds with several Jewish figures. His legendary relationship with sports broadcaster Howard Cosellhumanized Ali to millions of white and Jewish Americans. Cosell was one of the first to respect his name change and defend his right to refuse the Vietnam War draft. Ali’s long-time promoter, Bob Arum, and his physician, Dr. Abraham Lieberman, were also Jewish. [1, 2, 3]
        * Later Life and Humanitarian Work: In his later years, Ali transitioned toward a universalist Sufi Islam, softening his political tone. He leveraged his global status for interfaith advocacy, even appealing for the release of captured Jewish journalist Daniel Pearl. Symbolizing a personal bridging of communities, Ali proudly attended the Bar Mitzvah of his grandson, who was raised Jewish. [1, 2, 3]

        Melvin Krulewitch
        Major General Melvin Krulewitch influenced these dynamics through administrative oversight and community service. [1]
        * Regulating the Ring: As a highly decorated Jewish Marine Corps veteran and chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission, Krulewitch oversaw several of Ali’s early boxing licenses and medical evaluations. [1]
        * Civil Rights Era Stability: During a tense era of Black nationalist mobilization, Krulewitch’s professional, fair treatment of Black fighters—including Ali—served as an example of institutional equity. His public position as a prominent leader in Jewish welfare organizations alongside his objective role in professional sports showcased a prominent Jewish figure engaging respectfully with a revolutionary Black athlete. [1]

        Howard Fast
        The prolific, left-wing Jewish novelist and screenwriter Howard Fast used literature to actively fortify the historical bond between Black and Jewish struggles for liberation. [1, 2, 3]
        * Literary Bridges: Fast spent his career writing about oppressed peoples fighting for freedom. He authored My Glorious Brothers (about the Jewish Maccabees) alongside Freedom Road, a seminal novel about newly freed Black slaves during the Reconstruction era. His writing championed universal human rights while explicitly honoring both Jewish resilience and Black historical struggles. [, 2, 3, 4]
        * Direct Collaboration with Ali: In 1979, Freedom Road was adapted into a television miniseries. Muhammad Ali starred as the main character, Gideon Jackson, a former slave who rises to become a U.S. Senator. This direct creative pairing linked a prominent Jewish author’s story of Black emancipation with the most recognizable Black Muslim icon in the world. [, 2]
        * Stance on Israel: Fast maintained a strong, lifelong connection to Israel. He incorporated Israeli history into works like The Immigrants series, using his literary reach to frame the creation of Israel as a justified, anti-imperialist struggle for survival. [1, 2, 3]

    • “The Shepherd Prince, A Historical Romance of
      the Days of Isaiah”(1853) out of
      print English 1922 translation of Ahavat Zion (Love of Zion), by Abraham (Avram) Mapu available for free to read or download – gives you the option to download to files or Google Drive (You’ll need a big screen, it’s a photographic reproduction of the book so the print can’t be enlarged, such as a tablet, computer or laptop, too small to read for phone), at:

      https://static1.squarespace.com/static/590be125ff7c502a07752a5b/t/612fedf1e3ada002d6b4f3b2/1630531065632/Wilson%2C+Robert+Dick%2C+Introduction+to+The+Shepherd+Prince.pdf

      or can be borrowed for online streaming at internet archive

      https://archive.org/details/shepherdprincehi0000mapu

      • Ahavat Zion – The Revolutionary Novel for the Jewish World

        January 20, 2025
        Luisa Basevi

        “The first novel in the Hebrew language, Ahavat Zion (The Love of Zion), written by Avraham Mapu (1808-1867), was published in 1853 and marked a turning point in European Jewish culture.”

        “…In the preface to the third volume of another of his novels, Ayit Tzavu’a (The Hypocrite), published in Vilna in 1857, the author highlighted the great potential opened up by writing novels in Hebrew.
        “The Jews of Germany and France have assimilated among their fellow citizens by adopting their language, which is not surprising, as they had abandoned their fathers’ tongue. If there had been novelists among them, we would now find Hebrew still flourishing among the other beautiful aspects of their existence, as novels that express the spirit of the people expand the boundaries of literature, enhance the language, and make it more mature and beautiful. If we fail to attract young people to the Hebrew language with some affectionate appeal, they will abandon it as something devoid of delight. (…) Without the novel, attempts to open blind eyes through scholarly research are in vain; defects are not corrected by abstract sciences but by good taste and the knowledge of what is beautiful and noble.’

        In other words, beauty and nobility are the elements that lead to an awakening of consciousness and are the driving forces of change. But what awakening and what change are we talking about? After thousands of years of struggles in the diaspora with its dramatic hardships, the impulse to return to Zion, to the Land of Israel, took shape (long before the Zionist movement created by Theodor Herzl [1860–1904] at the end of the 19th century) in the imagination of an author born in cold and distant Lithuania….

        …Already at the beginnings of Haskalah literature, the use of biblical material served as justification for introducing a romantic and pro-nationalist vision into literary texts. In the Haskalah and Zionist writings, the biblical text was not a solely religious work. It became the necessary framework for the development of both the ancient and modern nation. It is no coincidence that with the return of the Jewish people to the Land of Israel, the study of the Tanakh was placed at the center of the secular and Zionist education system (Herzliya Gymnasium, 1905), which extolled its literary/linguistic and artistic aspects while portraying modern Israel as a sort of realization of the ancient one.
        A solid knowledge of Tanakh was even considered a form of opposition to the norms that had guided Jewish communities for hundreds of years, which viewed Talmudic study as the foundation of orthodox education.
        The embrace of the Tanakh as the basis of the literature of an ancient and modern culture made it more open to humanistic and artistic interpretations, independent of religious beliefs. Virtually every modern or contemporary poet in Israel has drawn inspiration from the biblical text for his/her works. To name just a few examples: Rachel Bluwstein, Leah Goldberg, Shaul Tchernichovsky, Natan Alterman, Natan Zach, Yehuda Amichai…”

        https://masterjewishprogram.huji.ac.il/blog/ahavat-zion-revolutionary-novel-jewish-world/

        • what languages was ahavat zion translated into? Did its influence extend to non-Ashkenazi Jewry?

          +11 Avraham Mapu’s 1853 Ahavat Zion (The Love of Zion)—the first modern Hebrew novel—bridged Biblical Hebrew and modern European storytelling. Its profound influence crossed linguistic and cultural lines, serving as a foundational text for the Jewish national revival.Languages of TranslationOriginally written in Biblical Hebrew, the novel’s immense popularity led to numerous editions and translations into major European and Middle Eastern languages. It was translated into:European Languages: Yiddish (multiple versions), German, English (published under titles such as Amnon, Prince and Peasant and The Shepherd Prince), French, and Russian.Middle Eastern/Jewish Vernaculars: Judeo-Arabic, Ladino (Judeo-Spanish), Judeo-Persian, and classical Arabic.Influence on Non-Ashkenazi JewryYes, the novel’s influence significantly extended beyond Ashkenazi Jewry. As the book was translated into Judeo-Arabic, Judeo-Persian, and Ladino, it reached diverse Sephardic and Mizrahi communities.The Ottoman and Balkan Reach: In places like the Ottoman Empire and the Balkans (e.g., Greece and Bulgaria), non-Ashkenazi intellectuals adopted the Haskalah ideals and absorbed Mapu’s romanticized vision of the Land of Israel. Organizations like the Etz ha-Haim society in Salonica even published a Judeo-Spanish edition of Ahavat Zion.The Arab World: The novel even crossed over to non-Jewish or broader cultural audiences in the Middle East. For example, a notable Arabic translation was published in Egypt in 1899 and 1921 by Salim al-Dawudi, making it one of the very first translations of modern Hebrew literature into Arabic.Would you like to explore how the novel’s themes of ancient Judea influenced early Zionist thought, or learn more about the specific plot and characters of Ahavat Zion?