Zionism and Israel emerged out of Jewish history. For convenience, we offer context entwined with perspective, divided into four time eras.
Era I
Early History to 1897 – From the biblical covenants, Jews bound themselves to the belief in one G-d, an unbreakable tie to the Land of Israel. From its inception, Jewish identity was wrapped around the mutual commitments between G-d and the people.
Era II
1898 to 1948 – Zionism evolved from an idea to a concrete reality: the actual establishment of the Jewish state, Israel. Slowly, a few immigrating Jews created facts by linking people to the land. For half a century, fortuity and fortitude made the Zionist undertaking a reality. They exhibited pragmatism and gradually constructed a nucleus for a state.
Era III
1949 to 1979
Era IV
1980 to the present