Rabbi Judah Alkalai, 1798-1878

Alkalai is credited with the idea of a national fund for Jewish land purchases. Adamant about the Jewish people returning to Eretz Yisrael, he advocated statehood in a booklet called “Shema Yisrael.” After the Damascus Blood Libel of 1840, Alkalai wrote “Minchat Yehuda” to call for international fundraising for Jewish settlements, inspiring Theodor Herzl to start the World Zionist Congress.

Photo: Central Zionist Archives