At the young age of 44, Herzl the “father of modern Zionism” dies. Born in Pest, Hungary, as a journalist and writer, predominantly secular in upbringing, he publishes “Der Judenstaat” (The Jewish State) in 1896. His notion for a Jewish state is predicated on the idea that Jews will never be treated as political equals unless they have a state of their own. Though other Jews had for the previous half decade spoken about a Jewish territory as a means to end Jewish precarious living in European settings, he organizes the first Zionist Congress in 1897, maintaining the position of president of the congress till his death. Remarkably, his death does not mean the end of a movement for a Jewish state. A host of Jewish leaders from all over Europe step into the leadership breach. Early Zionism proves not to be a one person undertaking but a movement driven by ideals and practicality.
July 3, 1904
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