Important Site
No place is more important to the Jewish people than the state of Israel. The Jewish people believe this land was promised to them by God. The Jewish people have lived in the land currently known as Israel since its conquest by Joshua more than 3200 years ago. The Jews were not always in control of the land and were not always the main populace. This land is central to the religion of Judaism, and many believe that portions of the Jewish law are tied to the land, meaning they can only be performed there. Living outside of this state is unnatural and seen as being exiled.
The Jews were actually exiled from the land by the Romans in 135 A.D. The Jewish people did not regain control again until 1948. During this time, the Jewish people never gave up hope for returning to the land and claiming it as their own. In the late 1800s, Theodor Herzl and Chaim Weizmann founded Zionism, a political movement dedicated to the creation of a Jewish state. Zionism is more political than religious. Early Zionists were so desperate for a refuge at one point that they actually considered creating a Jewish homeland in Uganda. Alaska and Siberia were also considered. The only land that truly inspired Jewish people worldwide was their ancient homeland, the area known as Palestine. After WWI Palestine was assigned to the British by the newly formed League of Nations. The Palestinian Mandate included territory that is now known as Israel and Jordan. The document creating the Palestinian mandate incorporated the terms of the Balfour Declaration, promising the creation of a national Jewish homeland within the mandated territory. Arab leaders were initially willing to give the land of Palestine to the Jewish people to create a state, but some were not. The Arabs living in the territory did not want to leave and opposed the immigration of the Jews to the land. During the Holocaust, the idea and need for a place for the Jews became even more important. Other nations were unwilling to take many of the people fleeing from the Nazis. Unfortunately, with limited places to go, many Jews were sent to death camps where they were systematically murdered. Still the British were unable to satisfy both the Arabs and the Jews. In November of 1947, the newly formed United Nations decided to partition the land into a Jewish and Arab part. Unfortunately in 1948, the British pulled out of the area, leaving the Jewish people to declare the area their own state. The surrounding Arab states did not recognize the validity of the state of Israel. The Arabs fought to drive the Jewish people out of the area, but lost. After war after has been lost by the Arabs. Today, more than five millions Jews live in the state, and many more continue to immigrate there.
No place is more important to the Jewish people than the state of Israel. The Jewish people believe this land was promised to them by God. The Jewish people have lived in the land currently known as Israel since its conquest by Joshua more than 3200 years ago. The Jews were not always in control of the land and were not always the main populace. This land is central to the religion of Judaism, and many believe that portions of the Jewish law are tied to the land, meaning they can only be performed there. Living outside of this state is unnatural and seen as being exiled.
The Jews were actually exiled from the land by the Romans in 135 A.D. The Jewish people did not regain control again until 1948. During this time, the Jewish people never gave up hope for returning to the land and claiming it as their own. In the late 1800s, Theodor Herzl and Chaim Weizmann founded Zionism, a political movement dedicated to the creation of a Jewish state. Zionism is more political than religious. Early Zionists were so desperate for a refuge at one point that they actually considered creating a Jewish homeland in Uganda. Alaska and Siberia were also considered. The only land that truly inspired Jewish people worldwide was their ancient homeland, the area known as Palestine. After WWI Palestine was assigned to the British by the newly formed League of Nations. The Palestinian Mandate included territory that is now known as Israel and Jordan. The document creating the Palestinian mandate incorporated the terms of the Balfour Declaration, promising the creation of a national Jewish homeland within the mandated territory. Arab leaders were initially willing to give the land of Palestine to the Jewish people to create a state, but some were not. The Arabs living in the territory did not want to leave and opposed the immigration of the Jews to the land. During the Holocaust, the idea and need for a place for the Jews became even more important. Other nations were unwilling to take many of the people fleeing from the Nazis. Unfortunately, with limited places to go, many Jews were sent to death camps where they were systematically murdered. Still the British were unable to satisfy both the Arabs and the Jews. In November of 1947, the newly formed United Nations decided to partition the land into a Jewish and Arab part. Unfortunately in 1948, the British pulled out of the area, leaving the Jewish people to declare the area their own state. The surrounding Arab states did not recognize the validity of the state of Israel. The Arabs fought to drive the Jewish people out of the area, but lost. After war after has been lost by the Arabs. Today, more than five millions Jews live in the state, and many more continue to immigrate there.