How did the early Zionists settle the land? When did they arrive? How did they acquire the land? What role did the kibbutz have in settling the land? These and other related questions are addressed in this unit, which is divided into pre-World War I and post-World War I sections, to underline that modern Zionist settlement began before the Palestine Mandate. The unit’s goals are:

• To emphasize that the success of this pre-World War I settlement was one important factor influencing Britain’s Balfour Declaration and the establishment of the Mandate. (The roots of modern Israel predated the
Holocaust. The buildup to the Holocaust increased Jewish immigration; the problem of Jewish Holocaust refugees played a role in the UN’s decision to support Partition.)

• To stress that Zionists bought the land and developed it through their own labor.

• To convey some sense of what a daring and difficult enterprise it was to be an early Zionist, how undeveloped the land had been, and how idealistic, resourceful, and committed the Zionists were.

1. What do you think it would have been like to be a Zionist pioneer? Describe some of the difficulties that early Zionists faced. What do you think would have motivated you to become one of those pioneers? (See Activity 2.)

2. Discuss the kibbutzim and how they operated. Ask students to imagine they were forming their own kibbutz. How would they structure it? How would they divide responsibilities? Tell them that their group needs to agree on the policies of the kibbutz.

3. What effect did the political and social organization of the Zionist movement have on the early success of the Jewish State in 1948?

Activity 1

Activity 2

Activity 3

Activity 4

Activity 5

Complete PDF

Internet
Timeline of dates. See sections entitled “Ottoman Rule” and “British Rule.”
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/History/History+of+Israel/Facts%20About%20Israel-%20History
Conditions faced by early Zionist settlers of BILU, 1880s.
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Zionism/bilu.html
Physical conditions in Israel in the late 1800s, land purchases made by Jewish settlers and benefactors, and living conditions for Arabs
from 1880s-1940s. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/Arabs_in_Palestine.html
First Aliyah 1882-1903. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Immigration/First_Aliyah.html
Second Aliyah 1904-1914. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Immigration/Second_Aliyah.html
Third Aliyah 1919-1923. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Immigration/Third_Aliyah.html
Fourth Aliyah 1924-1929. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Immigration/Fourth_Aliyah.html
Fifth Aliyah 1929-1939. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Immigration/Fifth_Aliyah.html
Founding of Petah Tikvah, 1878. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Society_&_Culture/geo/petahtikvah.html
Information about the kibbutz; see especially the first three paragraphs. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Society_&_Culture/kibbutz.html
Arab riots in Palestine, 1920s, role of Grand Mufti
1. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/riots29.html
2. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/mufti.html
HaShomer, settlers’ self-defense organization established in lower Galilee in 1909.
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/Ha-Shomer.html
History of Haganah, an organization formed for self-defense, which later became the IDF.
http://www.zionism-israel.com/Haganah.htm

Online Videos
Short video (approximately two minutes) featuring architectural style of early Tel Aviv; scroll down to “The White City.”
http://www.israelupclose.org/categories/placesofinterest.html
From the Steven Spielberg Jewish Archive
A Day in the Life of Degania (first kibbutz in Israel) from 1937. http://w3.castup.net/spielberg/index.aspx?lang=en&id=69
(15 minutes)
A silent film about New Immigrants (41 min. with English subtitles) promotional by Jewish Agency
http://w3.castup.net/spielberg/index.aspx?lang=en&id=30
Agricultural development, 1947, English, Jewish National Fund. http://w3.castup.net/spielberg/index.aspx?lang=en&id=32
The definitive film about restoring the land 1935 (1 hour) http://w3.castup.net/spielberg/index.aspx?lang=en&id=217

Books
Factual, in-depth narratives describing creation of state of Israel and War of Independence.
Collins, Larry and Lapierre, Dominique (1972). O Jerusalem! (Simon and Schuster).
Kurzman, Dan (1970). Genesis 1948: The First Arab-Israeli (New American Library, Inc.).
Early settlement and creation of state of Israel (historical fiction).
Halter, Marek (1990). Children of Abraham (NY, Arcade Publishing).
Michener, James A. (1956). The Source.
Uris, Leon (1959). Exodus (Recent paperback version Bantam: 1983).
Wouk, Herman (1993). The Hope (Boston: Little Brown & Co.).

Film
Pillar of Fire. Produced by IBA (Israel Broadcast Association). Parts 1-2.
Exodus

Video
The following video is available at no charge (except shipping) from: http://www.israelupclose.org/stories.html
Volume 6: The “White City” Spotlights Tel Aviv and its many buildings built in the Bauhaus architectural style.