Zion: Israel from the Bible to Post-Zionism

For thousands of years Jews have grappled with the meaning and significance of Israel. What is the biblical promised land? To whom was it promised? Is Israel a religious holy-land or a political homeland? Is it a place, a nation, or a people? Just about every aspect of Israel has been highly contested throughout history. In this unit you will explore the varied contours of Israel — both physical and metaphorical — in the Jewish imagination. From the Hebrew Bible through classical Jewish texts, from medieval poets to modern Zionist, anti-Zionist and post-Zionist thinkers, you will examine the complex relationship between Judaism and the land of Israel. Through a diverse range of written and visual texts, you will gain a deeper understanding of how Israel has been conceived, reconceived, and debated across the centuries.