University of MN – Center for Jewish Studies
People think of kibbutzim, socialist agricultural collectives, as the first Zionist agricultural settlements. But kibbutzim were preceded in the late 19th century by a small network of privately owned agricultural colonies like Petach Tikva and Zikhron Yaakov. How did these settlers think of themselves as the “first” Zionists, promoting an image of a Zionism they claimed was prior to and outside politics, one that continues to influence Israel today.
Liora Halperin is Associate Professor of International Studies, History, and Jewish Studies at the University of Washington.
Cosponsored by: History, Institute for Global Studies, and Political Science
