What is a Zionist? And a Discussion That Actually Matters
The new organization North Carolina Coalition for Israel is currently discussing a working definition of “Zionist.” The Medium community participating in this discussion in the comments could really help out.
Here is my thought:
- A Zionist is someone who supports that a state in Israel should maintain one or both of the following characteristics: (a) a Jewish majority, (b) any type of official Jewish character.
- The standard for “Jewish” could be based on any mainstream definition.
- The individual must self-identify as a Zionist.
Normally I would add “democratic,” which is common in definitions of Zionism. However, I want a definition that is fully inclusive of the Zionist Right and the Zionist Left, as they identify themselves today. The North Carolina organization is likely to attract many types of people widely accepted as Zionists.
If you don’t know much about Israel or Zionism, I hope you can learn about this very interesting movement. It has led to the creation of an especially distinct state. With Israel’s policy of open acceptance of all Jews, the country has protected many groups all over the world, such as in Russia and Ethiopia, from major discrimination up to and including ethnoreligious persecution.
