Crisis of Liberal Zionism - The 92nd Street Y, New York

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92NY Humanities Audio Collection

The Crisis of Jewish Liberalism

Crisis of Liberal Zionism

Dec 3, 1985


Dr. Shlomo Avineri, an Israeli political scientist, and Dr. Marie Syrkin, a writer and polemicist for the State of Israel, discuss their differing views on liberal Zionism. Dr. Syrkin examines major issues in liberal Zionism, civil rights in Israel, and the Law of Return, an Israeli law which gives Jews, people with one or more Jewish grandparent, and their spouses the right to relocate to Israel and acquire Israeli citizenship. Dr. Avineri discusses the tension between Zionism and liberalism, the differing status of "Jewishness" for those who settle in Israel under the Law of Return (citing Ethiopian Jews in Israel as an example), pros and cons of the Law of Return, and the lack of immigration to Israel on the part of the international Jewish community after 1948. Leonard Fein, editor of Moment Magazine, moderates their discussion and takes questions from the audience. This event is part of a series presented by 92NY in celebration of the 10th anniversary of Moment Magazine.

The Preservation of and Increased Access to the 92nd Street Y Humanities Audio Archives is generously funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom.


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