By: Eitan Behar
In an era in which there is a growing attempt to push Zionism into being viewed as negative in public discourse, the 125th anniversary of eth First Zionist Congress has shone a new light upon this movement.
Close to 1,500 participants from all over the world decided to leave their family, friends, and workplace and arrive to the city where we were able to significantly change the course of history for the Jewish people. “In Basel I founded the Jewish State.” Theodor Herzl’s quote from his diary is well-known, however its true meaning is still far from the public awareness.
What does it truly mean?
Shabbat. The last day of the month of Av. Parshat Re’eh. The time is 8am and the sleepy city of Basel is still awakening. A group of dozens of Jews, I amongst them, makes their way by foot from the hotel towards the central synagogue of Basel. Herzl wrote in his diary, that he was called up to the Torah in that synagogue, on that same Parasha, on that same day, just before the First Zionist Congress. And this is what he wrote:
“Out of respect to our religion, I went on the Shabbat before the congress. The head of the community called me up to the Torah. When I went to the podium, I was more moved than on any day of the congress. Emotion choked the few Hebrew words of blessing in my throat, far more than during the opening speech, the closing words, or any of the discussions.”
There are things in life that the mere ability to see and touch them arouses your imagination and understanding of the story. This is what happened to me in synagogue.
I have visited this beautiful synagogue in the past but this was my first time during Shabbat services. More so, this was the Shabbat before the marking of the 125th anniversary of the First Zionist Congress.
I sat in the middle of the bench behind the bimah and covered myself with a tallit. The hazzan, who was wearing a traditional rope and head covering led the service with a special operatic hazzanut. To his right the rabbi sat in a special chair, and in the center, a huge Parochet that covered the Aron Kodesh which was donated by Dan Tichon, who was speaker of the Knesset 25 years ago in honor of the 100th anniversary of the First Zionist Congress.
I had two emotional moments during this long service. The first one was during the Torah reading. Suddenly I understood where I was actually sitting. The same décor, the same Parasha, the same melodies, the same place, the same date, all exactly the same as it was 125 years ago.
When I turned toward the Sefer Torah, for a minute I imagined seeing a young man with a long black beard, a tall hat, and full of energy. In an Ashkenazic German accent, he is trying to recite the blessings of the Torah in a language unfamiliar to him, a language in many ways thanks to him, was beginning o be revived in his time.
The second emotional moment I experienced that still evokes a feeling of elation within me was in the form of a short prayer, the prayer for the State of Israel.
The choir of cantors stood on the bimah and in incredible harmony between humming and vocals, accompanied the hazzan in reciting the words “Our Father in heaven, Protector and Redeemer of Israel, bless the State of Israel, the dawn of our redemption.”
They intertwined the melody of our national anthem, Hatikva with the cantor’s melodies. The tunes were somewhat Diasporic, but so moving. Then everything suddenly connected in my mind.
This was another link that tells our story. Just like in a movie, we are experiencing that same moment in those days, at this time.
Zionism, which began as a forgotten idea by the father of our nation Abraham, permeated the DNA of the people of Israel, through Moses, the prophets, the Levites and all the people of Israel throughout all generations, communities, rabbis, down to the average Jew, whose only hope and wish was to return to the Land of Israel, to live in it, to build it, to put down roots in it, and to turn it into the national, religious, historic and cultural home of the people of Israel.
The events of the 125 anniversary of the First Zionist Congress in Basle in my view, gave a shot of energy into the Zionist idea. The people of Israel, with all their diverse backgrounds and opinions, visited Basel as one link in the long chain of history towards the Land of Israel.
“And from all the other places
we created a land a nation in spite of all the problems
And a language that was dormant started
to wake up and be spoken…
The convoy keeps on coming since last century
Farmers and pioneers who worked very hard
not seeing the end of the road
Now we come we will not rest
we will participate this is our life’s adventure…”