Zionism

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Biblical Hebrew צִיּוֹן (ṣiyyôn)bor. Koine Greek Σῑών (Sīṓn)bor. Ecclesiastical Latin Sīōnbor. Old English Syon Middle English Sion Early New High German Zioninflu.? English Zion Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism German Zionismuscalq. English Zionism From Zion + -ism, calqued in analogy to German Zionismus, coined by Nathan Birnbaum in 1890.

1. Jewish nationalism, the movement which supported first the establishment of a Jewish homeland and now supports the continuation of Israel as a Jewish state.

   “These investigations indicate that although a large proportion of American Jews call themselves Zionists, their meanings of Zionism are closer to what some investigators have called pro-Israelism. According to the still common Israeli definition of a Zionist as one who views the Diaspora negatively and considers the settlement of Jews in Israel as essential, the vast majority of American Jews would not be considered Zionists.”

   “A version of Zionism from the 1940s might perhaps have coexisted with an equal Palestinian state, but its mature version, fed by military victories and unwavering American support, no longer can.”

2. A religion practiced throughout sub-Saharan Africa, most popular in Swaziland, consisting of a mixture of Protestantism and animism.
3. A Christian eschatological concept that links the migration of Jews to Palestine with apocalyptic events.