Zionism Unsettled: A Congregational Study Guide: An Invitation to Read and Study

Members of the EPF PIN education work group recently spent five months reviewing the congregational study guide Zionism Unsettled, published by the Presbyterians’ Israel Palestine Mission Network (IPMN). Through biweekly conference calls, the group held lengthy discussions of its content, the controversy surrounding its publication, and its view of its appropriateness as a study guide:

We feel that ‘Zionism Unsettled’ is an important educational tool that is desperately needed now as the discourse in both Israel and the U.S. around the nature of Zionism is changing. There is serious debate around the question of what Zionism is, what it has meant for the Palestinians, what it means for the moral fiber of Jews and Judaism, and what the future of Israel as a specifically Jewish state is likely to be. We believe that its publication continues and expands a dialogue that has already been started by significant numbers of Israelis, Jewish Americans, Palestinians, and Palestinian rights advocates.

To be specific, books like Max Blumenthal’s ‘Goliath’ about Israeli racism and Rabbi Brant Rosen’s ‘Wrestling in the Daylight,’ blogs like Mondoweiss, and other similar commentary on the morality of Zionism’s fundamental principles are changing the discourse. They would not have been possible just a few years ago. In Israel, organizations like Zochrot are increasingly able to tell the Palestinians’ story of dispossession at the hands of Zionism, and critical commentators like Gideon Levy are getting more traction in the mainstream Israeli media. There are other examples of commentators here and in Israel who are arousing debate and causing deep concern among those who fear that Israel will be exposed for what it is.

EPF PIN invites you to read the education work group’s review below, to read and discuss Zionism Unsettled with colleagues, and to take your own decision on the controversy surrounding its publication. As an Israeli Jewish friend once said to this editor when I asked for a definition of Zionism: ‘It depends on who you ask.’

Zionism Unsettled: A Congregational Study Guide is a project of the Israel/Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church (USA).   Order it here.

Zionism Unsettled grew out of a compilation of a series of essays on Jewish and Christian Zionism. That entire collection of essays was recently published as Zionism and the Quest for Justice in the Holy Land. Zionism Unsettled follows the general outline of Zionism and the Quest for Justice in the Holy Land and the two resources may be used together, but they are not duplicative.

Zionism Unsettled has both printed and DVD components. The booklet is organized into nine chapters. Each chapter addresses a particular aspect of the overall subject and includes photos, maps, diagrams, “Focus” features that provide additional related information, and questions for Reflection. The layout is visually attractive and the text is well written and readable. The DVD material approximately follows the subject matter of the text. Each segment consists mainly of a lone figure speaking and its contribution to the overall information is variable. The booklet could be used very effectively without using the DVD; on the other hand, the DVD alone would not be a sufficient exploration of the subject.

Although there are nine chapters in the Study Guide, it would be possible to design a study around only a portion of it in the event of limited time or resources. Indeed, many individual chapters are dense enough to comprise study courses in themselves.

Zionism Unsettled is not an appropriate study course for learners who are new to the topic of Zionism or to the issues in Palestine and Israel. Some background of understanding and previous exposure to the topics is implicit in the approach of the study guide. Moreover, Zionism Unsettled is unflinching in its presentation of the realities and consequences of Zionism, a movement that stirs considerable controversy in many quarters. Course instructors should be aware and approach the material appropriately. Other information in the study guide will challenge some learners as it examines the role of Jewish and Christian forms of Zionism in providing theological and ideological cover for the takeover of Palestinian land and the domination and dispossession of the Palestinian people. These viewpoints are not mainstream in the West, so effective learning will require a mature and open-minded approach to the material.

For these reasons, applying certain guidelines in the use of Zionism Unsettled will produce the best results:

• The instructor(s) should be experienced and/or well-versed in the material to effectively guide the study.
• Before beginning the study, determine the group’s level of understanding or previous exposure to the topics.
• If the majority of the group is new to the topics, an introductory phase of study will be very helpful; for example, reviewing the basic facts about Zionism and some historical review of the issues in Palestine and Israel.
  • The study guide Steadfast Hope or portions of it is an excellent introductory course.
• Zionism Unsettled is best studied over multiple sessions in order to handle the material optimally. It is not suited to a single session or cursory “review” of all the material. This is likely to result in misinformation, misapplication of information, and confusion.
• An ideal schedule would allow separate sessions for each chapter of the Guide, as well as an introductory session and a wrap-up session.
• If multiple sessions are not possible, one portion of the material should be selected for study.
• Each session should be no less than one hour in length and 1 ½ - 2 hours is ideal.
• Because the material is complicated, ideal study will allow time for discussion, exchange of ideas and reflection. A group of no more than 15-20 learners is ideal. If the group is larger, ample time should be allowed for smaller group break-out sessions.

Thanks to members of the education work group and its convener Harry Gunkel for taking the time to read and study and discuss together and to prepare this report.

Kathy Christison, Ann Coburn, Bo Fauth, Harry Gunkel, Constance Hammond, Dick Toll