From Honolulu to Tel Aviv Via Mt. Gilboa: The Rise and Fall of Shlonsky’s Messianic Halutz

This paper focuses on the theo-political aspects of Avraham Shlonsky’s volume of poetry Within the Wheel (1927). Shlonsky’s poetry is steeped in theology and enriched by the Jewish traditional canon, particularly the Hasidic one. Shlonsky crafts an intricate and critical dialogue with God and with the Jewish mysticalmessianic tradition. However, close attention to the poems’ allusions exposes Shlonsky’s forceful critique of the Zionist halutz (pioneer) ethos. Its radicalism lies within the subversive interpretation of the Hasidic mystical traditions, offering a vital and painful dialogue with God as well as a harsh criticism of the Zionist concept of redemption. Beyond reconstructing the theo-political elements of early Shlonsky poetry, this research deepens our understanding of the theological undercurrents of “secular Zionist culture” and demonstrates the contribution of the corpus of Jewish thought to his encounter with this culture.