Land and Desire in Early Zionism

Title

LandandDesire inEarlyZionism Boaz Neumann t r a n s l a t e d b y h a i m wa t z m a n Brandeis University Press Waltham, Massachusetts Brandeis University Press An imprint of University Press of New England www.upne.com© 2011 Brandeis University All rights reserved Manufactured in the United States of America Designed by Katherine B. Kimball Typeset in Quadraat by Integrated Publishing Solutions University Press of New England is a member of the Green Press Initiative. The paper used in this book meets their minimum requirement for recycled paper. For permission to reproduce any of the material in this book, contact Permissions, University Press of New England, One Court Street, Suite 250, Lebanon NH 03766; or visit www.upne.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Neumann, Boaz, 1971– [Teshukat ha-halutsim. English] Land and desire in early Zionism / Boaz Neumann ; translated by Haim Watzman. — 1st. p. cm. — (The Schusterman series in Israel studies) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-58465-967-9 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-58465-968-6 (pbk. : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-61168-015-7 (ebook) 1. Zionism. 2. Halutzim—History. 3. Pioneers— Israel—History. 4. Palestine—Emigration and immigration—20th century. 5. Hebrew language— Israel—History. 6. Palestine—History—1799–1917. 7. Palestine—History—1917–1948. 8. Gordon, Aaron David, 1856–1922. I. Title. II. Series. DS149.N49813 2011 320.5409569409’041—dc22 2011003314 5 4 3 2 1 We must raise up a generation that has no interests and no habits. Iron bars pure and simple. Supple— but iron. Metal from which all that is required for the national machine can be forged. A wheel is lacking?— I am a wheel. A nail, screw, a flywheel?—Take me! Must the soil be dug? —I am a digger. Is there a need to shoot, to be a soldier?—I am a soldier . . . . I have no face, no psychology, no emotions, I don’t even have a name: I—the pure concept of service, prepared for anything, I am not tied to anything; I know only one imperative: to build! —Yosef Trumpeldor, 1916 ...