The Rabbi’s Top 10 Zionists

On May 8th, following the celebration of Yom HaAtzma'ut, Israel's Independence Day on May 6th, Rabbi Schwartz devoted his  online column for the Times of Israel to the ten most important individuals in the history of Zionism.  Here now is The Rabbi’s Top 10 Zionists:

Having just celebrated Israel’s 66th birthday this week, here is my list of the greatest Zionists. among so many deserving:

  1. Theodore Herzl—Visionary and a genius for political advocacy and organizing.

  2. Eliezer Ben Yehudah—Reviver of Hebrew as a spoken language.

  3. Chaim Weitzmann—Finest Zionist diplomat and first president of Israel.

  4. David Ben Gurion—The Israeli George Washington.

  5. Yigael Yadin—Soldier, scholar, archeologist: Masada, Dead Sea Scrolls.

  6. Golda Meir—Prodigious fundraiser and diplomat before Prime Minister.

  7. Moshe Dayan—Swashbuckling general and epitome of the new Israeli.

  8. Menachem Begin—Right-wing Prime Minster who made peace with Egypt.

  9. Abba Eban—Urbane diplomat and voice of Israel to the world.

10. Yitzhak Rabin—Soldier-turned-Prime Minster who shook Arafat’s hand.

Previous posts in this series include:
  
The Rabbi’s Top Ten: The Best of Everything Jewish

The Rabbi’s Top 10 Jewish Foods

The Rabbi’s Top 10 Jewish Modern Events 

The Rabbi's Top Ten Israeli History Events