Ben Halpern

Zionism and the Creation of a New Society is the history of the development of the Jewish State from the early idea of Jewish nationalism. Ranging from the Zionist movements in the late nineteenth century to the establishment of Israel in 1948, this study clearly demonstrates the continuity between the principles and practices of those early movements and the social and political structure of Israel today. Jehuda Reinharz and the late Ben Halpern, the two foremost students of Zionism in the United States, have produced the most comprehensive and incisive history of Zionism in the English language.

This book examines the conflict between Louis D. Brandeis and Chaim Weizmann, two dominant personalities, each credited by devoted followers as the hero of a crucial era in recent Jewish history. The author considers how each man confronted the problem of his Jewish identity and the extent to which they both served as models for rival solutions.