Lecture: Golan, Zionism and Science

Taube Center for Jewish Studies

Stanford University

Tuesday, December 7th, 12:00 noon

Bldg. 360- Conference Room

Tal Golan

Professor of History

University of California, San Diego

Zionism and Science

              

Co-sponsored by the Department of History

The history of Israeli science and technology offers a unique case study of a young and small nation that has developed an unprecedented love affair with science and technology. Unlike other nineteenth-century ideologies, Zionism was never considered to be founded on science. Nevertheless, from the very start, the Zionist movement perceived science, pure and applied, as central to its program of creating a new Jewish society in the Land of Israel. Modern science was to provide twice for the Jews: a relief from their religion and the tools to recover their ancient land from its ruins.  Consequently, after the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, science and technology quickly turned central to its ideology, politics, culture, economy, and security.