New Hebrews
Making National Culture in Zion

Examines the cultural history of Zionism and the use of language, literature, the arts and body culture to reshape modern Jewish culture.

Yaron Peleg (Author)

9781009591478, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 22 May 2025

215 pages
23.5 x 15.9 x 1.7 cm, 0.49 kg

'Peleg presents a detailed picture of the emergence of a Zionist culture that decisively shaped the patriotic, defiant, and proud ideology that set Israel on the direction the state has taken since its founding. … Recommended.' A. J. Avery-Peck, Choice

The literature on Zionism as a political ideology is extensive, but this book takes a different approach by focusing on the cultural dimensions of the movement and their profound impact on the history of Israel and the Jewish people. New Hebrews explores the cultural history of Zionism, starting from the meeting of the first Zionist congress in Basel, Switzerland in 1897, and culminating with the establishment of the State of Israel fifty-one years later in 1948. Yaron Peleg explores how innovative approaches in language, literature, architecture, art, music, and body culture transformed modern Jewish culture. His study delves into the contentious facets of early Zionist culture, such as colonialism, social engineering, minority discourse, and Jewish-Arab relations. New Hebrews presents an interdisciplinary examination of nationalism, drawing from a diverse array of primary sources to uncover the psychology of modern Israel. This title is also available as open access on Cambridge Core.

Introduction
1. Modern Hebrew language and literature
2. Hebrew space and architecture
3. New Hebrew bodies
4. A new Hebrew festival calendar
5. New Hebrew aesthetics
6. New Hebrew sounds
Afterword.

Subject Areas: Middle Eastern history [HBJF1]