‘At Basel I founded the Jewish state’: 125th anniversary of the First Zionist Congress to be marked in the Swiss city

Yossi Lempkowicz

2 years ago

The World Zionist Organization is to mark the 125th anniversary of the First Zionist Congress in the Swiss city of Basel during two-day events 28-29 August to acknowledge the miracle of the Zionist movement’s achievements in the first 125 years of its existence while looking towards the challenges ahead.

In summing up the first Zionist Congress, Herzl recorded what came to be an iconic passage. After the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, it took on the aura of a prophecy: ‘’Were I to sum up the Basel Congress in a word which I shall be very careful not to do publicly, it would be this: At Basel I founded the Jewish state. If I said this out loud today, I would be answered by universal laughter. Perhaps in five years, and certainly in fifty, everyone will admit it.’’

Theodor Herzl, the visionary of the modern State of Israel, convened the First Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland on 29 August 1897. The delegates of the Congress assembled from around the world to deliberate upon the creation of a Jewish state. It was there that they formed the World Zionist Organization (WZO), a body that would pave the way for the establishment of the State of Israel.

The WZO will mark the 125th anniversary of the First Zionist Congress in the Swiss city during two-day events 28-29 August to acknowledge the miracle of the Zionist movement’s achievements in the first 125 years of its existence while looking towards the challenges ahead, the organization said.

Around 1,200 guests are expected to gather in Basel for a conference organised by the World Zionist Organization in cooperation with the government of the Basel Canton and the Federation of Jewish Communities in Switzerland (SIG).

Among the dignitaries who wil lattend at the festive Gala to take place on Monday evening 29th August, at the historic Stadtcasino where Herzl convened the first Zionist Congress are Israel’s President Isaac Herzog, the President of the government of the Canton of Basel, Beat Jans and the Swiss Federal Minister of Economics Guy Parmelin.

Yaakov Hagoel,Chairman of the World Zionist Organization who initiated the event to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the first Zionist Congress that convened in Basel on 29th August ,1897,said:

“Many of us were born into the reality of the State of Israel existing as a sovereign, powerful, Jewish, and value-based entity. But just five generations before, it was a distant dream,’’ said WZO Chairman Yaakov Hagoel who initiated the event.

‘’The vision of the prophets slowly became a reality. In a conference hall in Basel, the hearts of the delegates of the First Zionist Congress were stirred, paving the way for the establishment of the Jewish State.’’

The First Zionist Congress adopted the Basel Program, which stated: “Zionism aims at establishing for the Jewish people a publicly and legally assured home in Palestine.” (“Palestine” was used at that time as a purely geographical term, with all residents, including the Jews living there, called Palestinians. The area itself was actually under Ottoman rule).

The Program goes on to delineate the means to achieve this goal:

The promotion of the settlement of Jewish agriculturists, artisans, tradesmen and manufacturers in Palestine.
The organization and uniting of all Jews by means of appropriate local and international institutions, in accordance with the laws of the various countries.
The strengthening and fostering of Jewish national sentiment and national consciousness.
Preparatory steps toward obtaining the consent of governments, where necessary, to achieve the Zionist purpose

In summing up the first Zionist Congress, Herzl recorded what came to be an iconic passage. After the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, it took on the aura of a prophecy: ‘’Were I to sum up the Basel Congress in a word which I shall be very careful not to do publicly, it would be this: At Basel I founded the Jewish state. If I said this out loud today, I would be answered by universal laughter. Perhaps in five years, and certainly in fifty, everyone will admit it.’’