The Ruth and Alvin Rockoff Annual Lecture, Zionism: An Emotional State

Derek J. Penslar, William Lee Frost Professor of Jewish History at Harvard University, will discuss his new book, Zionism: An Emotional State, which explores how the energy propelling the Zionist project originated from complex feelings whose elements have varied in volume, intensity, and durability across different regions and historical moments. The resulting portrait of Zionism reconfigures how we understand Jewish identity amid continuing debates on the role of nationalism in the modern world.