19 Comments
User's avatar
Luke aitken's avatar

I so appreciate your description/discerning definitions of the big Z/little z. I had struggly conversations about this with many people and now I think I can be more comfortable discussing these issues. Thanks for the clarity😎

Expand full comment
Naomi B. Isler's avatar

Thank you.

Expand full comment
Roberta's avatar

Being Jewish also, I'm in total agreement with you. I'm also tired of people, some non Jews that believe Trump is for the Jewish people and they argue he is not antisemite - the government in Israel right now is as awful as ours right now. Thanks for your post!

Expand full comment
Claimmr's avatar

Hoping that every single one of your readers gets this - hard to imagine anyone couldn't! Thanks Ariella once again for articulating!

Expand full comment
Sarah Meiklejohn's avatar

Well stated. Good for you.

Expand full comment
Rachel Dalinka's avatar

Thank you, Ariella - I do hope this resonates with your readers! I am for sure a zionist. I have cousins who emigrated to Israel after the holocaust & was raised in the US knowing there was a homeland in Israel.

I agree that the big Z folks are a huge problem and the current government is now controlled by them. Somehow, Israel needs to reclaim its soul and get back to a government that is rational & working for peace with Palestine.

Expand full comment
Mayra Garcia's avatar

Thank you.

Expand full comment
Conn McQuinn's avatar

Thank you for this clear and thoughtful explanation, and for the courage to share in this highly charged environment.

Expand full comment
Maureen Kelly's avatar

I thank you as well for this explanation. It makes things much clearer for me. Thank you also for your strength and fortitude. Ongoing prayers for all who are suffering and that peace will finally be restored. Much love.

Expand full comment
Agent of Chaotic Respite's avatar

My terminology for your Big Z Zionism is militant Zionism. By this I mean the "settlers" who have been actively usurping Palestinians' land, killing their civilians, jailing people with no connection to anti-Israeli violence, destroying their ancestral olive groves; and the government and IDF who actively promote and support those actions. I *think* I mean the same as do you, but if I'm out of bounds would love to understand. Thank you for your clarity in this post! 😎✌️

Expand full comment
Jilda Nettleton's avatar

Thanks for the explanation. I have often been confused by the term Zionist and zionist.

Expand full comment
Miranda Brocki's avatar

Brave and beautiful. And beautifully written. May this evoke only understanding and constructive conversation. Thank you.

Expand full comment
AnnieHW's avatar

Thank you for this informative piece, Ariella. You have given me a better understanding of some of the buzz words/phrases that I hear thrown around and I am happy about that. 💜

Expand full comment
Maurine Canarsky's avatar

Thank you Ariella. An educational, cogent, and heartfelt post. I appreciate you.

Expand full comment
Sarah Jersild's avatar

Thank you. I have had trouble understanding what Zionism (or zionism) is, and this helps tremendously.

I think it’s kind of like my understanding of feminism. At the core of it, it’s what Marie Shear wrote: “Feminism is the radical notion that women are people." When you break it down like that, it’s hard to argue. And if we define zionism as the radical notion that Jews deserve to have self-determination… well. That’s hard to argue, too.

Expand full comment
I Hate this Timeline's avatar

Thank you for this clarification of something that had been muddy for me. Your big Z little z reminds me of the appropriation some gave made of Jesus' message of justice and liberation and how that has been converted into a white man's religion.

Expand full comment