Jüdische Schriften (Jewish philosophy, mysticism, and the history of ideas)

by Moses Hess

(JEWISH WRITINGS) A father of modern Zionist thought and a radical socialist who took an active part in the main social-political issues of his day, Moses Hess (1812-1875) was one of the important Jewish thinkers of the 19th century. After a youthful estrangement from Judaism, Hess returned to it, espousing (in Rome and Jerusalem, 1862) the necessity for a Jewish return to Palestine and the rebuilding of an independent Jewish commonwealth. The 17 essays show the many sides of Hess' Jewish concerns and the way his understanding of Zionism affected his handling of all matters relating to Jews and Judaism. These essays help to fill out our understanding not only of Hess' thought but also of the very early years of the growth of modern Zionist ideology. They are a fundamental source for students of modern Judaism. German text

127 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1980

About the author

Moses Hess was a Jewish philosopher and socialist, and one of the founders of Labor Zionism. Hess was notably a friend and collaborator of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Hess converted Engels to Communism, and introduced Marx to social and economic problems.