5 Close and Distant: The Relations between Israel and the Diaspora

During most of that long history, population in the Land of comprised a small, or a very small minority of entire world Jewry. Over centuries, Diaspora has continuously strived to keep alive its connection and devotion to Zion, though most of that effort was essentially symbolic, based on adherence to traditions and rituals but with little concrete action. The major features of contemporary relationships between world's two largest communities, one in United States and other in Israel, bear directly upon any assessment of state of Jewish peoplehood during first decade of twenty-first century. How do members of two communities relate to each other and to people? This chapter turns to a brief account of major demographic and related developments that took place between communities in Israel and diaspora over time. Keywords: Israel; communities; diaspora; peoplehood; world Jewry; Zion