The Hermann Cohen-Martin Buber Dispute over Zionism

Abstract

In 1916, an intense debate between Hermann Cohen and Martin Buber on the topic of Zionism appeared in the pages of two important German-Jewish journals. Cohen was a fierce anti-Zionist who felt that Jews and Judaism must remain in the Diaspora so that the destiny of Judaism as a religion will be fulfilled. Buber identified himself as a Zionist who viewed the Jewish society then being built in Palestine as the way of the Jewish future. The present essay takes issue with much of the existing scholarship on this debate, by presenting its shared historical context. In the course of discussion, we demonstrate the intricacies of positions and attitudes held by both Buber and Cohen regarding the meaning of Jewish existence vis-à-vis European culture, the significance and viability of the modern nation-state, as well as the meaning and character of Jewish ritual and family life in the post-emancipationist period. We then show how the intricacies of each position lead to their respective Zionist and Anti-Zionist attitudes. Finally, we inquire as to the lessons that may be learned through a re-consideration of these issues in the present day.