You might say that I soaked up Zionism with my mother’s milk. My Uncle Shia (mother’s brother) left Poland for Palestine in 1937 to work on a kibbutz. This was long before there was an Israel, but he believed in a homeland for the Jews and was willing to work towards that goal. His enthusiasm was boundless.

In 1939, Uncle Shia returned to Poland in order to bring his wife and three children to Palestine. He never got to leave. World War II broke out and he perished, along with the rest of the family.

While Uncle Shia was away, my mother began to study Hebrew. All her friends did likewise, though none of them were religious. But they were Zionists! They used to buy fresh rolls and Polish ham, go off into the woods and sing Zionist songs.

So what exactly is Zionism? To put it simply, for me, it means you believe in the right of Israel to exist as a........

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