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THREAD understanding Zionism, Jews, Israel & antisemitism. Of the estimated 14.5 million Jews on this earth 6.5 million live in Israel. Those who don't have family who do.
Of those who are left an estimated 5.5 million live in the USA. Statistically speaking if you're not Israeli you're American (1.5% of populace) or part of a tiny community elsewhere.
Furthermore all of the places sacred to the Jewish religion are in Israel and the West Bank so whatever your thoughts on politics, if you're religious (& if you're not) then if you want to visit the sites you holy to Judaism you'll be visiting Israel...
In terms of Jewish learning the greatest rabbis of the Orthodox Jewish world are to be found in Israel. They educate many rabbinical students in their faith each and every year. Rabbis are trained in Israel.
But also consider this. Israel, the only country with a majority Jewish populace, lets Jews experience something others take for granted...the feeling of belonging, of being around your own people. Of looking around and knowing no one hates you for who you are.
Israel is the only place Jews can go and not be an anomaly. Keeping kosher in Israel isn't some weird quirk but a natural part of the way you eat, Purim, Rosh Hashannah, Chanukah, Yom Kippur are national festivals that the whole country celebrates with you.
Therefore Jews, whatever their level of religious observance feel a strong connection to the only state in the world where everyone else living there thinks you're a normal person rather than some kind of alien. For Jewish people this sense of affiliation is called ZIONISM
To attack Jewish people as baby killers or Nazis because they feel connected to a country that has their holy places, half their populace, and is where members of their family live would be funny if it didn't have such a serious impact. 
To say Israel has a broad political framework is an understatement, from the Zionists of @BtSIsrael to the Zionists of @ImTirtzu to the Zionists of @YachadUK and the Zionists of @SussexFriends there's more than enough room to find representative politics both in Israel & in UK
It's not hard to understand why Jews are so offended by @PeoplesMomentum, by @DerbyChrisW and why its been so important for UK Jews that people like @GnasherJew @RachelRileyRR and @TracyAnnO who stand up and call out the constant baiting of Jews over their Zionism
Furthermore Jews won't just sit down and take it. The antisemitism in Labour, the constant attacks on Jews over their Zionism, have effectively pushed Jews out of involvement in UK politics. Politicians such as MP @lucianaberger have been made politically homeless by antisemitism
Others have been attacked, ridiculed and worse but have remained in their party. Only to be attacked as a fifth column for standing up against antisemitism. @RuthSmeeth @margarethodge @LouiseEllman endure misery just for still being in @UKLabour their "Zionism" is not to blame
Jew hatred is to blame. We may not win in our battle to stamp it out of British politics but at the very least no one can say that we didn't try. ZIONISM is nothing more than Jews being Jews. If you take issue with that you need to take a look in the mirror and ask why? ENDS
