Negation of the Diaspora

Part of a series on
Aliyah
Concepts
Promised Land Gathering of Israel Diaspora Negation Palestinian Jews Homeland for the Jewish people Zionism Jewish question Law of Return
Pre-Modern Aliyah
Return to Zion Old Yishuv Perushim
Aliyah in modern times
First Second during World War I Third Fourth Fifth Aliyah Bet Bricha from Muslim countries Yemen Iraq Morocco Lebanon from the Soviet Union post-Soviet from Poland from Ethiopia from Romania from Latin America
Absorption
Revival of the Hebrew language Hebraization of surnames Hebraization of Palestinian place names Ulpan Kibbutz Youth village One Million Plan Immigrant camps Ma'abarot Development town Austerity
Organizations
World Zionist Organization Jewish National Fund Jewish Agency for Israel Youth Aliyah Mossad LeAliyah Bet El Al Ministry of Aliyah and Integration Nefesh B'Nefesh Am Yisrael Foundation
Related topics
Yishuv Sabra Yerida Jewish refugees History of the Jews in the Land of Israel Demographic history of Palestine (region) Historical Jewish population Yom HaAliyah
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"Negation of the Diaspora" (Hebrew: שלילת הגלות Shlilat ha-Galut or שלילת הגולה Shlilat ha-Golah) is a concept in Zionism that asserts that Jews living in the Diaspora—that is, outside of the Land of Israel—are in an environment that inherently causes Jewish assimilation, particularly through discrimination and persecution, and which must be fixed to ensure the survival and the cohesion of the Jews as a people. A more developed formulation of the idea further argues that the Jewish people have no future without amassing at their "spiritual centre" in the Land of Israel, which is currently represented by the State of Israel.^[1]

Aliyah (עֲלִיָּה, lit. 'ascent [to Zion]'), the historic Hebrew term for an expatriate Jew's immigration to the Land of Israel, is an act that fulfills this Zionist tenet by enabling the "gathering of Israel" and thus undoing any perceived Jewish assimilation. Yerida (יְרִידָה, lit. 'descent [from Zion]'), the historic Hebrew term for a Jew's emigration from the Land of Israel, is the exact opposite—it is now widely understood as referring to Israeli Jews who live outside of their country.