JEWISH SECULAR ZIONIST IDENTITY: Aḥad Ha’am the Polemicist

In this chapter, Ahad Ha’am’s view of Judaism will be presented. Its main characteristics are the transformation of the religious contents and concepts into the national, secular field, as well as the normative character he gives to his secular Judaism version. Ahad Ha’am often argued with his opponents and critics. A few of these important polemics will be described here, and thereby we will be clarifying Ahad Ha’am’s views on Judaism: its unity, the secular character he gives to it, and the secular attitude to tradition and religious symbols.