While secular Zionism is the key that led to the return of Jewish state of Israel in the world, secular Zionism was based on the fact that Jews needed a place where they could live in peace, be it religiously or not. The first secular Zionists didn't even want to return to Israel. In a strange twist of events (they tried and failed to purchase Alaska, for one), and by strange twist, I mean the Hand of God (because it is obvious to me that He had an active hand in this), they chose to return the land of Israel, mainly because NO ONE ELSE WANTED IT. That, and it was a way to get the religious Zionists to help them rebuild the land.

A key thing to understand is that Zion is a nother name for Israel, as was Canaan. Zionism means, simply, love of Israel. There cannot be a Zionist movement with the land of Israel. It's just not possible.

So, the question is, how does religious Zionism come into play when talking about the land of Zion, the land of Israel?

Anyone who has read a basic translation of the Torah knows that Israel is an essential part of Judaism (the lifestyle/culture and the religion and the people/nation). Many of the 613 commandments can only be done in the land of Israel. Shmita, for example (I'm sorry, I don't have time to link to Wikipedia right now), can only be done in the land of Israel.

There has always been a Zionist movement within the religious Jews, however it did not gain true strength until after the Holocaust. It was then that all religious Jews realized the importance of the land, of having a place to call home.

However, there has been an argument within the teachings of the rabbis about how whether we may settle the land before the coming of the Moshiach. Religious Zionists believe that we must do what we can to make ourselves worthy of the redemption. If the oportunity arises, as it has, we must grasp it. There are still those who disagree, however even they take great benifit in being able to travel to, and live in, the state of Israel.

As for an econimic reason for the religion, what do econimics have to do with a people who were given a land by God to call their own, a small piece of land, where they may worship him?

<sub>Will Eisner's last work - The Plot: The Secret Story of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion
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