The Christian who helped Herzl change history: William Hechler and biblical roots of modern Zionism

We were, like many French-speakers, at the conference "The Future of Zionism," organized by Abraham and Brigitte Bliah, with these orators: Georges Weisz, Eliezer Cherqui, Eliezer Shargorodsky, and Rav Elie Kling. As Elie Kling was saying, while the simple mention of the word "Herzl" can make religious people jump, "Zionism" is no longer in fashion. Yet we know how much Herzl, by his determination that can be described as prophetic, forced the doors of History and caused the outpouring of modern Zionism, leading, 50 years later, to the creation of the Hebrew State. Who can deny the incredibly powerful role of this solitary man, struck by the injustice and antisemitism linked to the Dreyfus affair in France? With his political pamphlet, Der Judenstaat (The Jewish State), Herzl developed his vision of a return of the Jews to the Land of Israel. He also wrote a novel, Altneuland, one of the founding texts of Zionism, describing "a modern, free, just, and cosmopolitan Israel." In Basel, at the First Zionist Congress, from August 23 to 24, 1897, Herzl laid the foundation stone of Israel, bringing together more than 200 Jewish delegates from 17 European countries.

The Meeting of a Man of Faith

As a believer, I would like to highlight the "miraculous" fact of Herzl's role, who had, like Moses, his revelation/his burning bush, as Eliezer Shargorodsky emphasizes. I will also speak about the key role of a Christian, the Reverend William Hechler, who believed in him: "God has made you the new Moses." The comparison with "Moshe Rabbenu" is not too strong, when we know that Moses was supported by Jethro the Midianite. After two thousand years of exile and persecutions, similar to those experienced in Egypt, a man invested by God, capable of opening "the Red Sea," was needed to allow the creation of a Jewish state. The stakes are of the same prophetic dimension. As we know, Herzl struggled to obtain the approval of his own people, notably great financiers such as Rothschild or Baron de Hirsch.

William Hechler, born in India during the British Empire to a German father and an English mother, was an Anglican pastor, speaking 8 languages. He had already written in 1884 "The Restoration of the Jews to Palestine," further declaring: "It is the duty of every Christian to love the Jews." After his theological studies, Hechler went to Germany and became tutor to the son of Frederick I, German prince and Grand Duke of Baden. In 1896, he met Theodor Herzl in Vienna, right after reading his book The State of the Jews. Hechler then offered him his help for the realization of the Zionist project. He thus used his political and international network to support him and organized meetings with the Duke of Baden, the German Kaiser, and the British Arthur Balfour. Justifying his position, Hechler wrote: "According to the Bible, the Jews must return to Palestine. Therefore, I come to the aid of this movement, as a Christian fully convinced of the truth of the Bible." To thank him for this precious help, Herzl would invite him to the First Zionist Congress in Basel in 1897. They would remain friends thereafter. After Herzl's death in 1904, Hechler will play a small role in the Zionist movement. In 1910, he leaves Vienna and reaches London. He dies in 1931, alone, forgotten, and in poverty.

Zionism Remains Alive

As Elie Kling emphasized, 10/7 dealt a severe blow to Zionism. The "refuge of the Jews" in Israel was no more! The failure of the army, intelligence, and politics shattered the feeling of security and trust in the State. Yet, we can already observe that the "Black Shabbat" has produced a revival. Israeli society has mobilized with a remarkable strength. Hundreds of thousands of reservists have answered the call, thousands of volunteers have replaced failing services, solidarity initiatives have multiplied throughout the country. Faced with the tragedy, a part of the people of Israel has rediscovered the sense of its unity and its collective responsibility. Abroad as well, many Jews have rediscovered the deep bond that unites them to Israel. The spectacular rise of antisemitism, in many Western countries, has recalled with brutality that Herzl's intuitions do not belong only to the past. More than a century after The Jewish State, his conviction remains of a troubling relevance: the Jewish people need a national home where they can live free and ensure their own defense. Zionism is therefore not an ideology of the past. It remains the expression of the will of a people to live on their land, in freedom and security. The events of October 7, 2023, did not make it disappear; they have, on the contrary, given it a new reason for being.

History will undoubtedly retain the name of Theodor Herzl as that of the visionary who dared to dream the impossible. But it would be unjust to forget the one who walked discreetly by his side. Pastor William Hechler is part of those Christians who, out of fidelity to their reading of the Bible and out of love for the Jewish people, chose to support the rebirth of Israel. Today, his example reminds us that it is possible, without renouncing one's faith, to love Israel, to bless the Jewish people, and to encourage their future. The friendship between Herzl and Hechler remains one of the most beautiful testimonies of what Jews and Christians can accomplish when they walk together in the service of the same hope.

"You will arise, you will have mercy on Zion. For the time to have pity on her, the fixed time is at its term... Let this be written for the last generation, and let the people thus created praise the Lord." — Psalm 102