Background
He was born at Skvira, Russia, on Aug. 5, 1856. His pseudonym is Hebrew for "One of the People." For many years he lived in London, representing a Russian tea firm.
He was born at Skvira, Russia, on Aug. 5, 1856. His pseudonym is Hebrew for "One of the People." For many years he lived in London, representing a Russian tea firm.
Ahad Ha'am's keen mind enabled him to acquire profound knowledge of Bible and Talmud, mastery of medieval Jewish philosophy, and an extensive familiarity with Russian and English literature. He vigorously opposed political Zionism as an impractical attempt to solve the problem of Jewish economic and political disabilities. Palestine should become, he thought, a spiritual center whose rejuvenated Jewish culture would radiate influence to world Jewry and prevent threatened national disintegration. Ginzberg's brilliant essays in Al Parashat Derakhim (4 vols., 1895-1921; On the Crossroads) were marked by lucidity of style and gravity of thought, but roused a storm of protest on the part of some Hebrew writers.