USA - Einstein the Zionist
Albert Einstein (1879-1955) was one of the greatest scientists the world has ever produced. He conceived of totally new ways of understanding time and space, matter and light, gravitation and the universe.
By 1929, Einstein was already renowned throughout the world. He received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921, following the solar eclipse experiment conducted in May 1919 by British astronomer Arthur Stanley Eddington—the experiment that confirmed Einstein’s theory of general relativity. With the results reported widely by the popular press, Einstein became “the world’s first celebrity scientist.” He was now enjoying the fruits of his fame.
One editor, Josh Eisenthal, found Einstein’s relationship with Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore, particularly intriguing. Tagore, who in 1913 won the Nobel Prize for Literature, was a poet, short story writer, song composer, playwright, essayist, and painter.
Their first conversation deals with the nature of reality—a deep and lengthy dialogue in which Einstein expresses his belief in an external world independent of human beings, in contrast to Tagore’s concept that the universe, including the divine, becomes reality only through human perception.
Their second conversation turns to the topic of music and the deep differences between European and Indian musical traditions. What especially intrigues Eisenthal is that the two men did not speak to each other in the same language. Tagore spoke in English, and Einstein replied in German. A translator must have been present.
Religion, [Einstein] argues, is not the only factor binding Jews together. “This is demonstrated by the attitude of other people toward the Jews,” he writes. “I only discovered that I was a Jew when I came to Germany 15 years ago, and this discovery was communicated more by non-Jews than by Jews.”
-www.jpost.com, 7 December 2024
Arno's Commentary
Albert Einstein called himself an agnostic, or a “religious non-believer.” In one of his writings, he stated, “As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene. No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.”
The article also reveals, “In short, Einstein felt that the only effective protection for Jews from the intolerance and persecution they were subjected to was the Zionist vision expressed by Theodor Herzl—the creation of what Einstein calls a ‘homestead’ in Palestine.” That clearly expresses his Zionistic spirit, yet he added: “Zionism strives not for power, but for dignity and recovery. If we did not have to live among intolerant, narrow-minded, violent people, I would be the first to reject every form of nationalism in favor of universal humanity.” He concludes: “We will never be protected from this intolerance, whether we call ourselves a ‘people’ or a ‘nation,’ or not.”
It was Zechariah the priest, the father of John the Baptist, who made this prophetic statement, yet to be fulfilled: “That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear” (Luke 1:74).
Arno Froese is the executive director of Midnight Call Ministries and editor-in-chief of the acclaimed prophetic magazines Midnight Call and News From Israel. He has authored a number of well-received books, and has sponsored many prophecy conferences in the U.S., Canada, and Israel. His extensive travels have contributed to his keen insight into Bible prophecy, as he sees it from an international perspective.
