They Will Bury Herzl's Grandparents - and the Vision He Left Behind | Tova Herzl

On the 77th anniversary of the arrival of Theodor Herzl's remains for burial in Israel, his granddaughter Tova Herzl reflects on how the visionary of the state would respond to contemporary Israeli reality: growing inequality, disqualification of political partnership with Arab citizens, political polarization, and confrontations with foreign leaders. She notes that Herzl strove for equality and sought common ground, and asks if this is what he envisioned. Meanwhile, it is reported that the remains of Herzl's grandparents are being removed from the cemetery in Zamon.

On the 77th anniversary of the arrival of Theodor Herzl's remains for burial in the state he envisioned, his granddaughter Tova Herzl writes a personal column examining how the visionary of the state would relate to today's Israeli reality. She raises rhetorical questions: how would he respond to growing inequality, to the sweeping disqualification of political partnership with Arab citizens due to their national identity, to political polarization, and to public confrontations with foreign leaders, even friendly ones. Herzl notes that Herzl strove for equality, described an almost egalitarian society, and sought common ground among broad circles to advance with united forces. She recalls her father, a Holocaust survivor, who was part of the honor guard at the arrival of Herzl's remains, and speculates that both would not be satisfied with praise for the state's existence, but would examine its character and wonder if this is what they had envisioned. Additionally, it is reported that the remains of Herzl's grandparents are being removed from the Jewish cemetery in Zamon.