Do Charedim Value Living in Eretz Yisrael Even If They Are Not Zionists?

Last updated on 10 Aug 2025

It’s one of the most misunderstood aspects of Charedi life: you see thousands of visibly frum families living in Yerushalayim, Bnei Brak, Beit Shemesh, and Tzfas—learning, davening, raising generations steeped in Torah—and yet many of them do not identify as “Zionists.” So what gives?

How can someone live in Eretz Yisrael, even devote their life to its holy soil, and not wave the Zionist flag?

The answer lies in understanding the deep distinction between the mitzvah of living in Eretz Yisrael and the political ideology of Zionism.

Eretz Yisrael Is Eternal—Zionism Is Historical

Let’s be clear from the outset: Charedim love Eretz Yisrael.

They cry for it in every Shemoneh Esrei, sing of it in every bentching, and dream of it in every Ne’ilah on Yom Kippur.

The question is not whether they value the Land—it’s how they view the means by which Jews have returned to it in modern times.

The Charedi world distinguishes between the Land itself, which is holy and beloved, and modern political Zionism, which in many cases was led by secular Jews with ideologies far from Torah values.¹

A Longstanding Charedi Presence in the Land

What many people don’t realize is that Charedim have been living in Eretz Yisrael for centuries—long before there was any such thing as Zionism.

In the 1700s and early 1800s, Talmidei HaGra (students of the Vilna Gaon) made aliyah and rebuilt Jewish communities in Tzfas and Yerushalayim.²
Around the same time, Talmidei HaBaal Shem Tov also came, filled with yearning to live in the land of the Shechinah.³
In 1832, the Perushim community established the first Ashkenazi neighborhoods outside the Old City of Yerushalayim.⁴
The Old Yishuv, referring to religious Jews who lived in Eretz Yisrael before the rise of political Zionism, existed in Yerushalayim, Tzfas, Teveria, and Chevron. Many lived in poverty, relying on European donations (chalukah), but their motivation was spiritual—not political.

They came to fulfill mitzvos, daven at the Kosel, breathe the air that "makes one wise"⁵, and raise families in the shadow of holiness.

They were Charedi—and they were here long before Herzl.⁶

So Why the Hesitation Toward Zionism?

Many Charedim are hesitant to call themselves “Zionists” for a few key reasons:

1. The Secular Origins of Zionism

Early Zionist leaders like Theodor Herzl and David Ben-Gurion were openly secular. Herzl even proposed mass conversion to Christianity in his early writings, before revising his vision.⁷

The movement was focused on national identity, often divorced from Torah values, and in some cases sought to replace Judaism with nationalism. This was anathema to Charedi ideology.⁸

2. Theological Concerns

Many Gedolim held that only Moshiach can bring the Jewish people back to full national restoration. The idea of a state before the Geulah was viewed by some as dangerous or premature.

They often referenced the Gemara in Kesubos 111a, which mentions the famous “Three Oaths”:

That the Jewish people should not return as a group to Eretz Yisrael by force
That they should not rebel against the nations
And that the nations should not oppress the Jews excessively⁹

While many poskim do not consider this aggadic source halachically binding, it strongly influenced Charedi perspectives on the Zionist project.¹⁰

3. Separation of Mitzvah and Movement

Charedim maintain that one can deeply love Eretz Yisrael and fulfill the mitzvah of yishuv ha’aretz—without endorsing the political movement of Zionism.

In short: **Zionism is a movement. Eretz Yisrael is a mitzvah.**¹¹

Gedolim Who Lived the Mitzvah Without the “Ism”

Many of the greatest non-Zionist Gedolim of the last century chose to live in Eretz Yisrael:

Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l, who lived in Shaarei Chesed, Yerushalayim, was known for his deep love of the Land, despite never identifying with Zionist ideology.¹²
Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l, posek hador, lived in Meah Shearim and frequently spoke of the spiritual power of Eretz Yisrael.¹³
The Chazon Ish zt”l, who moved to Bnei Brak in the 1930s, was wary of secular Zionism, but believed strongly in the mitzvah of living in Eretz Yisrael, and encouraged aliyah under the right circumstances.¹⁴
Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld zt”l, Chief Rabbi of the Eidah HaCharedis, was a staunch opponent of Zionism—and also one of the greatest lovers of Eretz Yisrael, raising generations of Torah Jews in Yerushalayim.¹⁵

Living the Land, Without Labels

The modern Charedi world in Eretz Yisrael is living proof of how deeply they value the Land.

Tens of thousands of Charedim have made aliyah, quietly and with spiritual intent.
Entire cities—Bnei Brak, Modi’in Illit, Beitar Illit, and major neighborhoods in Yerushalayim—are thriving Torah centers rooted in deep love for Eretz Yisrael.
Thousands of kollelim, yeshivos, seminaries, and mikva’os have been built across the hills and valleys of the Land—often with mesirus nefesh and zero political motivation.

They may not celebrate Yom HaAtzmaut. They may not fly flags. But they live here—with love, reverence, and a profound sense of spiritual mission.

Bottom Line: Charedim Love Eretz Yisrael

Yes, absolutely.

Charedim value living in Eretz Yisrael immensely—even if they are not Zionists.

To them, the Land is not about nationalism—it’s about holiness, about the Shechinah, about mitzvos that can only be fulfilled here. It’s about drawing close to Hashem.

Their loyalty is to Torah, not to ideologies. Their hope is in Moshiach, not in governments. But their hearts and homes are planted firmly in the soil Hashem designated as His eternal gift to Am Yisrael.

And in that quiet, unwavering love— They are living the truest Zionism of all.

Sources

See Rav Shimon Schwab, “These and Those,” Selected Essays, Feldheim, on the distinction between Zionism and love for Eretz Yisrael
Aliyah of the Perushim, documented in Kol HaTor and letters of Rav Hillel of Shklov
See Beis Rebbe (histories of the Baal Shem Tov’s students)
See Menachem Elon, Jewish Law: History, Sources, Principles, Volume 4
Bava Basra 158b – "Avira d’Eretz Yisrael machkim" (“The air of Eretz Yisrael makes one wise”)
Theodor Herzl published Der Judenstaat in 1896—over 100 years after the first major aliyah of Charedi communities
Herzl, The Complete Diaries, Vol. I, entry dated June 12, 1895
David Ben-Gurion often expressed disdain for the rabbinate and viewed Jewish identity in national, not religious, terms
Kesubos 111a, Midrash Shir HaShirim Rabbah 2:7
See Ohr Sameach, end of Hilchos Melachim, and Satmar Rav, Vayoel Moshe, for differing interpretations
Ramban, Hasagos to Sefer HaMitzvos, Positive Commandment 4
See Halichos Shlomo and stories from Rav Auerbach’s talmidim
Testimonies in Binyan Yosef and Divrei Chachamim
Pe’er Hador on the Chazon Ish, Vol. 2
HaIsh Al HaChomah, biography of Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld