The Jewish Diaspora: An Epic Journey Home
This Visible Connections timeline distills 2,000 years of painful Jewish history, illustrating the need for safety and freedom in their ancient homeland - i.e. “Zionism."
From the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans to the devastation of the Nazi Holocaust, the Jewish people have navigated a journey marked by both resilience and suffering. Understanding the historical injustices of the Jews throughout this journey is crucial not only for those who wish to connect with their cultural roots but also for anyone seeking to comprehend the ongoing conflicts surrounding Israel today.
The composition presented here condenses two millennia of Jewish diaspora history into a single image, allowing you to draw visible connections between ancient events and their modern day repercussions:
This composition is also available as a PDF with hyperlinks to access additional information:
The Connection
Everyone alive today with Jewish heritage has been impacted by this difficult history, whether they are aware of it or not. This includes my wife and I, who are both 3rd generation American descendants of Jewish refugees fleeing the widespread pogroms of Russia and Eastern Europe in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. This why I cringe every time I hear someone say that Jews aren’t worthy of sympathy because they are “privileged white oppressors,” or that their connection to the land of Israel is so long ago that it’s no longer relevant. It’s doubly upsetting to hear such language coming from young Jews who don’t know the history or are trying to avoid rejection by their social justice-minded peers.
The Purpose
I created this Visible Connections timeline to show that the 2,000 years of diaspora have been filled with persecution and pain, not privilege. My extensive research into the atrocities suffered by Jews throughout the past two millennia required a strong heart and stomach. The most difficult part was having to edit them down to fit onto one page so as not to exceed the casual reader's attention span. This meant that numerous murdered and destroyed lives would go unmentioned. Sorry 6,000+ Tunisian Jews who were massacred in 1033 AD. You didn't make the cut, along with many more.
I must admit that this project helped me appreciate Judaism on another level. Bringing the suffering of my Jewish ancestors into one place showed me how much they risked and sacrificed just to be Jewish. They could have saved themselves by assimilating and giving up Judaism. They could have skipped Shabbat, the High Holy Days, and raised their children without Judaism just as many non-observant Jews do today. But thank G-d they didn't, because the world would be an unimaginably poorer place.
Share the Journey
If you appreciate this project, please share The Jewish Diaspora: An Epic Journey Home with your network:
Order poster-sized prints of The Jewish Diaspora: An Epic Journey Home and more at the Visible Connections Store. Great for educational environments.
I hope that this timeline helps you explore the significant milestones of the Jewish Diaspora and the compelling reasons that have fueled the Jews’ enduring quest for safety and freedom in their ancient homeland - a journey that is at the heart of Zionism.