Theodor Herzl's grandparents will be reburied in Israel

The remains of Shimon and Rivka Herzl, the grandparents of Theodor Herzl, founder of modern political Zionism, will be transferred in the coming days from Belgrade to Israel to be reburied alongside their grandson on Mount Herzl, in Jerusalem.

According to Israel Hayom, this transfer will coincide with the official ceremony marking the 77th anniversary of the reburial of Theodor Herzl in Israel. A state ceremony is planned in the presence of President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Shimon and Rivka Herzl played an important role in shaping the identity and thinking of the founder of the Jewish state. Throughout his youth, they nurtured his attachment to Judaism and helped shape his Zionist vision.

Theodor Herzl’s grandfather, Rabbi Shimon Herzl, was the only one of his brothers to remain faithful to Judaism, refusing to convert to Christianity. As the head of the Sephardic synagogue of the Jewish community in Zemun, he maintained a close relationship with Rabbi Yehuda Shlomo Alkalai, who is considered one of the early pioneers of Zionism.

A staunch supporter of the return of the Jewish people to their ancestral land, Rabbi Shimon actively spread these ideas within his community. During his visits to Budapest, he shared with his young grandson Alkalai’s teachings and vision regarding the reestablishment of a Jewish presence in the Land of Israel.

According to the Israeli daily, these exchanges profoundly affected Theodor Herzl and helped inspire the thinking that would lead him, a few years later, to become the main architect of the modern Zionist movement.