Theodor Herzl (,
Theodor Hertzel; ; May 2, 1860 – July 3, 1904), born
Benjamin Ze'ev Herzl , also known in Hebrew as ,
Chozeh HaMedinah (lit. "Visionary of the State") was an
Austro-Hungarian journalist, playwright, political activist, and writer. He was one of the fathers of modern political
Zionism. Herzl formed the
World Zionist Organization and promoted Jewish migration to
Palestine in an effort to form a Jewish state (
Israel).