Bones of Theodor Herzl’s Grandparents to Be Reburied in Jerusalem After 77 Years

Seventy-seven years after the burial of Theodor Herzl, the founder of the modern Zionist movement, the remains of his grandparents will be exhumed from Belgrade, Serbia, and reburied beside him on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. The state ceremony marking this event will take place on the anniversary of Herzl’s burial and will be attended by Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Herzl’s grandfather, Rabbi Shimon, and grandmother, Rivka, played a crucial role in shaping Herzl’s identity and worldview. Rabbi Shimon was notable for his steadfast dedication to Judaism, serving as the gabbai of the Sephardic synagogue in the Jewish community of Zemun. He was closely connected to Rabbi Yehuda Shlomo Alkalai, an early advocate for Jewish settlement in the Land of Israel, and actively promoted the idea of aliyah within his community.

During visits to Budapest, Rabbi Shimon shared his passionate vision and teachings of Rabbi Alkalai with his young grandson, directly influencing Herzl’s later writings and Zionist ideology. After decades buried in Belgrade, Rabbi Shimon’s remains will now rest in the holy city of Jerusalem, symbolically preserving the legacy of Jewish continuity and the Zionist dream.