From the destruction of the Second Temple until the 1800s, virtually all great Jewish leaders were rabbis whose authority rested in religious learning. In modern times, as Jews became more secular, so did their leaders. Yet even in a secular environment a great Jewish leader still evoked myths and symbols from the Jews' religious tradition. In this talk, Dr. Derek Penslar will focus on one great modern Jewish leader, Theodor Herzl, who was admired by Jews for his achievements as an Austrian man of letters but was also venerated as a latter-day Hebrew prophet. Free event.