Alphabetical Entries: Z

referring to people with significant amounts of both African and Amerindian ancestry, these terms should be used only for those who self-identify this way. They have, in the past and in some cases, been used derogatorily.

coined in 1890 by Nathan Birnbaum, Zionism was the movement striving to establish a Jewish state in its ancient homeland and it is now the movement to maintain, support, and protect the nation of Israel. Not all Jews are Zionists, nor are all Zionists Jews. (Christian Zionists believe that the return of the Jews to the Holy Land, and the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, is in accordance with Biblical prophecy. However, Christian Zionists also commonly believe that to fulfill prophecy, a significant number of Jews will accept Jesus as their Messiah, and that in the last days, such Messianic Jews will practice a Hebraic form of Christianity. Many Christian Zionists believe that the people of Israel remain part of the chosen people of God, which effectively turns Christian Zionists into supporters of Jewish Zionism.) See also anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, occupied territories. See also Israeli.

some 10 to 12 million Zulu, who form South Africa's largest single ethnic group, live mainly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, while small numbers also live in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Mozambique. Under apartheid, Zulu people were categorized as third-class citizens and suffered from state-sanctioned discrimination; today they have equal rights along with all other citizens. The caveat with Zulu is to use it only for the South African people, never for a non-Zulu Black person in the U.S.—that use is considered derogatory and pejorative.