Eastern European Zionists were vilified for their secularism within predominantly orthodox countries throughout the 19th century.   Theodor Herzl of the World Zionist Organization proposed Palestine instead of Argentina for the establishment of a nationalist colonization of Israel as a statehood for secular Ashkenazi without the burden of religion.

WHY?   Because the adoption of Marxist communism had been their stipulated revolution since the advent of Jewish Enlightenment which became Jewish Nationalism as of 1881 replacing Deism with 'rationality'.  

Argentina and Canada were chosen for settlements by Baron de Hirsch a wealthy Jewish banker who wanted large swathes of agriculture land to come under Zionist rule.  Every philanthropic charity for which the Zionists donated was to benefit only secular jews in education, co-operative factories, and banks within a socialist/communist framework.