@josh i appreciate your comment.
fwiw, it's the PoV of someone who doesn't come from a culture with a sizeable Jewish influence. well, maybe now but not back in the day. true story: didn't meet PR Jews FROM LA ISLA (not just nuyoricans) until i came to NYC.
but i feel like, from a mass info/culture PoV, Zionism even in the US was presented as just a political manifestation, not THE political manifestation of Judaism.
i feel this more academic take on Z changed with Bush after 9/11.