Barbara Tuchman argues that it was English Protestants who were the founders of Zionism.especially Lord Shaftesbury, a major player in the politics of the 19th Century. The English Puritans more or less adopted the ancient Hebrews has their spiritual ancestors because their actual ancestors, the Anglo-Saxons, had been Papists. Hence the common use of obscure Hebrew names among them.
Very true. There's a line of thought that the Pilgrims celebration was essentially their celebration of Sukkot.