Sentence:  Who could have imagined then, in Crumpsall, that the ancient Jewish hope, ‘Next year in Jerusalem' – for so long more a <WSD>velleity</WSD> than a hope, the feeblest and most unanticipated of anticipations – would be realised in their lifetime and that they would be able to stand here, under the watchful eye of Israeli soldiers, but otherwise unimpeded, together? 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A slight wish not followed by any effort to obtain.