Goal:

To discuss the philosophy of working with non-religious Jews in order to achieve certain goals by finding a common basis with them.  (Respect them even if we don't agree with them  - tolerance). Working from within to affect change instead of ghettoizing ourselves from the outside world.

Introduction:

A distinction of the religious Zionist philosophy has been its' willingness to work with those with whom it does not agree in order to accomplish common goals.  This direction was chosen because of the belief that more can be accomplished toward attaining ones goals by working from within and instituting change than by standing on the sidelines and criticizing.  Toward this end, the religious Zionists were willing to work with the secular Zionists with an attitude of respect and tolerance.  The religious Zionists stressed the positive aspects of the presence and participation of secular Jews in the rebuilding of Eretz Yisrael.  It was viewed as an indication of the pull of Eretz Yisrael for if even the non-religious had such an ahavat haAretz  then the geula could not be far off.

Upon the founding of the State of Israel, the religious Zionists continued to work with the government, even though it was run principally by non-religious people, in order to eventually change it into the type of government and the type of state that Israel should be. This included sending their sons to the army, supporting and participating in the government, and generally interacting with the rest of Israeli society.

Implementation:

Cut out the enclosed cards.

Set the scene - a meeting of religious Zionists at the  World Zionist Congress of 1901.  The World Zionist Congress has made decisions which the religious Zionists don't like and they have to decide whether they are willing to go on working with the non-religious Jews.

Have the chanichim read the cards and discuss the pros and cons of working towards common goals with people who have different beliefs.  Stress the idea of showing respect even when you don't share common beliefs.

Discuss the forming of Mizrachi (see enclosed background information) and its principles.

As part of the discussion, fill out the enclosed questionnaire.

Moderator:

Chaverim, I thank you all for coming today to discuss this very important resolution.  As you know, we have to decide whether we are going to work with the non-religious chalutzim.  This includes working together to bring Jews to Eretz Yisrael, helping each other in building up Eretz Yisrael, working towards creating an independent Jewish State in Eretz Yisrael and in other areas.  I am sure that there are a number of opinions and we should consider them all. 

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#1 -We may not agree with all that the non-religious chalutzim believe but we do have many things in common.  We should work together so that we can achieve the things that we all feel are important like creating an independent Jewish State and helping  Jews to make aliya.

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#2 -These people are not religious Jews and we should have nothing to do with them.  We should not speak to them or have anything to do with them until they become religious.  As far as creating a Jewish state, the only Jewish state that we can be part of is one that is run by religious Jews.

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#3 - The only way to change things is to get involved and work from within.  Things won't change if we stand on the sides and wait for them to change.  It's up to us.   Even though we don't agree with the non-religious on many issues, we should treat them with respect and try to work on the things that we do have in common.

Project TvA

Change from within

List the names of the people who filled in the form  _________________________________

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Background material:

Adapted from the Encyclopedia of Zionism and Israel

Mizrachi  - Religious Zionist movement based on the Basle program and dedicated to the establishment of the people of Israel in the Land of Israel in accordance with the precepts of the Torah.  The rabbis who joined the incipient Zionist movement were convinced that total Judaism could flourish only in the Land of Israel.  At the same time, they insisted that the land not only belonged to the people of Israel in a political sense but had to be built on the religious tradition of the past.  Hence their slogan: "Eretz Yisrael for the people of Israel according to the Torah of Israel".

Accordingly, religious Zionism assumed a double task: (1) to bring the message of Zionism to the masses of religious Jewry and to convince them that practical work for the redemption of the Jewish people and the Homeland was not incompatible with the traditional Jewish belief in the ultimate coming of the Mashiach; and (2) to instill in the hearts of religious Jews the concepts of Jewish unity and to encourage joint effort with the "secularists" in rebuilding the Homeland.

Early History.  The question of the relationship between Zionism and religious Jewry was raised at the second Zionist Congress (Basle, 1898)  The official answer given by the leaders of the World Zionist Congress (WZO) was that religion was a personal matter and that the Organization as such had no official attitude toward it.  This position did not satisfy the religious Zionists, but as long as the Zionist program consisted of political and economic matters only, they were reluctant to disturb the unity of the WZO.  However, when the fifth Zionist Congress (Basle, 1901) resolved that the education of the people in the spirit of Jewish nationalism was an important aspect of Zionist activity and an obligation for every Zionist, the religious Zionists felt that there could be no compromise in spiritual matters and that "nationalist", that is, secularist, education was liable to destroy Judaism.  This development gave them the incentive for the founding of a new organization, called Mizrachi, an abbreviation of the words Merkaz Ruchani (Spiritual Center).  The Mizrachi Organization was formed in 1902 by Rabbi Yitzchak Yaakov Reines as a religious-nationalist party within the framework of the WZO, in accordance with the permission given by the fifth Zionist Congress to organize separate federations.

The first international convention of the organization was convened in 1904 with 100 delegates participation.  There the foundation was laid for the Mizrachi World Organization, whose program was summarized as follows:

Mizrachi is a Zionist organization based on the Basle Program, striving for the national rebirth of the people of Israel.  Mizrachi considers the existence of the Jewish people dependent on the observance of the Torah and the tradition, the fulfillment of the commandments, and the return to the Land of the Fathers.

Mizrachi shall remain within the Zionist Organization and fight within it for its own views and outlook.  However, it shall create its own organization for the purpose of conducting its religious and cultural activities.

The mission of Mizrachi shall be to achieve its aims by explaining its ideal in all religious circles, creating and disseminating religious-nationalist literature, and educating the young in spirit.