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How Mizrachi was

Martin
Boosted in Basel
Oliner

hen President Isaac very being. He raised the prestige and To enable advanced religious and sec-
Herzog addressed an dignity of our movement. There is no ular studies simultaneously, Religious
event marking the end to the lasting achievements of the Zionists founded Bar-Ilan University
W 125th anniversary of late rabbi and in the perennial legacy and the Jerusalem College of Technol-
the first Zionist Congress in Basel, he left behind with all of us.” ogy in Israel, and Yeshiva University
Switzerland that I attended last month, and Touro College in the United States.
he spoke like a Religious Zionist. He Rabbi Herzog’s legacy for Religious The men and women of Religious
quoted from Tractate Berachot and Zionists around the world is to focus Zionism have become the leaders of
the books of Tehillim and Yishayahu. on educating children in Torah and the movements to settle through-
science, so they, like him, could master
This is no coincidence, as Herzog both worlds. out the Land of Israel and make the
comes from a long line of Religious desert bloom. They know that every
Zionists and received a solid education. My parents, Oskar and Hena Oliner, four steps walked in Israel is a mitzvah,
The president’s great-grandfather, Yoel also passed on that legacy to me. healthy to body and soul, and over the
Leib Herzog, was a devoted and active As Holocaust survivors, they were past year, they have let the Land rest,
Religious Zionist who was invited deprived of a proper education, but observing the mitzvah of Shemitta more
by Religious Zionist pioneer Rabbi they encouraged me to do as much than ever before.
Shmuel Mohliver to the first Zionist as I could in both the religious and Religious Zionists have become great
Congress in 1897, though he did not secular realms. The Holocaust survi- rabbis, top generals in the IDF, Supreme
attend because his son was sick. vors who helped establish the State of Court Justices, and even Prime Min-
Long before he became the first Ash- Israel looked very different from what ister of the State of Israel. Two insti-
kenazi Chief Rabbi of the State of Theodor Herzl envisioned at the first tutions led by Herzl – the World Zion-
Israel, that son, Rabbi Isaac Halevi Zionist Congress. They did not wear ist Organization and Keren Kayemet
Herzog, attended a Zionist Congress top hats nor sleep at the Hotel of the L’Yisrael – are currently led by proud
in 1927. He did not fear rabbis who con- Three Kings in Basel. Religious Zionists in Yaakov Hagoel
sidered Zionism to be heresy. Rabbi Since its founding in 1902 by Rabbi and Avraham Duvdevani. It was Hagoel
Herzog saw Zion as a spiritual center, Yitzchak Yaakov Reines in Lithuania, who organized the event marking the
a source of inspiration for Jews around Mizrachi has pushed Herzl’s ideas 125th anniversary of the first Zionist
the world, as it was during the Second forward and implemented them in Congress, where Zionism’s past, present
Temple era. and future were celebrated.
the Land of Israel and throughout the
The Religious Zionists of America world. That means focusing on Torah Herzl would have been proud. While
honored Rabbi Herzog in 1966. At RZA and raising generations who bring he was far from religiously observant,
events, prizes given to pillars of the true Torah values to all aspects of the participants at the commemora-
Religious Zionist community have life in Israel and Jewish communities tive event were educated Jews, and
been called the Chief Rabbi Herzog throughout the world. This is what numerous Orthodox prayer services
Gold Medal Torah Awards, which will Mizrachi stands for, and it is more were held there.
be given again at an event next year. important today than ever before. As we enter the new year, let us cele-
The rabbi was described well in the brate the future of Religious Zionism
program of RZA’s national banquet Additionally, more Jewish education is while ensuring and emphasizing the
in New York in 1975: “The first Chief needed in Israel for Israelis to under- education of the next generation.
Rabbi of the State of Israel, he was stand why we belong in the Jewish
called the epitome of Mizrachi,” the state. Maintaining a strong relation- May we all be blessed with a happy
program read. “He was the embodi- ship between Israel and Diaspora and healthy new year.
ment of our ideals and represented communities is also essential to the Martin Oliner is a co-president of the Reli-
Religious Zionism at its best in its Jewish future. gious Zionists of America.

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