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members of the political parties in Mizrachi’s Avraham Duvdevani, the bridge-building and unity, in the
Israel, as well as delegates from Zion- most experienced member of the Jewish world in general and in these
ist movements and Federations across WZO Executive, the Mizrachi dele- important institutions in particular.
the Jewish world, are all formally rep- gation was instrumental in ensuring
resented in one place. unity within diversity. I cannot conclude without connect-
ing these sentiments to the recent
From the progressive liberal Hatikvah Indeed, this has been Mizrachi’s role tragic passing of Rabbi Lord Jonathan
slate to Eretz HaKodesh and every- since its very inception. Almost 120 Sacks, a great supporter of and part-
thing in between – Reform, Conser- years ago, it was founded as a move- ner in World Mizrachi’s activities.
vative and Orthodox religious streams ment of religious Jews committed Like our forefather Avraham, who
and the gamut of political ideologies both to Torah and the Zionist cause. was both “a stranger and a resident”
– all finding a place around one large At a time when many distanced them- among the inhabitants of Canaan, so
round table dedicated to the Zionist selves from this seemingly secular Rabbi Sacks was masterfully able to
endeavor. national movement, Mizrachi found personify and ever so eloquently com-
a way to partner, to communicate, to municate that balance – on the one
To preserve this fine balance, the bridge the gaps. To shoulder together hand being proudly Jewish and loyal
Zionist Congress has traditionally the collective challenges at that time. to his faith and the Torah, while on
upheld a gentlemen’s agreement, the other, being deeply immersed in
giving fair representation to all parties Remaining loyal to its religious beliefs global visions, broad universal ideas
based on their relative strength. This and Halacha while being an active and expansive philosophical thought.
is very different from the majority and influential member of the Zionist The ability to synthesize, connect and
winner-takes-all system in demo- Movement. bridge the divide. He was a ladder,
cratic politics. As de Tocqueville had “whose feet were firmly on the ground
warned of the potential tyranny of In fact, the very word Mizrachi is an and whose head was in the heavens.”
the majority over the very significant acronym of Merkaz Ruchani, a spir- And just like Avraham, he profoundly
minority. itual center, integrating core spiritual connected to Divine wisdom and
values into the nucleus of the nascent to the spark of the Divine in every
This year, certain parties were push- Zionist Movement. human being. To connect all of life to
ing for this more polarizing and parti- its spiritual center.
san approach. Mizrachi blazed a trail of unity, part-
nership and inclusion. At a time of deepening ideological
Enter Mizrachi. rifts and polarization – in Israel and
The message was clear and refresh- worldwide – the Mizrachi mission in
Over and above its impressive gains ing: there need be no contradiction general and the great life and legacy
in attaining major leadership posi- between the sacred and the secu- of Rabbi Sacks are perhaps more rele-
tions in the Keren Kayemet and the lar, the national and the religious, vant than ever.
WZO, Mizrachi played a pivotal role the universal and the particular.
in securing a wall-to-wall agreement, Between Judaism and Zionism. We hope you gain new insight and
in which each party was awarded fair learn from the memories, Torah and
and reasonable leadership positions So too today, Mizrachi contin- wisdom of Rabbi Sacks that we are
based on their relative size. Led by ues to play this role of partnership, honored to present to you ֹות ָ מ ְ ׁשִנ יּו ּ ל ִ ע ְ ל.

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