YOM HAATZMAUT IYAR 5778 • APRIL 2018 ISRAEL EDITION Moshe Pridan (GPO) Pridan Moshe Welcome! Rabbi Doron Perez one century ago. In 1918, Rabbi Today, in 2018, we are grateful Head, Nissenbaum, Head of Polish Mizrachi, to present you with the new World Mizrachi launched the first ‎‎“HaMizrachi” “HaMizrachi,” in honor of Israel’s 70th publication. His aim was to connect anniversary. Our aim is to bring Torat his inaugural edition of Polish Jewry to the resurgence of Jewish Eretz Yisrael – in all of its depth, variety, “HaMizrachi” echoes its life in Eretz Yisrael ‎‎(Israel), following and veracity – to Jews across the globe. T namesake of exactly the Balfour Declaration. Yom HaAtzmaut Sameach! Rabbi Doron Perez MEGA-MISSIONS CELEBRATING ISRAEL’S MILESTONES Torat The Sacred HaMizrachi Last year, 1,200 people from around the world participated and the Secular in our 4-day Yom Yerushalayim Jubilee Mission, and this year Mizrachi is the global Religious Zionist movement, driven by its hundreds more are taking part in olda Meir writes in her memoirs Independence Hall on that momentous thus blazing a trail of partnership and mission to disseminate Torat Eretz Yisrael around the world, and our Yom HaAtzmaut 70 Mission – “My Life” – that one of the most day. The photo on the cover of our collaboration that is still thriving today. strengthen the bond between the international Jewish community moving parts of the Declaration inaugural HaMizrachi publication, and the State of Israel, in the spirit of the verse, “For the Torah shall go Gof Independence in Tel-Aviv in 1948 was capturing this duality of voices, They acted as they did because they felt the forth from Zion, and the word of God from Jerusalem.” when Rabbi Maimon, the Head of Mizrachi, quintessentially captures the indispensable only way to impact is from within. sitting immediately to the right of Ben- role of the Mizrachi Movement. The re-energized Mizrachi World Movement aims to inspire people Gurion, made the ‘Shehechiyanu’ blessing.1 From the outside you cannot influence; with a deep sense of commitment to the Torah, the Jewish people and What is that role? from the inside you can transform. the Land of Israel. At that moment she sensed the true – ( מִ ְז רָ חִ י) meaning of what the establishment of the In 1897, the Zionist Movement was The very name – Mizrachi Yom HaAtzmaut Sameach! State meant. founded. Barely 50 years later, with captures its core mission. It as an acronym (מֶ ְ ּכָ ר ז רּוחָ נִי) God’s help, they had remarkably created for MerkaZ RuCHanI It was not just another modern national a sovereign state. The collective physical – a spiritual center, striving to bring the movement of the 19th century European body of the Jewish people had somehow timeless values of Torah to the heart of the secular ilk but a distinctly Jewish one. A been resurrected. Zionist endeavor. BRANCHES RELIGIOUS ZIONIST OUR REPRESENTATIVES IN ISRAEL’S fulfillment of Biblical prophecy and a link AROUND THE WORLD SHLICHUT CENTER NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS in the chain of Jewish destiny. But would it also receive a soul? Would its Torat HaMizrachi is Torat Chaim – a 750 participants in our Shlichut collective fate turn into spiritual destiny? Torah of Life – committed to bring Torah conferences, and 300 shlichim were Ben-Gurion’s political proclamation and Could the national secular movement – which values and vibrancy to all areas of human Extensive Mizrachi activity in sent to 45 countries through the Rabbi Maimon’s religious enunciation had achieved so much for the Jewish nation – and Jewish life. Aiming to fuse sacred and our EIGHT Worldwide Centers Shlichut Center and our partner echoed almost concurrently from also become a spiritual and sacred enterprise? secular, soldier and scholar, settler and sage, connecting youth, students, families organizations and adults with Israel In the religious world, many were skeptical. to come together to create a synergistic They were understandably ambivalent to whole and uplift all areas of Jewish THREE Mizrachi representatives in the Zionist Movement as it appeared to be collective and national life. the National Institutions: Avraham just another transient secular ‘ism,’ hence Duvdevani (WZO Chairman), Gael they kept it at arm’s length. That is our prayer too for this new publi- Grunewald (Head of the Settlement cation. It is our hope that its message and Division), and Rabbi Yechiel Wasserman (Head of the Center for However, a group of leading Eastern spirit of Torah thoughts and ideas from Religious Affairs in the Diaspora) European rabbis, led by Rabbi Ya’akov Israel will become a relevant, inspiring, Yitzchak Reines, thought otherwise. They and unifying platform between Israel and answered an emphatic ‘yes’ to the above Jewish communities all over the world. questions, believing they could and should _____________________________ MIZRACHI PRESS STUDENTS & YOUNG LEADERSHIP LEADERSHIP TRAINING strive to build bridges – between physical 1 The thanksgiving blessing upon acquiring new items and spiritual, body and soul, national and or on living to see auspicious times. more books published in the FOUR 180 young leaders on Yavneh, a 68 participants on our two-year 2 past year by the Mizrachi Press, in partnership of Mizrachi and the OU, Shalhevet leadership program, religious, democratic and Jewish. Literally “settlement,” but a term used to describe Hebrew and English, focusing on the as well as the RZA Aryeh Fellowships, and 20 participants on our five the early community in pre-State Israel. centrality of Israel and Jerusalem in strengthening Jewish and Zionist year Manhigut Toranit program in And to support their beliefs, they formed our lives identity on scores of colleges campuses partnership with Kollel Eretz Hemdah, Golda Meir with the children of Kibbutz Shefaim, “Mizrachi” in 1902 as a distinct yet Rabbi Doron Perez is Head of training couples for senior leadership 1950 (GPO) integrated part of the Zionist Movement, the Mizrachi World Movement and rabbinic roles overseas Mizrachi World Movement Chairman Mr. Harvey Blitz Head Rabbi Doron Perez Editor-in-Chief Daniel Verbov [email protected] 54 King George Street, Jerusalem Creative Director Jonny Lipczer www.mizrachi.org Production Manager Meyer Sterman [email protected] Follow us Design Estie Brauner, Leah Moyal Rabbanit Shani Taragin The Scarlet 70: Revisiting our The Talmud (Ta’anit 23a) recounts a to him: ’ It will not produce fruit until 70 Thread remarkable story to teach us how to years have passed. ’ Choni said to him: ’ Is Prophecies and Dreams understand the verse “A Song of Ascents: it obvious you will live 70 years, that you When God brought back those who returned expect to benefit from this tree? ’ He said to The goal of a to Zion, we were like those who dream,” as him: ’ Just as my ancestors planted for me, I How dream-like it must have been for the Zechariah (Zecharia h 1:12-17) explained we look to our past and future. too am planting for my descendants. ’ Choni prophecy is "שִ ׁירהַּמַעֲ לֹות: ְּבׁשּוב ה' אֶ ת Jews who returned (Nehemiah that these 70 years began 19 years after sat and ate bread. Sleep overcame him and 42,360 שִׁיבַ ת צִ ּיֹוןהָ יִ ינּו ְּכ ְחֹלמִ ים." " not to predict “A Song of Ascents: When God 7:66 ) to see their homeland once again the Babylonian invasion, with the actual Rabbi Yochanan said: All the days of the he slept. A cliff formed around him, and brought back those who returned to and begin to rebuild the Beit HaMikdash destruction of Yerushalayim and the Beit life of that righteous man, Choni, he was he disappeared from sight and slept for 70‎‎ what will be... Zion, we were like those who dream.” (Temple) 70 years after losing sovereignty! HaMikdash in 586 BCE. He thereby distressed over the meaning of this verse: years. When he awoke, he saw a certain encouraged the fledgling Jewish state to “A song of Ascents: When God brought man gathering carobs from that tree. Choni e often recite this verse Unfortunately, political, economic, demo- build with confidence so that by 516 BCE, back those who returned to Zion, we were said to him: ’ Are you the one who planted but to charge in liturgy and song, but graphic and religious tensions deterred the 70 years of destruction in Jerusalem would like those who dream.” He said to himself: this tree? ’ The man said to him: ’ I am his Am Yisrael with for this Yom HaAtzmaut Jews from rebuilding the Mikdash upon also come to an end! And they were like Is there really a person who can sleep and son’s son. ’ Choni said to him: ’ I can learn W(Independence Day) in particular, it returning to Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) dreamers once again, because 19 years dream for 70 years? How is it possible to from this that I have slept for 70 years, ’ and what can be conveys unique significance as we celebrate in 535 BCE. Disillusioned, they began after their initial return to the Land, this compare the 70-year exile in Babylonia to a indeed he saw that his donkey had sired 70 years of modern Jewish statehood. This to wonder whether the time was indeed prophecy of rebuilding the Temple was dream? several herds during those many years. “ year we not only recall the sentiments ripe for reconstruction and fulfillment of fulfilled. ,up to ripened fruits and fulfilled prophecies חָ רּוב of gratitude and awe expressed in this prophecies. Choni HaMa’agel (Tanna, 1c. BCE) Choni witnesses the planting of a psalm, but also revisit the ‘original’ 70-year I am perpetually inspired as we relive this does not understand how 70 years of (charuv, carob tree) because he struggles to but we recognize the toil and the process.