The Mizrachi (acronym for Merkaz Ruchani or "religious centre") is the name of the religious Zionist organization founded in 1902 in Vilna at a world conference of religious Zionists called by Rabbi Yitzchak Yaacov Reines . It operates a youth movement, Bnei Akiva which was founded in 1929.

Mizrachi believes that the Torah should be at the centre of Zionism and also sees Jewish nationalism as a tool for achieving religious objectives. The Mizrachi party was the first official religious Zionist party and founded the Ministry of Religion in Israel and pushed for laws enforcing kashrut and the observance of the sabbath. It also played a role prior to the creation of the state of Israel in building a network of religious schools that exist to this day.

Major figures in the Religious Zionist Movement include Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook who became the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Palestine in 1924 and tried to reconcile Zionism with Orthodox Judaism.

Mizrachi had a separate trade union wing, founded in 1921, called Hapo'el Hamizrachi which represented religious Jews in the Histadrut and tried to attract religious Labour Zionists.

In 1956, Mizarchi, Hapoel Hamizrachi and other religious Zionists formed the National Religious Party or Mafdal to advance the rights of religious Jews in Israel.

See also

• Religious Zionist Movement.

External links

• A Historical Look at Religious Zionism by Prof. Dan Michman