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65-724: The party was founded on 5 January 1930 by the merger of the Hapoel Hatzair founded by A. D. Gordon and the original Ahdut HaAvoda (founded in 1919 from the right, more moderate, wing of the Zionist socialist Poale Zion led by David Ben-Gurion ). In the early 1920s, the Labor Zionist movement had founded the Histadrut Union, which dominated the Hebrew settlement economy and infrastructure, later making Mapai

130-532: A trade union (under the same name as the old workers' party, Hapoel HaMizrachi), a newspaper ( HaTzofe ), and a youth movement ( Bnei Akiva ). Only the youth movement still exists today. The seeds of change were sown in 1967, when Israel's victory in the Six-Day War spawned messianic trends among religious Israeli Jews that resulted in many members of the NRP moving further right. After Israel gained control of

195-911: A congress in Prague, the World Union of Hapoel Hatzair and Zeirei Zion formed Hitahdut Olamit (known as Hitahdut ). In 1926, at its Berlin third congress, its name was changed to the World Zionist Labour Party Hitahdut . Its youth movement was named Gordonia , after A. D. Gordon . In 1932, it merged with Poale Zion to create Ihud Olami, the World Union of Zionists-Socialists. National Religious Party 1970s–1980s: Center-right to right-wing The National Religious Party ( Hebrew : מִפְלָגָה דָּתִית לְאֻומִּית , Miflaga Datit Leumit ), commonly known in Israel by its Hebrew acronym Mafdal ( מפד"ל ‎),

260-490: A long time. This came into conflict with the party's ideology and its supporters as the party moved towards the center, and as the number of such students rose sharply leading to allegations that many were not really students. In the 2000s, the NRP explicitly stated that participation in the Israeli army was a Mitzvah and a moral obligation, and stressed that its "finest youth... serve in the elite commando and combat units in

325-403: A newspaper of the same name. By 1910, the group had grown, although not to huge numbers. There were only 500 members of Hapoel Hatzair and Poale Zion combined. Hapoel Hatzair's commitment to practical Zionism and the conquest of labour created a group that was dedicated to the creation of new Jewish agricultural communities. Hapoel Hatzair settled land bought from Arab effendis (landowners) by

390-477: A special majority, before the issue could be brought to a decision in the Knesset. If such a referendum would not be held, or if the government would approve a de facto removal of Israeli settlements, the party would resign from the government. It was decided that the NRP would resign from the government if: On 9 November 2004, after Ariel Sharon declined the NRP's demand to hold a national referendum regarding

455-540: A strong coalition with the National Religious Party, Ahdut HaAvoda, Agudat Yisrael Workers, Cooperation and Brotherhood and Progress and Development, two events during the fifth Knesset led to Mapai's reducing dominance. Firstly, Ben-Gurion resigned as head of the party citing personal reasons, though in reality he was upset at a perceived lack of support from colleagues. He set up a new party, Rafi , taking with him seven other Mapai members. Secondly,

520-521: A vague commitment to Judaism. The party argued that affairs of personal status, (such as marriage , divorces , and burial ), should be kept under the authority of Israel's rabbis (or other religious clerics for non-Jews). The NRP claimed that the Jewish state shows respect for the Jewish religion by observing the Sabbath and serving Kosher food in its institutions and organizations (as it applies to

585-623: Is a Jew? for more information.) Regarding conversions to Judaism performed within Israel, the NRP found itself on the same side of the debate as the secular, and opposed to the views of the Haredi parties, particularly Shas. The party advocated that the Israeli Chief Rabbinate must act to ease the procedures for anyone who wants to convert, following the Neeman Committee (ועדת נאמן) recommendations. It also called for

650-464: Is typically five years. The NRP actively promotes Torah in Israel and strengthens national religious institutions: Zionist rabbinical training institutes, Zionist Kollels, Yeshivot gevohot, Hesder Yeshivot, Yeshiva high schools, and more. The NRP encourages Zionist rabbis to take on active roles as teachers in Yeshivot, and as spiritual leaders in cities and neighborhoods. The party believes that

715-567: The 1955 election on a joint list under the name of the National Religious Front . Even after the formation of the NRP as a single party, its lists used the National Religious Front name up to the 1992 election , with the NRP's own name only debuting on the ballot in 1988. The founders of the party were Yosef Burg and Haim-Moshe Shapira (both from Hapoel HaMizrachi), who focused their activity mainly on

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780-485: The 1965 election . The new party received 37% of the vote and won 45 seats, and comfortably beat Gahal (26 seats). On 23 January 1968 Mapai, Ahdut HaAvoda and Rafi merged into the Israeli Labor Party and ceased to exist as individual entities. Until 1963, the party had no formal rules to govern the selection of its leader. From the party's establishment, David Ben-Gurion was long the unchallenged leader of

845-687: The IDF , public transportation, the Israeli police , and governmental companies.) The party, along with the other Orthodox political parties in Israel, wanted entrenchment into Israeli law so that converts to Judaism who wish to immigrate to Israel under the Law of Return can only be accepted if their conversions were conducted according to strict Orthodox standards. This was a controversial position, as some secular claim that it would undermine Israel's connections with worldwide, and especially American, Jews. (See Who

910-600: The Jewish National Fund in accordance with socialist principles. When Ahdut HaAvoda was formed in 1919, Hapoel Hatzair decided not to join, although some members did leave to join Ahdut HaAvoda. Leaders of Hapoel Hatzair felt that the Labor Union, which had strong political ambitions, would dominate any united group and they did not want this to cause them to compromise Hapoel Hatzair's role as

975-533: The Labour and Socialist International between 1930 and 1940. The party was Jewish-only until the late 1960s, with a succession of satellite parties for Israeli Arabs , including the Democratic List of Nazareth , the Democratic List for Israeli Arabs , Agriculture and Development , Progress and Work , Cooperation and Brotherhood , Progress and Development and Cooperation and Development . It supported

1040-591: The Mapai party, bringing an end to Hapoel Hatzair. One of the Hapoel Hatzair leaders who joined the senior levels of Mapai was Haim Arlosoroff . Leading female members of Hapoel Hatzair were among some of the leaders of the Jewish feminist movement. While the only female delegates of the first Histadrut were members of Ahdut HaAvoda , members of Hapoel Hatzair, Ada Fishman-Maimon and Yael Gordon, were invited to attend as guests. While there, Ada Maimon, who

1105-626: The 120 seats. Ben-Gurion became Prime Minister and formed a coalition with the United Religious Front , the Progressive Party , the Sephardim and Oriental Communities and the Democratic List of Nazareth (an Israeli Arab party associated with Mapai). A notable piece of legislation enacted during Mapai's first term in office was an educational law in 1949 which introduced compulsory schooling for all children between

1170-551: The Histadrut, they continued to fight for dominance of this group. In the first election in 1924, Hapoel Hatzair won 27 seats, which was second only to Ahdut HaAvoda, which held 38. While Ahdut HaAvoda was larger, Hapoel Hatzair was more powerful; In 1921 Yosef Sprinzak of Hapoel Hatzair was the first member of the labor movement to be elected to the Zionist Executive . By the end of the 1920s, Ahdut HaAvoda, with

1235-687: The IDF". The NRP's views on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict can be summarized as: However, the party did agree to giving the Palestinian Arabs self-governing autonomy, subject to Israel's authority only in matters of security and foreign affairs (such as in borders and diplomacy), without the dismantling of the Jewish settlements. The NRP reacted to the Second Intifada by demanding a harsh military response by Israel to "root out

1300-537: The Israeli public. The long-time cooperation between the Israeli Labor Party and the NRP is sometimes referred to as the Historic League (הברית ההיסטורית). The NRP was a member of the 2003 government led by Ariel Sharon , and had two ministers in the cabinet. Effi Eitam was the Minister of Housing, and Zevulun Orlev was the Minister of Labor and Welfare. Yitzhak Levy was a deputy minister responsible for

1365-587: The Ministry of Religious Affairs until it was dismantled. The party helped form the previous government's coalition, together with the Likud , Shinui , and the National Union , which was based on the following principles: The party subsequently left the government and went into opposition. Sharon's disengagement plan caused great controversy within the party. Sharon dismissed two cabinet ministers from

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1430-607: The NRP maintained an almost constant number of 12 members of the Israeli Knesset . In 1981, it shrank to 6 members. The reasons were diverse: an overall reduction in its natural voting population; the political moderation of many Orthodox Jews; its turn towards the right-wing; the growing importance of the right-left schism in Israeli politics; and the rise of Orthodox Sephardic parties such as Tami and later Shas . The Gesher – Zionist Religious Centre ( Hebrew : גשר – מרכז ציוני דתי , Gesher – Merkaz Tzioni Dati ) faction

1495-400: The NRP supported Orlev's stand that the party should remain in the coalition and thwart the disengagement plan from the inside. The party's Knesset faction split into two: On 13 September 2004, the party's "center" (a forum of all party members with voting rights) voted on a choice between Effi Eitam's proposal of immediately resigning from the government and Zevulon Orlev's proposal to leave

1560-534: The NRP were awarded three. On 3 November 2008, the party announced a merger with the National Union, Tkuma, and Moledet to form a new right-wing party, later named The Jewish Home . Zevulun Orlev said it would be "unity by the Zionist religious camp. Anyone can submit his candidacy. There is no advantage whatsoever to current Knesset members." On 18 November, NRP members voted to disband the party to join

1625-535: The National Union also included the Russian-secular Yisrael Beiteinu party, though they chose to run alone in the 2006 elections . Due to their weakening, the NRP eventually decided to run on a joint list with the National Union for the 2006 election, which included Eitam and Levy on its list. The joint list went under the title of National Union – NRP (Hebrew: האיחוד הלאומי-מפדל, HaIhud HaLeumi – Mafdal ) and won nine seats, of which

1690-542: The National Union left the merger shortly after its implementation. The Religious Zionist movement is an Orthodox faction within the Zionist movement combining a belief in the importance of establishing a Jewish state in the Land of Israel following a religious way of life, in contrast to both secular Zionism and Haredi Orthodox movements. The spiritual and ideological founder of the Religious Zionist movement

1755-568: The National Union to achieve a majority for approving the plan in his government. The NRP declared that it was resisting the plan and any removal of Jews living in Gush Katif (in the Gaza Strip). The party, together with the Likud right-wing, failed to stop the disengagement plan. Eventually, Effi Eitam and Yitzhak Levi resigned from the government. However, the four other Knesset Members of

1820-637: The People of Israel according to the Torah of Israel" commits the NRP to doing everything possible to further the security and integrity of the Land of Israel. The NRP aspires to influence policy from "within the government", and thus continue to safeguard Eretz Israel. Unlike the Kach party, the NRP did not promote the notion of Medinat Halacha ( Halachic state ), a theocracy run according to Jewish law . This idea

1885-553: The Progressive Party and the three Israeli Arab parties, Progress and Development, Cooperation and Brotherhood and Agriculture and Development to form the coalition. The inquiry into the Lavon Affair which brought down the government in 1961 probably contributed to the party's relatively poor performance in the elections in the same year , as it picked up only 35% of the vote and 42 seats. Although Ben-Gurion formed

1950-529: The West Bank and Gaza in 1967, Haim Moshe Shapira , the leader of the NRP and member of the Israel cabinet, believed that Israel should aggressively pursue peace talks with Arab states and supported immediate negotiations with Jordan over the status of holy sites in Jerusalem. However, the party became internally divided around the annexation of the occupied territories. Some factions favored withdrawing from

2015-608: The ages of 5 and 14. Mapai's years in office also witnessed the passage of the National Insurance Act of 1953 and the Social Welfare Service Law of 1958, which authorised a broad range of social welfare programmes, including special allowances for large families, workers' compensation provisions, maternity insurance, and old age and survivors' pensions. In the second elections in 1951 Mapai increased its vote share to 37% (and 47 seats) despite

Mapai - Misplaced Pages Continue

2080-415: The conscience of the labor movement. By not joining Ahdut HaAvoda, Hapoel Hatzair was forced to enter into the urban worker movement. While powerful among agricultural workers, Hapoel Hatzair did not have a large following in the towns; however, they did have a significant following among writers, teachers, and other intellectuals, which although not helpful in the political arena, did bring more prestige to

2145-407: The country's economic problems . Ben-Gurion again formed the government with the support of Mizrachi , Hapoel HaMizrachi , Agudat Yisrael , Poalei Agudat Yisrael and the three Israeli Arab parties associated with Mapai, the Democratic List for Israeli Arabs , Progress and Work and Agriculture and Development . However, he shocked the nation by resigning on 6 December 1953 in order to settle in

2210-452: The different parts of Israeli society. Religious and secular, Sephardim and Askenazim, right and left, old-timers and new immigrants  - we are all one people. The NRP works toward national unity, absorption of immigration, and bringing people together from all sectors of the population. Without hatred and coercion. Gently, pleasantly, and with a smile. They called this principle Ahavat Israel (אהבת ישראל, "Love of Israel"). The party

2275-399: The disengagement, Zevulun Orlev and the party resigned from the coalition and the government, vowing to pursue general elections in an effort to replace Sharon with a right-wing prime minister. After their resignation, Sharon had a minority coalition of 56 Knesset members out of 120. On 14 February 2005, Eitam was suspended from the party chairmanship by the NRP's internal court, after he left

2340-515: The dominant political faction in Zionist politics. It was also responsible for the founding of Hashomer and Haganah , the first two armed Jewish groups which secured the people and property of the new and emerging Jewish communities. By the early 1930s, Ben-Gurion had taken over the party, and had become de facto leader of the Jewish community in Palestine (known as the Yishuv ). It was a member of

2405-419: The end of its existence, it became part of a far-right political alliance centered around the National Union . The 2006 elections saw the party slump to just three seats, the worst electoral performance in its history. In November 2008, party members voted to disband the party in order to join the new Jewish Home party created by a merger of the NRP and most of the National Union factions. However, most of

2470-498: The government against the center decision. Angered at the suspension, Eitam and Itzhak Levi announced that they had officially split from the NRP to form a new party, the Renewed Religious National Zionist Party (now renamed Ahi , on 23 February. The new party became part of the National Union , an alliance of Moledet and Tkuma - itself a former right-wing faction of the NRP. At the time,

2535-413: The government only when it approved an actual removal of settlements. Eitam and Orlev agreed that the center's decision would be binding. The center supported Orlev's proposal by 65%–35%. The proposal stated that the party would stay in the government on condition that the government would hold a general referendum (משאל עם, Meshal Am ) regarding the removal of the Israeli settlements , which would require

2600-564: The group. Over time, members of Hapoel Hatzair and Ahdut HaAvoda realized that they were duplicating work. As both groups existed as a labor group as well as a political party, they had separate employment exchanges, mutual aid organisations, cultural and social clubs, and sickness funds. In 1920, it was suggested that they unite. This led to the formation of the Histadrut , which was a single workers organization to control labor. While these parties had united their labor organizations into

2665-510: The help of David Ben-Gurion , had won control of the Histadrut. Economic troubles at the end of the 1920s caused the Histadrut to apply intense pressure to Jewish companies which employed Arabs. Many Jews viewed this as a threat to their livelihood. The Histadrut thus faced opposition and Ben-Gurion saw that a united Histadrut would be more powerful against opposition. He thus united Ahdut HaAvoda and Hapoel Hatzair in December 1930 to create

Mapai - Misplaced Pages Continue

2730-450: The land of Israel is holy and belongs to the Jews based on God's promise to Abraham , and later to Isaac and Jacob . They believe it is God's will to settle all the land of Israel and nurture it. This principle has great impact on NRP policy toward the West Bank and the Israeli–Palestinian conflict . The NRP's policy was that Israel ought to retain its special Jewish character and retain

2795-477: The new right-wing party created by a merger of the NRP and most of the National Union factions. Defunct Defunct The NRP was a Zionist party and stated that Israel was a "Jewish democratic state". The party's stated main goals were to contribute as much as it could to the state of Israel, and to influence its character to be more Jewish, as well as fighting for the protection of Israel and maintaining Israel's security. The core belief "the Land of Israel for

2860-413: The occupied territories in the event of a peace agreement, while others argued that it was a religious obligation to annex the territories. Around 1969, a new generation arose in the NRP, led by Zevulun Hammer and Yehuda Ben-Meir , called "the youth", demanding that the party pay more attention to socio-economic issues in addition to its concerns about Judaism and the modern state. From its inception,

2925-433: The party to amend its constitution to state that the party's candidate for the office of prime minister (its leader) would be selected by the party's Central Committee. Thus, when Ben-Gurion unsuccessfully attempted to retake party leadership in 1965, there was a formal leadership election held by a vote of the party's Central Committee. Hapoel Hatzair Hapoel Hatzair ( Hebrew : הפועל הצעיר , "The Young Worker")

2990-509: The party viewed the Jewish settlements as an upholding of the mitzvah of settling the land of Israel. Many of its supporters and parliament members were settlers. The NRP did not adhere to an economic ideology (such as Marxism or Capitalism ). However, the party believed that Israeli society and the state of Israel should support the poor and the needy, derived from the 613 mitzvot of the Torah . The party's most notable figure in this respect

3055-472: The party's stubbornness about keeping the settlements was an "obstacle to peace", while right-wing critics said the NRP did not pressure the Israeli government enough to use more military force against Palestinian terrorism . Critics from religious parties such as Shas and Agudat Israel scorned the NRP for having been in the governing coalition with an ultra-secular party like Shinui (which was often described as "anti-religious"), and for not doing enough to keep

3120-472: The party. Even in his brief 1954–1955 retirement (during which Moshe Sharett served as the official party leader), Ben-Gurion was still largely considered the de facto party boss. After Ben-Gurion retired again in 1963, informal consultations by the party's leading figures resulted in an informal consensus to appoint Levi Eshkol as leader, and this choice was ratified by the party's Central Committee. Soon after becoming party leader, Eshkol successfully pushed

3185-444: The policy of subjecting Arab citizens to martial law, which included confining them to the towns of their residence, and allowing them to exit only with a permit granted by the Israeli authorities. Due to its role in emerging victorious and independent from the 1948 Arab–Israeli War , the party won large support in Israel's first elections in 1949 , receiving 36% of the vote (well ahead of second-placed Mapam 's 15%) and winning 46 of

3250-454: The restoration of the nationality (לאום "Leom") clause on the Israeli identification card. Both issues are connected to public debates about Russian immigrants who are within the rubric not being Jews according to Jewish law. The issue of conscripting yeshiva students was a sensitive issue in the party's rhetoric. Historically, the NRP initiated the regulations allowing yeshiva students to avoid military service, and supported that position over

3315-475: The second wave of Jewish immigrants to Palestine , who came between 1904 and 1914. Four of the founders came from Płońsk in the Russian Empire . The new immigrants sought to build a Jewish socialist homeland in Palestine and formed two groups in order to accomplish this: Marxist Poale Zion (Workers of Zion) and Hapoel Hatzair. By 1906, Hapoel Hatzair had grown to 90 members. In 1907, it founded

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3380-488: The small Negev kibbutz of Sde Boker , and was replaced by Moshe Sharett . The 1955 elections saw a drop in the party's support to 32% (and 40 seats), though still well ahead of the second-placed Herut (13%). Ben Gurion returned as Prime Minister, and formed a coalition with the National Religious Front (which later changed its name to the National Religious Party ), Mapam , Ahdut HaAvoda , and

3445-450: The status of Judaism within the framework of Israeli society. Throughout the NRP's existence, it attempted to preserve the relevance of Judaism on issues such as Israeli personal status laws, education, culture, and municipal issues such as prohibitions on the selling of non- Kosher food (in prescribed areas, and occasionally, throughout a given municipality), and prohibiting transportation and public activities on Shabbat . The NRP operated

3510-648: The terror infrastructure". It also called for disbanding the Palestinian Authority and the deportation of the PLO back to Tunisia . The party believed that Israel could stop Palestinian violence through the use of military force. The NRP used mostly religious discourse to justify these positions. They stressed that the West Bank were parts of the ancient kingdom of Israel and kingdom of Judah , and hence, rightfully belong to modern Israel. Furthermore,

3575-477: The three Israeli Arab parties, the Democratic List for Israeli Arabs, Progress and Work and Agriculture and Development. Later the Progressive Party was also added. In contrast to the previous one, the 1959 election saw a surge in support, as the party recorded its best electoral performance, taking 38% of the vote and 47 seats. Ben-Gurion again invited the National Religious Party, Mapam, Ahdut HaAvoda,

3640-530: The two major right-wing opposition parties, Herut and the Liberal Party had merged into Gahal . This meant by the end of the Knesset session, Mapai had only 34 seats to Gahal's 27. The party's response to the unprecedented strength of the opposition was to seek support from other parties with similar ideologies. The result was an alliance with Ahdut HaAvoda to form the Labor Alignment before

3705-423: The two returned to the NRP on 12 June. Ben-Meir later left the NRP again to be one of the founding members of the left-wing religious party Meimad , whilst Hammer went on to become leader of the NRP. The party was unique in that it participated in all the governments of Israel until 1992. During this period, it was a centrist party, interested mainly in religious matters and impervious to the left–right divisions of

3770-551: Was Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook , who urged young religious Jews to settle in Israel and called upon the secular Labor Zionists to pay more attention to Judaism . Rabbi Kook saw Zionism as part of a divine scheme that would result in a resettling of the Jewish people in its homeland, Israel, and, ultimately, the coming of the Messiah . The National Religious Party (NRP) was created by the merger of two parties - Mizrachi and Hapoel HaMizrachi - in 1956. The two parties had run for

3835-414: Was Zevulun Orlev, (who served as Minister of Labor and Social Welfare). However, this issue was not high on the party's agenda or rhetoric. Some critics of the NRP said that it was too focused on the Israeli settlements in the West Bank, and that they neglected other issues such as education, social responsibility, and Ahavat Israel ("Love of Israel" i. e., of other Jews). Left-wing critics insisted that

3900-468: Was a Zionist group active in Palestine from 1905 until 1930. It was founded by A.D. Gordon , Yosef Aharonovich , Yosef Sprinzak and followed a non- Marxist , Zionist, socialist agenda. Hapoel Hatzair was a pacifist, anti-militarist group that sought to establish a Jewish foothold in Palestine through manual labor and agricultural settlement. Hapoel Hatzair was formed in 1905 by ten members of

3965-541: Was a political party in Israel representing the religious Zionist movement. Formed in 1956, at the time of its dissolution in 2008, it was the second-oldest surviving party in the country after Agudat Yisrael , and was part of every government coalition until 1992. Originally a pragmatic centrist party in its first two decades of existence, it gradually leaned rightward in the following years, particularly becoming increasingly associated with Israeli settlers . Towards

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4030-461: Was a leader in the struggle for women's suffrage in Jewish institutions, objected to the fact that no delegates to the Histadrut had been chosen by female workers and that they therefore did not represent these women. After gaining support of the leading parties, including her own Hapoel Hatzair, she was granted a position at the Histadrut and two seats were then reserved for delegates who had been elected by women workers themselves. In March 1920, at

4095-470: Was formed on 29 May 1984, during the 10th Knesset , when two MKs, Yehuda Ben-Meir and Zevulun Hammer , broke away from the NRP. Both were prominent members of the party, with Hammer serving as Minister of Education, Culture and Sport and Ben-Meir being Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs . The faction took the Gesher part of its name from the youth faction within the NRP. The faction did not last long, as

4160-405: Was promoted by Meir Kahane . The party wanted to retain Israel's democratic chaos while improving the Israeli people. It aspired to encourage Jews to become better by acting as role models and teaching Judaism to other Israelis by example. The NRP demands that most Haredi men complete three years of mandatory military service. The NRP emphasised national unity, and vowed to work as a bridge between

4225-673: Was the patron of most of the national religious schools (חינוך ממלכתי-דתי), which teach both Judaism and general mandatory educational subjects such as mathematics , English, literature, physics , biology , etc. It sponsored some pre-military schools that provide higher education to future IDF officers and commanders. Besides funding and patronizing national religious schools, it also supported Yeshiva schools and Beit Midrash schools, places dedicated solely to Torah study . They also ran Yeshivot Hesder , an idea developed by Rav Yehuda Amital in which religious soldiers combine combat military service with learning Torah . The Hesder program

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