“Realistic Religious Zionism” is a group of young Religious-Zionist men and women, who have organized response to the deteriorating state of the current Religious Zionist society, a state in which its leaders focus on strengthening and continuing the settlement in the Territories, while disregarding the various problems it raises, and while disregarding the real problems of Israeli society in general, and of the Religious-Zionistic public in particular.

“Realistic Religious Zionism” believes that the Religious-Zionistic public has a crucial role in the building of the Israeli society and of the Jewish People, having both a clear Jewish and Zionistic identity, wishing to build the Israeli society in the State of Israel, and aspiring to follow the way of Torah within a framework of full life of work, society and state. However, in order to fulfill this potential, it must wake up from its current, detached illusion, which is leading to its disintegration, and instead confront reality for what it is. It must deal with its own problems, and the problems of the Israeli society as a whole - as they are - and to set out courageously and consciously within this reality. Instead of being a marginal, problematic part of Israeli society, it must demonstrate leadership and responsibility, and become once again a pioneer in its construction.

The group’s main goal is to pave a new, authentic way for Religious Zionism. “Realistic Religious Zionism” calls loud and clear to the Religious Zionist population to awaken from the dream of “Greater Israel”; to recognize the necessity of relinquishing our control in the Territories, in light of the myriad of problems associated with our control there; and to focus on the urgent problems of Israeli society as a whole and the Religious Zionist public in particular.

“Realistic Religious Zionism” aims to pinpoint the main problems of Religious Zionism and call for investigating and resolving issues that have been neglected by the leadership and public consciousness of the Religious Zionist camp. The first condition toward reaching this end is putting behind us the political program of a “Greater Israel” and all the problems in contains, and returning to ourselves and our actual, fundamental issues. Therefore, our primary goal is calling for relinquishing our control over the Territories and driving home this necessity to the Religious Zionist public.

“Realistic Religious Zionism” understands that inevitably, Territories will be returned and settlements evacuated, and therefore intends to prepare the Religious Zionist public for this trauma and suggests, from within, that it recognize this inevitability and act with responsibility and leadership within this recognition.

Instead of fighting another hopeless battle that will only shatter and deepen the rift among the Israeli Jewish people, weakening them further, Religious Zionism must declare that it understands it is not in the State of Israel’s power to fulfill the dream of a “Greater Israel”. Instead, is must return and build itself anew from within, and make it imminently clear to its children that the end of our presence in the Occupied Territories not only does not negate the idea of Religious Zionism, but rather, opens the possibility of rebuilding Israeli society and the Religious Zionist camp within it - and that this is the courageous, responsible leadership the Religious Zionism can create today, for Israeli society and for itself.

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