Mizrachi Delegates at the 14th Zionist Congress (1925)

Mizrachi: acronym for Merkaz Ruhani ("Spiritual Center")

Faith and Nationhood: Mizrachi Delegates at the 14th Zionist Congress (1925)

In 1925, delegates of the Mizrachi movement, including prominent leaders Rabbi Ze’ev Gold (far right) and Rabbi Yehuda Idel Motiuk (far left), gathered at the 14th Zionist Congress in Vienna.

A historic photograph preserved in the Central Zionist Archives captures these influential figures, who championed the integration of traditional Torah observance with the modern movement to rebuild a Jewish homeland. Rabbi Ze’ev Gold (1889–1956) would go on to be among the signatories of Israel’s Declaration of Independence in 1948.

Founded in Vilnius in 1902, Mizrachi, an acronym for Merkaz Ruhani ("Spiritual Center"), became a cornerstone of the Yishuv during the British Mandate era. The movement pioneered religious agricultural settlements, founded thriving urban communities, and laid the groundwork for an independent religious education system.

Understanding the rise of Religious Zionism in the 1920s offers key insights into modern Israel: the balance of religion and state, the evolution of public education, and the political landscape that continues to shape the nation today.

Photo: Central Zionist Archives (Identifier: PHG\1002922), Public Domain.