The Jerusalem Program (
Hebrew: תוכנית ירושלים) is the ideological platform of the
Zionist Movement, and was initially adopted in 1951 at the 23rd
World Zionist Congress to replace the
Basel Program.[1] The Jerusalem Program differed from the original Basel Program in that it shifted the goals of the Zionist Movement once the
State of Israel was already established.
Encouragement of immigration, absorption and integration of immigrants; support of
Youth Aliyah; stimulation of agricultural settlement and economic development; acquisition of land as the property of the people.
Intensive work for
halutziut (pioneering) and
hachsharah (training for halutziut).
Concerted effort to harness funds in order to carry out the tasks of Zionism.
Encouragement of private capital investment.
Fostering of Jewish consciousness by propagating the Zionist idea and strengthening the Zionist Movement; imparting the values of
Judaism; Hebrew education and spreading the
Hebrew language.
Mobilization of world public opinion for Israel and
Zionism.
Participation in efforts to organize and intensify Jewish life on democratic foundations, maintenance and defense of Jewish rights.
Current Revision
The Jerusalem program was first revised by the 27th
Zionist Congress in 1968, and was most recently revised at the meeting of the
Zionist General Council in June 2004:[3]
Zionism, the
national liberation movement of the Jewish people, brought about the establishment of the State of Israel, and views a Jewish, Zionist, democratic and secure State of Israel to be the expression of the common responsibility of the Jewish people for its continuity and future.
The foundations of Zionism are:
The unity of the Jewish people, its bond to its historic homeland Eretz Yisrael, and the centrality of the State of Israel and Jerusalem, its capital, in the life of the nation;
Aliyah to Israel from all countries and the effective integration of all immigrants into Israeli Society.
Strengthening Israel as a
Jewish, Zionist and democratic state and shaping it as an exemplary society with a unique moral and spiritual character, marked by mutual respect for the multi-faceted Jewish people, rooted in the vision of the prophets, striving for peace and contributing to the betterment of the world.
Ensuring the future and the distinctiveness of the Jewish people by furthering Jewish, Hebrew and Zionist education, fostering spiritual and cultural values and teaching Hebrew as the national language;
Nurturing mutual Jewish responsibility, defending the rights of Jews as individuals and as a nation, representing the national Zionist interests of the Jewish people, and struggling against all manifestations of
anti-Semitism;