Meimad
Encyclopedia
Meimad is a left-wing religious Zionist
political party in Israel
. Founded in 1999, it is based on the ideology of the Meimad movement founded in 1988 by Rabbi Yehuda Amital
. At the national level, it was in alliance with the Labour Party, and until the 2006 elections, received 10th spot on the Labour Knesset
list. Meimad ended the pact with the 2009 election and failed to win enough votes to be elected to the Knesset.
, and included former National Religious Party
Knesset member Yehuda Ben-Meir
. Eleven years later a political arm was established, and joined the One Israel
alliance that won the elections that year. Meimad received one seat, taken by Michael Melchior
. It gained a second when Yehuda Gilad
replaced Maxim Levy
in 2002. Tova Ilan
also represented Meimad in the Knesset for a brief spell in 2006 after several other Labour MKs resigned.
In November 2008 minister and former Labour Party member Ami Ayalon
joined Meimad. In the same month the party ended its alliance with Labour after being told that 10th spot on the list would no longer be reserved for Meimad for the 2009 legislative elections
.
Shortly afterwards, Ayalon announced his resignation from politics, and the party has formed an umbrella alliance with the Green Movement.
. However, it advocates the inclusion of religious studies
in the main curriculum of Israel's public schools, and encourages the use of rabbinical court
s in addition to civil courts.
Under Melchior, the party has taken an even more left leaning approach both in foreign and especially in domestic affairs. The party has run in municipal elections in 2003, winning a number of key seats in Tel Aviv
. It also ran together with Meretz party in Haifa
in which it shares a seat under a rotation agreement. Shlomo Yaakov Rapaport serves on the Haifa city council representing Meimad and is presently the Chairman of the Haifa Aliyah and absorption committee as well of the Chairman of the Municipal committee against Alcohol and Drug abuse.
Religious Zionism
Religious Zionism is an ideology that combines Zionism and Jewish religious faith...
political party in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Founded in 1999, it is based on the ideology of the Meimad movement founded in 1988 by Rabbi Yehuda Amital
Yehuda Amital
Yehuda Amital was an Orthodox rabbi, the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion and a former member of the Israeli cabinet.-Biography:Amital was born in Oradea in Romania. When Germany occupied the area in 1944, the Nazis sent his entire family to Auschwitz where they were killed. Amital was sent to...
. At the national level, it was in alliance with the Labour Party, and until the 2006 elections, received 10th spot on the Labour Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
list. Meimad ended the pact with the 2009 election and failed to win enough votes to be elected to the Knesset.
History
The Meimad movement was founded in 1988 by Rabbi Yehuda AmitalYehuda Amital
Yehuda Amital was an Orthodox rabbi, the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion and a former member of the Israeli cabinet.-Biography:Amital was born in Oradea in Romania. When Germany occupied the area in 1944, the Nazis sent his entire family to Auschwitz where they were killed. Amital was sent to...
, and included former National Religious Party
National Religious Party
The National Religious Party ) 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...
Knesset member Yehuda Ben-Meir
Yehuda Ben-Meir
Dr Yehuda Ben-Meir is a former Israeli academic and politician who served as a membef of the Knesset for the National Religious Party and Gesher – Zionist Religious Centre between 1971 and 1984.-Biography:...
. Eleven years later a political arm was established, and joined the One Israel
One Israel
One Israel was an alliance of the Labor Party, Meimad and Gesher created to run for the 1999 Knesset elections.-Background:One Israel was formed by Labor leader Ehud Barak in the run-up to the 1999 elections with the aim of making Labor appear more centrist and to reduce its secularist and elitist...
alliance that won the elections that year. Meimad received one seat, taken by Michael Melchior
Michael Melchior
A renowned Jewish leader, thinker and activist, Rabbi Michael Melchior is a leading advocate for social justice in Israel, quality education for all, Jewish-Arab reconciliation and co-existence, protection of the environment, Israel-Diaspora relations and the strengthening of Civic Society as a...
. It gained a second when Yehuda Gilad
Yehuda Gilad (politician)
Rabbi Yehuda Gilad is a former Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Meimad between 2002 and 2003.-Biography:Born in Brazil, Gilad made aliyah to Israel at the age of seven. He was certified as a rabbi, and headed a yeshiva...
replaced Maxim Levy
Maxim Levy
Maxim Levy was an Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Gesher and One Israel between 1996 and 2002, as well as mayor of Lod between 1983 and 1996.-Biography:...
in 2002. Tova Ilan
Tova Ilan
Tova Ilan is an Israeli educator and former politician who briefly served as a member of the Knesset for Meimad between January and April 2006.-Biography:...
also represented Meimad in the Knesset for a brief spell in 2006 after several other Labour MKs resigned.
In November 2008 minister and former Labour Party member Ami Ayalon
Ami Ayalon
Amihai "Ami" Ayalon is an Israeli politician and a former member of the Knesset for the Labor Party. He was previously head of the Shin Bet, Israel's secret service, and commander-in-chief of the Navy...
joined Meimad. In the same month the party ended its alliance with Labour after being told that 10th spot on the list would no longer be reserved for Meimad for the 2009 legislative elections
Israeli legislative election, 2009
Elections for the 18th Knesset were held in Israel on 10 February 2009. These elections became necessary due to the resignation of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as leader of the Kadima party, and the failure of his successor, Tzipi Livni, to form a coalition government...
.
Shortly afterwards, Ayalon announced his resignation from politics, and the party has formed an umbrella alliance with the Green Movement.
Ideology
The party emphasizes the values of many social democratic parties, except on religious issues. Meimad, like Labour, takes a center-left approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflictIsraeli-Palestinian conflict
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The conflict is wide-ranging, and the term is also used in reference to the earlier phases of the same conflict, between Jewish and Zionist yishuv and the Arab population living in Palestine under Ottoman or...
. However, it advocates the inclusion of religious studies
Torah study
Torah study is the study by Jewish people of the Torah, Hebrew Bible, Talmud, responsa, rabbinic literature and similar works, all of which are Judaism's religious texts...
in the main curriculum of Israel's public schools, and encourages the use of rabbinical court
Beth din
A beth din, bet din, beit din or beis din is a rabbinical court of Judaism. In ancient times, it was the building block of the legal system in the Biblical Land of Israel...
s in addition to civil courts.
Under Melchior, the party has taken an even more left leaning approach both in foreign and especially in domestic affairs. The party has run in municipal elections in 2003, winning a number of key seats in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
. It also ran together with Meretz party in Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
in which it shares a seat under a rotation agreement. Shlomo Yaakov Rapaport serves on the Haifa city council representing Meimad and is presently the Chairman of the Haifa Aliyah and absorption committee as well of the Chairman of the Municipal committee against Alcohol and Drug abuse.