Over The Rainbow - The Zionist Movement
Over The Rainbow - The Zionist Movement was founded in May 2014 to promote Zionism and increase support for Israel.
Contents
History
According to its website, OTR's aim is 'to restore Zionism its vitality, the Herzlian luster and magic, to update the Zionist vision and make it relevant for the Jews of the world in the 21st century, wherever they live.'[1]
According to the website Israel Gives:
- The Over The Rainbow Movement was founded in 2014 by a group of idealistic Jews in order to update and revitalize the Zionist vision and make that vision and the Zionist institutions that represent it more relevant to the global Jewish community in the 21st century.[2]
Countering 'delegitimization' of Zionism
An account carried by the website Guidestar describes Over the Rainbow's aims as including the following:
- The vision of the movement is being cooperatively devised by Jewish community leaders from around the world working together via the internet. We are diverse group of individuals from different communities who are fed up with the deligitimization attacks against Zionism and who would like to see the term Zionism once again have a positive connotation in public discourse...We believe that a change in the discourse concerning Zionism will strengthen the Jewish people’s values and pride, and will draw the global Jewish community closer, especially the younger generation. Moreover, a revitalization of Zionist discord will help bring Diaspora Jewish communities closer to Israel.
Activities
OTR's worldwide activities are said to include those falling into the following categories:
- Settlement
- Volunteering
- Education
- Judaism
- Community Centers
- Social Action
- Culture[2]
Within Israel
In Israel, OTR says it 'will work to ensure a continued Jewish national majority'. It reportedly particularly wants to 'dedicate itself to development of Israel’s geographical periphery in the north and south of the country', especially contributing to ensuring 'a continued Jewish national majority in the Galile and the Negev and 'the realization of the vision of Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, to develop and cultivate the Negev Desert'.[2]
Internationally
Over The Rainbow reportedly has seven organisations worldwide. OTR Israel manages affiliated branches in the UK, Italy, South Africa, Germany, Canada and Australia.[2]
They all aim to support and promote 'Zionist activity in the Zionist federations' and increase 'support for Israel across the world'. OTR stressed the 'pressing need to transfer the center of Zionist activities from Israel to the network of Jewish Federations around the world' and believes that it is essential to focus attention on these Federations and to make available to them the resources necessary for strengthening Diaspora communities, as well as providing the Federations with additional support to help them engage and connect with Israel and Zionism'. It also wants to 'make the WZO more relevant to Jews all over the world'.[2]
Membership
In 2015, one estimate put its membership at 4,500 people across the seven countries in which it operates.[3]
Jerusalem Program
Over The Rainbow reportedly required members to sign up to the Jerusalem Program, first revised by the 27th Zionist Congress in 1968, and more recently at the meeting of the Zionist General Council in June 2004.[3]
Affiliations
People
In 2015, Over the Rainbow reportedly had '1 full-time and 3 part-time staff members'[2]
- Tzvi Avisar - CEO | Nir Shoval - Board of Directors | Avior Amrani - Board of Directors | Liad Ilani - Board of Directors
Funding
Over the Rainbow is eligible for tax-deductible donations in the USA.[2]
Contact
- Address: HaHashmonaim 10/27,Kiryat Motzkin
- Phone: +972546971755 / +97204-6996482
- Email: info@overtherainbow.org
- Website: overtherainbow.org
