Netzer Olami

The Netzer semel (emblem)

Netzer Olami is the worldwide youth movement of the World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ) and is affiliated to Arzenu (the Zionist arm of the WUPJ). "Netzer" is an acronym in Hebrew for Reform Zionist Youth (Noar Tsioini Reformi, נוער ציוני רפורמי), and Netzer Olami means 'Global Netzer'. Today there are 16,000 members active in our different sniffim (chapters) that are located in the following places: Australia, Belarus, Brazil, Germany, Israel (Noar Telem), North America (NFTY), Panama, Russia, South Africa, Spain, France, United Kingdom (LJY-Netzer, RSY-Netzer) and Ukraine. The Netzer Olami head office is in Beit Shmuel, Jerusalem. ^[1]

Through their various sniffim, they run weekly meetings, summer and winter camps, residential Shabbatot, hadracha (leadership) training events, activism days, study events and seminars.

Netzer Olami works to bring together all of these young people in both ideological and practical ways, with Israel being a central focal point. They encourage as many chaverim (members) as possible to come to Israel on short term summer tours, on our long term leadership program, Shnat Netzer, and on various other seminars and conferences. They also send shlichim (educational emissaries) to several of the sniffim. These shlichim help the young people run their movement in their countries.

As a youth movement they believe in youth empowerment and in young people running things for themselves. A central feature of their sniffim is that young people take responsibility for the major decisions affecting the movement. Each year in Israel there is an International Veida (Conference) where policy for the whole movement is set by the young people who constitute its leadership.

As a youth movement, they also believe in a particular ideology, that is Reform Zionism, and they believe in taking an activist stance, striving to bring about the practical realization of that ideology in our world. ^[2]

History

Netzer Olami evolved from networks of various synagogue youth clubs to a movement that today has sniffim (branches) in Progressive Jewish centers around the world. The initiative began in 1978 in two of these centers, Australia and South Africa. Rabbis from the Progressive Movement initiated the idea of a Reform Zionist Youth Movement and they sent Shlichim (educational emissaries) to help guide the building of the new youth movement. The Shlichim came as educators who could impart knowledge and experience related to the State of Israel and the classic framework of youth movements. A youth movement is an ideological community led by young people that continually develops through its participants. Through this partnership of Rabbis, Shlichim, the communities and the young people themselves, the youth movement was founded. ^[3]

The Netzer Symbol

The Magen David, the shields of David, has come to be used in modern times, as a universal symbol of Jewish national identity. As Jewish symbols go, it does not have a particularly ancient background and seems to have been first associated with Judaism in the middle ages. The Magen David was adopted by the Zionist Movement as the Jewish national symbol. Today, the Magen David is the central element of the flag of the State of Israel and in many ways, is symbolic of the unity of Am Israel.

The Menorah – is first mentioned in the book of Exodus where it is stated that its design was inspired by a revelation from on high. The seven branches Menorah was used in worship in the Temple in Jerusalem. When the Temple was destroyed, it becomes the central symbol of Jewish religious expression. Today the Menorah appears as a symbol of the Reform movement world wide.

Ali Netzer – the leaves of Renewal and Redemption. The leaves are symbolic of the "new shoot" referred to the Isaiah 11:2, as well as representing the central Jewish religious theme of the prospect of redemption. They are symbolic of the "fresh approach" created by the Reform movement.

Netzer – the name Netzer – the name of the movement, the Hebrew word means a new shoot, new growth, and it is to be found in Isaiah 11:2: "and a new shoot shall grow forth from his roots; and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord."

נ.צ.ר – the Hebrew acronym for Noar Tzioni Reformi - Reform Zionist Youth. Begun in September 1979, and officially founded in January 1980. Netzer is the youth movement which caters for a youth of the Progressive Movement and all young Reform Zionists in the world. ^[4]

Ideology

Every year, the Netzer Veida (the decision-making and ideology forum) attracts participants from most of, if not all, the sniffim. Each snif (branch) has an equal voice and vote. The official ideology of Netzer Olami is set out in the Netzer Platform, which was last changed in 2003.

The following is a simplified version of the Netzer Platform 2003:

1. Judaism as a People, a Nation and a Religion
   • Israel, with Jerusalem as its capital, is necessary as a spiritual, cultural and physical home for the Jews.
   • As religious Zionists we affirm that Judaism is a people, a nation and a religion and that these three elements are indivisible.
2. The covenant as a moral obligation
   • Israel is given to us by G-d as a home for the Jewish people as part of the covenant struck with Abraham.
   • This means that Medinat Yisrael, the State of Israel, is obliged to make itself a more moral state than every other in the world.
   • This is to be achieved by upholding the Jewish people’s highest moral obligations to be:
     1. Memlechet Kohanim, 'a kingdom of priests'
     2. Goy Kadosh, 'a holy people'
     3. L'or Goyim, 'a light unto other nations'
3. Sovereignty
   • The Jews have been historically persecuted and Israel provides a refuge from such pogroms.
   • Therefore, we affirm Israel’s national sovereignty- allowing Jews to once again live within a Jewish majority.
   • However, we must strive to ensure that such sovereignty be used to create the kind of society in which full civil, human and religious rights exist for all its citizens- a society both Jewish and Democratic.
   • Reclaiming sovereignty gives us the opportunity to strive to demonstrate that the traditions and values of Judaism, in which we believe, have relevance for dealing with the issues of a modern world of nation states.
4. Israel and Diaspora
   • Although Israel is the centre of Judaism (see 1.) Israel and Diaspora Jewry cannot exist without one another, are responsible for one another, and partners in the shaping of Jewish destiny.
   • Each Jewish kehilla (community) is individual and self-regulating yet also shares responsibility for Jews everywhere.
5. Aliya Nimshechet
   • Literally "continuing immigration" - making Aliya (moving) to Israel and then continuing to live out the Netzer values there.
6. Progressive Judaism in Israel
   • We believe that Progressive Judaism can make a positive contribution to Am Yisrael thanks to its combination of modern and traditional ways of life.
   • Therefore, we should strive to educate and inform Israelis about Progressive Judaism and support progressive communities in Israel.
7. A pluralistic approach to Judaism in Israel
   • Israel exists to benefit the spiritual integrity of the Jewish people.
   • Am Yisrael contains many interpretations of Judaism, which sometimes conflict.
   • Therefore, the Jewish people will be best served when Israel is a pluralistic, democratic society.
   • This would mean that no one interpretation of Judaism would have legal superiority over another.
8. Tikkun Olam
   • We are committed to Tikkun Olam, repairing the world, and that this will help bring about the Messianic Era.
   • We can bring this about on 5 different levels, all of which interlink but also can be achieved separately and in no particular order.
     1. Tikkun Atzmi - healing the self
     2. Tikkun Kehila - repairing our communities
     3. Tikkun Am - healing the Jewish people
     4. Tikkun Medinat - repairing the Jewish state
     5. Tikkun Olam - repairing the world
9. Our Values:
   • As a reform Zionist youth movement we believe in the following fundamental values.
     1. Prayer through Ma’amad (creative services relevant to the time and place)
     2. Celebration of the Chagim (festivals) including Shabbat
     3. Jewish, especially Torah, study as an ongoing lifelong commitment.
     4. Informed decision making, individually and communally
     5. A belief in the oneness of G-d
     6. The Unity of the Jewish People
     7. The centrality of the land and State of Israel to Jewish life
     8. Tzedaka (charity)
     9. A commitment to the prophetic tradition and its understanding and vision of Judaism
     10. Social Justice and a commitment to Peace
     11. Equality, particularly gender equality, in Judaism
     12. Mutual care and cooperation
     13. Care for the environment
     14. The dignity of all human beings, tolerance for their differences and a respect for “the other” within our society and community.
   • The exact meanings of these values to the daily lives of Netzer chevarim (members) is open to their own interpretation.
10. Reform Zionist Community
    • We recognise the value of communal living and urge chevarim to consider the option.
    • We will support Reform Zionist communities built upon our values (see 9.) who are committed to becoming ones of intimacy, purpose, of participation and of communal religious authority.
11. Ivrit (Hebrew)
    • Ivrit is the language of the Scriptures and so is vital for the study of Judaism
    • Ivrit also unifies the Jewish people with a common language and strengthens ties between the Diaspora and Israel.
    • We are therefore committed to learning Ivrit and teaching it to others.
12. Spending Time in Israel
    • The completion of the ideals expressed in 1-11 can be made easier if all chevarim were to spend an extended period of time in Israel.
    • We should, therefore, try to ensure that as many chevarim as possible come to Israel as part of a Netzer program, such as Israel Tour
    • We also encourage chevarim to spend a serious length of time in Israel after leaving the movement.
13. Hagshama (Self-realisation) and Activism
    • We are committed to being an activist, as well as educational, movement.
    • One way to achieve this is through hagshama- that is, the living out of the Netzer ideology in our everyday lives.
    • We also believe that it is both our right and responsibility to take a stand on key issues and work actively to bring about our vision of the world.
14. Geula (redemption)
    • By implementing the ideology expressed in points 1-13 we believe that we can hasten the coming of Messianic Age and the redemption of the Jewish People.
    • The path to this dream has been a difficult one and although significant progress has already been made, great challenges still lie ahead.
    • "Lo alecha hamlacha ligmor, v'lo atah ben chorin lehibatel mimena" - It is not your duty to complete the work; yet neither are you free to desist from it.

Shnat Netzer

Shnat Netzer is a unique long term leadership training program for young adults in Israel that develops the skills and knowledge necessary for them to become madrichim (leaders) in the movement. For the Northern Hemisphere, the program is currently 8 months long, and for the Southern Hemisphere, the programe is 10 months long.

It facilitates personal development, offers opportunities to study Jewish and Zionist ideals and provides a structured environment for learning about and experiencing Netzer's principles.

Shnat Netzer is an exciting, challenging and stimulating way to spend a year in Israel and to be part of a communal way of life. Shnat Netzer will broaden your horizons and offering in opportunities to discover yourself and what it means to be Jewish and live in Israel from a progressive perspective. You will be able to form life- long friendships both with your peers within the Shnat Netzer group and with other Jews from around the world whom you will meet throughout the year. If you have been involved with a Netzer branch or if you have grown up in a Reform/ Progressive Jewish community and you are wandering where to go from here, this is the natural way to continue that involvement. It's a chance to acquire a whole new range of skills and abilities and many wonderful memories.

The year is spent with participants from all over the world, including South Africa, Australia, North America, the Former Soviet Union and Europe. Together you will be able to develop skills and share experiences to help you become knowledgeable youth leaders. ^[5]

See Also

• Zionist youth movement
• Reform Zionism
• Tikkun Olam

External Links

• Official website - Netzer Olami (International)
• Noar Telem (Israel)
• LJY-Netzer (United Kingdom Liberal - also covering Ireland)
• RSY-Netzer (United Kingdom Reform)
• NFTY (Canada and USA)
• Netzer Australia
• Netzer Deutschland
• Netzer Russia
• Netzer South Africa

References

1. ^ http://www.netzerolami.org/Eng/Index.asp
2. ^ http://www.netzerolami.org/Eng/About/About.asp
3. ^ http://www.netzerolami.org/Eng/About/History.asp
4. ^ http://www.netzerolami.org/Eng/About/Symbol.asp
5. ^ http://www.netzerolami.org/Eng/Shnat/ShnatNetzer.asp