Welcome to a new year at HaMizrachi! My name is Elie Mischel, and it is my great honor to begin serving as editor of this extraordinary magazine.
Since Rabbi Isaac Nissenbaum published the first version of HaMizrachi in Poland in 1918, our goal has remained essentially unchanged: To strengthen the bond between the people of Israel and Jews throughout the Diaspora. We hope to bind our people together in two ways: By bringing Torat Eretz Yisrael in all its depth and beauty to the international Jewish community and by giving a voice to Mizrachi communities all over the globe. The broad array of thought-provoking Torah articles and interviews you will find on these pages reflects the rich variety of views you will find in our worldwide Mizrachi community. At the same time, the inspiring stories and fun children’s pages are meant to ensure that HaMizrachi speaks to all members of our community.
As we work to expand the reach of HaMizrachi, we encourage you to share your thoughts and feedback with us. With the Religious Zionist community playing an increasingly critical role in broader Israeli society, the future of our movement will in many ways determine the future of our nation. We invite you to join the conversation; tell us what you think!
At the very beginning of our return to the Land of Israel, Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook implored the Religious Zionist community to “establish newspapers in Hebrew, Yiddish and the languages of the nations, which will glorify our movement in Israel and all over the world…” [Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, Chazon Hageulah, 302]. Our fervent hope is that HaMizrachi will play a crucial part in actualizing the great dreams of our nation and the return of Am Yisrael to the land of our fathers.
May the year ahead bring only joy and blessing for our people and the entire world!
Elie Mischel