The Jerusalem Program () is the ideological platform of the

Zionist Movement Zionism is an ethnocultural nationalist movement that emerged in Europe in the late 19th century that aimed to establish and maintain a national home for the Jewish people, pursued through the colonization of Palestine, a region roughly co ...

, and was initially adopted in 1951 at the 23rd

World Zionist Congress The Zionist Congress was established in 1897 by Theodor Herzl as the supreme organ of the World Zionist Organization, Zionist Organization (ZO) and its legislative authority. In 1960 the names were changed to World Zionist Congress ( ''HaKongres ...

to replace the

Basel Program The Basel Program was the first manifesto of the Zionism, Zionist movement, drafted between 27 and 30 August 1897 and adopted unanimously at the First Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland, on 30 August 1897. In 1951, it was replaced by the Je ...

. The Jerusalem Program differed from the original Basel Program in that it shifted the goals of the Zionist Movement once the

State of Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

was already established.

The 1951 Jerusalem Program

The 1951 Jerusalem Program stated that: The task of Zionism is the consolidation of the

, the in gathering of exiles in

Eretz Israel The Land of Israel () is the traditional Jewish name for an area of the Southern Levant. Related biblical, religious and historical English terms include the Land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the Holy Land, and Palestine. The definitions ...

, and the fostering of the unity of the Jewish people. The program of work of the

World Zionist Organization The World Zionist Organization (; ''HaHistadrut HaTzionit Ha'Olamit''), or WZO, is a non-governmental organization that promotes Zionism. It was founded as the Zionist Organization (ZO; 1897–1960) at the initiative of Theodor Herzl at the F ...

is: #Encouragement of immigration, absorption and integration of immigrants; support of

Youth Aliyah Youth Aliyah (Hebrew: עלית הנוער, ''Aliyat Hano'ar'', German: Jugend-Alijah, Youth Immigration) is a Jewish organization that rescued thousands of Jewish children from the Nazis during the Third Reich. Youth Aliyah arranged for their r ...

; 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 Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...

; Hebrew education and spreading the

Hebrew language Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and remained in regular use as a first language unti ...

. #Mobilization of world public opinion for Israel and

Zionism Zionism is an Ethnic nationalism, ethnocultural nationalist movement that emerged in History of Europe#From revolution to imperialism (1789–1914), Europe in the late 19th century that aimed to establish and maintain a national home for the ...

. #Participation in efforts to organize and intensify Jewish life on democratic foundations, maintenance and defense of Jewish rights.

Revisions (1968, 2004, 2024)

The Jerusalem program was revised by the 27th

Zionist Congress The Zionist Congress was established in 1897 by Theodor Herzl as the supreme organ of the Zionist Organization (ZO) and its legislative authority. In 1960 the names were changed to World Zionist Congress ( ''HaKongres HaTsioni HaOlami'') and Wor ...

in 1968, thereafter at the meeting of the

Zionist General Council Zionist General Council (ZGC) () (HaVa'ad HaPoel HaTzioni) is the supreme institution of the Zionist movement. The ZGC was established in 1921 following a decision reached at the 11th World Zionist Congress. It is composed of members elected a ...

in 2004, and most recently in 2024. Zionism, the national

liberation movement A liberation movement is an organization or political movement leading a rebellion, or a non-violent social movement, against a colonial power or national government, often seeking independence based on a nationalist identity and an anti-imperiali ...

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 Jerusalem Program's foundations of Zionism are: #The unity of the Jewish people, its bond to its historic homeland, the

Land of Israel The Land of Israel () is the traditional Jewish name for an area of the Southern Levant. Related biblical, religious and historical English terms include the Land of Canaan, the Promised Land, the Holy Land, and Palestine. The definition ...

, and the centrality of the State of Israel and Jerusalem, its capital, in the life of the nation; #

Aliyah ''Aliyah'' (, ; ''ʿălīyyā'', ) is the immigration of Jews from Jewish diaspora, the diaspora to, historically, the geographical Land of Israel or the Palestine (region), Palestine region, which is today chiefly represented by the Israel ...

(emigration) 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 Antisemitism or Jew-hatred is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Whether antisemitism is considered a form of racism depends on the school of thought. Antisemi ...

; #Settling the country as an expression of

practical Zionism The common definition of Zionism was principally the endorsement of the Jewish people to establish a Jewish national home in Palestine, secondarily the claim that due to a lack of self-determination, this territory must be re-established as a ...

; #Encouraging recruitment and service in the

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...

and the security forces and strengthening them as the protective force of the Jewish people living in

Zion Zion (; ) is a placename in the Tanakh, often used as a synonym for Jerusalem as well as for the Land of Israel as a whole. The name is found in 2 Samuel (), one of the books of the Tanakh dated to approximately the mid-6th century BCE. It o ...

, as well as encouraging full National Service for anyone exempted in law from service in the IDF.

References

{{Reflist History of Zionism 1951 documents 1951 in Israel 1951 in Judaism Jews and Judaism in Jerusalem