Im Tirtzu

Im Tirtzu
Founded2006; 18 years ago (2006)[1]
TypeNon-governmental organization
Registration no.580471662[2]
Area served
Israel
Key people
Ronen Shoval (Founder)[3] Matan Peleg (CEO)[4]
Websitehttps://imti.org.il/en
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Im Tirtzu (Hebrew: אם תרצו, lit. 'If you will it') is a Zionist[6][7] non-governmental organization based in Israel.[1] Its name is derived from an epigraph appended to the frontispiece of Theodor Herzl's novel Altneuland, 'if you wish it, it is no fairy-tale,' rendered into modern Hebrew in Nahum Sokolow's translation in 1903, as Im tirtzu ein zo agadah. ("If you will it, it is no dream.")[8][9]

On its establishment in 2006, the organization stated that its mission was to renew "Zionist discourse, Zionist thinking and Zionist ideology to ensure the future of the Jewish nation and the State of Israel."[10] Claiming to "strengthen and advance the values of Zionism in Israel", it sees itself as dedicated to combating a "campaign of de-legitimization against the State of Israel and to [provide] responses to Post-Zionist and Anti-Zionist phenomena".[1] Im Tirtzu is mostly known for its campaigns against the New Israel Fund, foreign government-funded NGOs, and alleged bias in the curricula of Israeli universities. According to critics, Im Tirtzu's strategies focus on delegitimizing Israeli left and human-rights groups and driving a wedge between them and their funding sources.[10][11]

Im Tirtzu operates fifteen branches at universities and colleges throughout the country[1] and runs the largest Zionist academic extra-curricular program in Israel.[12] Some have maintained that Im Tirtzu bears similarities to fascist groups,[13][14] and others have labelled it an important Zionist movement.[15][16] Im Tirtzu has received extensive support from the Israeli government.[15][16]

  1. ^ a b c d "About Us". Im Tirtzu. Archived from the original on 20 April 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  2. ^ "Is Im Tirtzu a registered association in the State of Israel?". Im Tirtzu. 9 September 2015.
  3. ^ "Public Council". Im Tirtzu. Archived from the original on 10 October 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  4. ^ "Staff". Im Tirtzu.
  5. ^ "Is Im Tirtzu a political party?". Im Tirtzu.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ Abe Selig (2 February 2010). "New Israel Fund comes out swinging against Im Tirtzu report". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  7. ^ Robert Mackley (16 December 2015). "Group Calls Israelis 'Foreign Agents' for Work on Behalf of Palestinians". The New York Times.
  8. ^ Fiammetta Martegani, The Israeli Defence Forces' Representation in Israeli Cinema: Did David Betray His Soldiers?, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2017 p.52.
  9. ^ Denis Charbit (ed.), Theodor Herzl,Altneuland: nouveau pays ancient,, tr L.Delau, éditions de l’éclat, 2004 pp-16-17.
  10. ^ a b Nicola Perugini, Neve Gordon, The Human Right to Dominate, Oxford University Press, 2015 p.59.
  11. ^ Katherine Natanel, Sustaining Conflict: Apathy and Domination in Israel-Palestine, University of California Press 2016 pp.170-171, p.209 n.5: 'Deemed fascist and McCarthyist by Ha'aretz journalist Gideon Levy, Im Tirtzu is a right-wing extra-parliamentary organization which "works to strengthen and advance the values of Zionism in Israel.": it does so in part through targeting academics, institutions, and organizations deemed 'anti-Zionist' by its own estimation.'
  12. ^ Lidar Gravé-Lazi (29 June 2016). "Boosting Zionist education – within Israel". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hasson was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Joanna Paraszczuk (13 February 2012). "Court to rule on anti-Im Tirzu Facebook page". The Jerusalem Post.
  15. ^ a b ""Im Tirtzu" Celebrated a Decade of Activity". Israel Hayom. Retrieved 23 October 2017.
  16. ^ a b "Fighting for the Truth: Im Tirtzu Celebrates a Decade". Arutz 7.