Edited by: Fern Sidman

In a resolute and morally charged statement issued Friday, the Religious Zionists of America–Mizrachi (RZA), a leading voice of Orthodox and religious Zionist advocacy in the United States, affirmed its full-throated support for Israel’s military operation against Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure. Framing the strikes not as an act of aggression but one of existential necessity, the RZA praised the Israeli government for acting decisively to ensure the long-term survival of the Jewish state.

The military campaign, widely understood as a preemptive strike in response to Iran’s escalating regional threats and its sustained pursuit of nuclear weapons capability, has galvanized support across a wide spectrum of pro-Israel institutions. Among them, the RZA stands out for its emphatic endorsement and its theological framing of Israel’s actions as both a moral and strategic imperative.

“Israel has both the right and the obligation to protect itself against existential threats,” said Stephen M. Flatow, President of the RZA. “The Iranian regime has shown time and again that it will stop at nothing to develop nuclear weapons and destabilize the region. Israel’s action was not only justified—it was imperative. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters in Israel during this critical hour.”

This declaration comes amid reports that Israel’s military operation has targeted key facilities associated with Iran’s nuclear enrichment, ballistic missile development, and command infrastructure. The coordinated assault, carried out by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) aircraft and intelligence units, follows years of increasing Iranian provocation, including the funding and arming of terror proxies such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and militias in Syria and Iraq.

The RZA, which has long advocated for the religious and national rights of Jews in the Land of Israel, emphasized that the Jewish state’s defensive measures are deeply rooted in its moral character and sovereign obligations.

“We are witnessing a moment of profound moral responsibility,” said Alicia Post, Executive Director of the RZA. “Israel has acted with restraint for years, even as its enemies amassed weapons and plotted destruction. No nation—especially one as small and vulnerably surrounded as Israel—can afford to wait while its enemies build the means for genocide. This is a time for spiritual solidarity and communal action.”

Indeed, in its statement, the RZA called upon synagogues, yeshivot, day schools, and Jewish individuals across the United States and the world to mobilize in spiritual unity. The organization urged the recitation of Tehillim (Psalms)—specifically chapters 121, 130, and 142—and the inclusion of the Misheberach L’Chayalei Tzahal, the traditional prayer for the safety of IDF soldiers, in daily services.

The move calls attention to the RZA’s deep conviction that spiritual resilience must accompany military strength. Echoing the biblical call of “Vehi She’amda”—In every generation, they rise against us to destroy us, but the Holy One, Blessed be He, delivers us from their hands—the organization insists that both faith and vigilance are essential in times of war.

The statement also includes a pointed message to American policymakers and Jewish communal leaders. Flatow urged them not to waver in the face of potential political pressures or calls for moral equivalence.

“This is not a symmetrical conflict,” he noted. “It is a confrontation between a liberal democracy defending its citizens and a theocratic dictatorship that openly seeks genocide. Any attempt to portray both sides as morally equivalent is not only dangerous—it is a betrayal of historical truth and Jewish conscience.”

As the situation continues to unfold, with the potential for Iranian retaliation looming, the RZA’s voice adds significant weight to the emerging consensus among religious Zionist institutions: that Israel’s actions are not only strategic but sanctified.

The organization concluded its message with a prayerful appeal: “We pray for the day when swords will be beaten into plowshares, but until that day comes, we stand firmly behind the State of Israel in its sacred duty to protect Jewish lives and defend its borders.”

In an era where clarity is often clouded by the rhetoric of neutrality and moral relativism, the Religious Zionists of America–Mizrachi have drawn a bold and unambiguous line. In doing so, they reaffirm the ancient covenant that binds Jewish destiny with Jewish defense—Am Yisrael Chai.