Tzvika Slonim to receive Moskowitz Prize for Zionism

Slonim, nearly 80, was at the forefront of the settlement movement for several decades.

By JEREMY SHARON
Tzvika Slonim 370 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Tzvika Slonim 370
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Tzvika Slonim, a stalwart leader of the settlement movement, will be awarded the Moskowitz Prize for Zionism Tuesday night, along with other recipients Nitsana Darshan- Leitner and Dr. Yitzhak Glick, for their work and effort dedicated to strengthening the State of Israel, according to the prize committee.
The prize, totaling $50,000, was established by controversial figure Irving Moskowitz, a US businessman, doctor and ardent settlement proponent, who has poured large sums of money into the settlement enterprise.
Slonim, nearly 80, was at the forefront of the settlement movement for several decades. He served as spokesman and then secretary- general of the national-religious Gush Emunim group, which advocated for sovereignty in the Golan Heights, Gaza Strip and Judea through the settlement of large numbers of Israeli civilians in those territories.
Slonim also established the Land Redemption Fund in 1982, an organization devoted to buying land from Palestinians in the West Bank.
During his life, Slonim has also been instrumental in the establishment of various educational institutes in Judea and Samaria. Most notably, Slonim was one of the founders of the Ariel University Center, and also established the Eretz Israel Academy in the Elon Moreh settlement and the Kedumim Archeological Museum. Slonim also founded a school for Ethiopian girls in the Kedumim settlement.
Close friend and former colleague Herzl Ben-Ari told The Jerusalem Post of Slonim’s unique abilities to think outside the box and bring ideas to fruition.
“Tzvika has the wherewithal to dream a vision and then bring it into reality,” Ben-Ari said. “The Land Redemption Fund is a great example, because no one thought about doing this at the time, but then Tzvika came along and said, ‘Let’s build a Jewish National Fund for Judea and Samaria.’ He conceived of this idea, gave it form, brought it to life and the fund has now acquired thousands of dunams of land.”
Among the settlements established with land bought by the fund are Avnei Hefetz, Revava and Tzofim.
Slonim has also been deeply involved in helping with the issue of immigrant absorption and, after 1990, was responsible for settling many immigrants from the former Soviet Union in Judea and Samaria.
Ben-Ari described Slonim as a very modest man, and one of the only people in Israel without a cellphone. Despite his age, Slonim continues to engage in public activity, including visits overseas and speaking engagements to share his thoughts and ideas for the State of Israel.