Tzohar was established in the wake of the deep crisis in Israeli society caused by the murder of Yitzhak Rabin. This crisis focused a great deal of anger on religious Zionism, and especially on its rabbis.

Hundreds of rabbis and educators are active in Tzohar. They see as a mission what they have been doing for the non-religious segments of society. The organization’s activities are based on identification with and loyalty to the State of Israel, while maintaining Jewish Tradition, Halacha, as it has been maintained throughout Jewish history. The organization’s full name is “Tzohar – A Window Between Two Worlds,” a name which speaks for its intention: of opening a channel of communications between two communities in conflict. It aspires to carry light and messages to both sides. For the first time, a religious organization is not talking about two wagons, one fully laden, and one empty of content, but of a window which allows for the shining of light in both directions.

Tzohar set itself the goal of returning the figure of the rabbi to the center of Israeli discourse, and making the rabbi the one to whom anyone can turn; bringing him out of the Beit Midrash and making him available to the mainstream of Israeli society.