World Zionist Congress Elections
Sermon, Date
Rabbi Bruce Kadden

At Yom Kippur services, I announced the upcoming World Zionist Congress elections.  This evening, I want to discuss these elections in greater detail and explain why it is so important that each of us participate.

The World Zionist Organization was founded by Theodor Herzl at the First Zionist Congress held in Basle, Switzerland in 1897.  The purpose of this organization was “to obtain for the Jewish people a publicly recognized, legally secured home in Palestine.”  Through its efforts, the Jewish National Fund was established in 1905 to acquire land for settlements and to build the infrastructure for that land.

The World Zionist Organization work toward the creation of a Jewish state, creating the educational, social and health institutions that would be necessary for a state to thrive.  In addition, it raised funds and mobilized public opinion to support the creation of a state. 

But its work did not stop on May 14, 1948 when Israel became a reality.  It is the backbone of the Jewish Agency for Israel and other organizations that support both Israel and world Jewry. 

The Zionist Congress is the World Zionist Organization’s supreme institution and legislative body.  Meeting every four years in Jerusalem, the Congress is the only body in which all of world Jewry is represented democratically.  It determines policy, designates its course of action, and elects its various officials to carry out the policy.  Most importantly, the Congress makes decisions with regard to hundreds of millions of dollars of funding.

Because of success in recent Congress elections, the Israeli Movement for Progressive Judaism, Israel’s Reform movement, has received significant funding increases in recent years.  But the only way to assure that this funding will continue, or even increase, is to make our voices heard in the upcoming election.

The United States will have 145 delegates in the next World Zionist Congress, the second largest delegation only to Israel.  In the two most recent elections, ARZA, the Association of Reform Zionists of America has carried the plurality of the American delegation:  47 percent in 1997 and 42 percent in 2002. 

By forming a coalition with other groups, ARZA has been able to make significant changes in the World Zionist Organization and advocate for Reform and Progressive Jews in Israel and around the world.  This includes support for Progressive Jews in the Former Soviet Union, training Progressive Rabbis in Israel, supporting Progressive programs in Israel, and offering free legal aid to new immigrants in Israel.

In addition, ARZA and its coalition partners have been able to obtain two paid portfolios in The Jewish Agency, leading the Israel Department and the Former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe Department.  The Israel Department works to strengthen Israeli society and the unity of the Jewish people through programs for community building, with active and binding cooperation between individuals, communities and organizations from Israel and the Diaspora.

The Former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe Department handles all activities in the Former Soviet Union, allowing ARZA to provide services and resources to numerous Progressive Jewish congregations and projects in this area.

The only way to assure that these programs will continue is to assure that Reform represented at the next Congress.  That is why it is important that each of us votes in the upcoming election.

Who is eligible to vote?  You must be 18 years old as of June 30, 2006.  You must be Jewish and a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.  And you must agree to the Jerusalem Program, which outlines the foundations of Zionism.  The first step in the process is to register, which can either be done through the mail or on-line.  This pamphlet contains a registration form and information about on-line registration.  Mail-in registration ends January 15, 2006 and on-line registration ends February 15.  The cost to register is $7 or $5 for full-time students.  Each individual must register separately; only one registration is allowed per envelope.

Voting will begin November 15 (even before registration ends) and end on February 28.  When you vote, you will vote for a slate representing an American Zionist Organization.  I recommend that you strongly consider voting for ARZA’s slate, because of its commitment to Reform Judaism and Israel and to working together with other like-minded groups.  But there will also be slates from Conservative and Orthodox Judaism, as well as Zionist organizations such as Hadassah.

We do not often have the opportunity to make our voices heard about issues to pertaining to Israel and world Jewry.  Voting in the World Zionist Congress Elections gives us that opportunity.  Our votes can help assure that the interests of Reform Judaism both in Israel and throughout the world receive the support that they deserve.

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