Voting for the World Zionist Congress

Some background information:

“The World Zionist Congress (WZC) meets every five years to discuss issues of vital importance to the global Jewish community, i.e. Jewish identity, peace and security, anti-semitism, civil society in Israel, and the future of the State of Israel. Voting in the upcoming 37th WZC offers a unique opportunity for you to cast your vote to send delegates to the WZC to represent your voice.”

The WZC also apparently gets a say in the policies and allotment of funds of the Keren Kayamet Le’Yisrael and the Jewish Agency.

The slates running for the WZC include:

Mercaz USA: The Zionist Arm of the Conservative Movement

ARZA: Representing Reform Judaism

Religious Zionist Slate: Vote Torah for the Soul of Israel

Perhaps the most controversial part of voting in the WZC lection is that to in order to do so, one must declare that they accept the Jerusalem Program:

“Zionism, the national liberation movement of the Jewish people, brought about the establishment of the State of Israel, and views a Jewish, Zionist, democratic and secure State of Israel to be the expression of the common responsibility of the Jewish people for its continuity and future.

The foundations of Zionism are:

The unity of the Jewish people, its bond to its historic homeland Eretz Yisrael, and the centrality of the State of Israel and Jerusalem, its capital, in the life of the nation.

Aliyah to Israel from all countries and the effective integration of all immigrants into Israeli Society.

Strengthening Israel as a Jewish, Zionist and democratic state and shaping it as an exemplary society with a unique moral and spiritual character, marked by mutual respect for the multi-faceted Jewish people, rooted in the vision of the prophets, striving for peace and contributing to the betterment of the world.

Ensuring the future and the distinctiveness of the Jewish people by furthering Jewish, Hebrew and Zionist education, fostering spiritual and cultural values and teaching Hebrew as the national language.

Nurturing mutual Jewish responsibility, defending the rights of Jews as individuals and as a nation, representing the national Zionist interests of the Jewish people, and struggling against all manifestations of anti-Semitism.

Settling the country as an expression of practical Zionism.”

A clarification: the Mishpacha did not actually advocate for voting in the WZC elections. Yonoson Rosenblum, in an editorial titled “Ideological Purity vs. Practical Results”, merely pointed out that there is lot at stake in these elections since the Reform and Conservative movements are making serious attempts to gain influence and push their agendas on the Israeli and international Jewish scene. He ends with the suggestion that one ask this question to their Rov/Poisek.

Rebbe Yid &Joseph:

I think your comparison between the Israeli Knesset and the WZC is perhaps more apt than you realize. The vast majority of mainstream Chareidi Gedolim have long advocated voting in the Israeli elections for parties that will strengthen the Halachic observance and the Jewish character of the state. A very strong argument could be made that the same should apply here.

There are only two differences that I can think of between voting in the elections for the Israeli Knesset and the WZC: First of all, in order to do so one must affirm that they believe the “Jerusalem Program” is true. But as R’ Yair Hoffman explains in the YW news section, that isn’t really too problematic. But perhaps the bigger issue is that there is no Chareidi party or slate running in WZC elections; the only frum slate is comprised of Dati Leumi / Modern Orthodox delegates and positions. These positions will no doubt drastically differ from those taken by the Chareidi Rabbonim on a number of issues. So the real question is, should we vote for somebody who we sometimes disagree with, so that they should replace somebody who we disagree with more?

Sam2, R’ Hershel Shachter is actually the first delegate on the Religious Zionist slate.

That’s unfair. Do you say YM”S by every single Jew who grew up not-Frum and stayed that way?

I think one can differentiate between a Jew who “grew up not-Frum and stayed that way” and somebody who started an anti-religious movement that sought to replace religion, long the defining characteristic of the Jewish people, with what was essentially just standard twentieth century nationalism.

Sam2:

First of all, I think you may be somewhat whitewashing Herzl’s record; my impression was always that he sought to create a “new Jew”, focused entirely on self-determination and preservation, not on old-fashioned religion. (Although I do admit that these ideas are open to different interpretations.)

But even that wasn’t my main point; I was simply pointing out that Herzl was not just a “Jew who grew up not-Frum and stayed that way”; he was the founder of a movement that has considerably affected large segments of Jewry. How one relates to Herzl will be affected by, if not dependent on, one’s perception of the ideology he founded and its effects on world Jewry.