38th World Zionist Congress

As you may have already read in the Israeli Jerusalem Post, the opening of the 38th World Zionist Congress saw the Zionist Organisations with voting rights thwarting the efforts of the right wing religious-Zionists and the ultra Orthodox factions to elect the new Chair and Vice Chair of the World Zionist Organization, postponing the vote until Thursday.

This intervention, which took place in the WZC Presidium is a determined effort to change and force a renegotiation of the Agreement drawn up by the right wing and Ultra Orthodox factions which ARZENU, MERCAZ and the non Orthodox factions have condemned, because it goes against all the previous Wall to Wall Agreements which saw a balanced allocation of positions and funding  in recognition of the pluralist nature of the Jewish people.

ARZA Australia and MERCAZ would particularly like to thank the normally non-voting  Jewish organizations from around the world, including Australia, who took a stand against the extremist coalition. The organizations which stood up for fairness, equity, pluralism and gender recognition are WIZO, Maccabi Olami, Na’amat (The Israeli Women’s organization), Hadassah and B’nai B’rith. The leaders of these organizations took a strong stand against what has been described as a “Hostile Takeover”, which would only serve to divide the Jewish People and the Jewish World as well as denying our voice in Israel.

We sincerely look forward to the continuation of support from the above named organizations and thank them for their wonderful efforts.

Let us pray that common sense will prevail and come Thursday we will see a return to the Wall to Wall Collective Agreements which brought balance, fairness and a necessary voice to the Diaspora, which makes such a massive contribution to the well being of  Eretz Israel and the Jewish People.

ARZA President, Helen Shardey

Helen Shardey

ARZA Australia President

UPJ Vice President