News

The Stakes For Progressive Jews Have Never Been Greater

The election for the 39th World Zionist Congress is approaching. This pivotal event will have profound implications for the future, as it determines the allocation of more than $1 billion in funding for Israel and Jewish communities worldwide. It will also play a central role in shaping the direction and policies of key Zionist institutions for the coming years.

This year’s election carries added significance as it marks the first Congress vote since the global COVID-19 pandemic, a period of internal political turbulence within Israel, and the horrific Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Against this backdrop of unprecedented challenges, the election has become more than a routine exercise—it is being widely viewed as a referendum on the Israeli government’s leadership and the broader stewardship of Jewish organizational institutions globally.

At this critical juncture, the voice of Progressive Jews must be heard loud and clear. Our collective future depends on it. The upcoming World Zionist Congress election offers a unique opportunity to make a tangible impact, ensuring that our values—centered on pluralism, democracy, and social justice—are represented in decisions affecting Israel and the Jewish people worldwide.

We call upon all Progressive Jews in Australia to actively participate in this important election, which will take place between July 1 and July 27. Now more than ever, it is essential that we stand united in the belief that every Jew has both the right and the responsibility to shape the future of Israel and our global Jewish community.

Vote for progress. Vote for the future. Vote for the soul of Israel.

A call for action

Last week I participated in a very moving event at TBI  with Noam and Gali Tibon who shared their incredible story driving to the Gaza envelope on October 7th in an attempt to save their son, daughter in law and toddler grandchildren.

More on their incredible story can be found here:

https://abcnews.go.com/International/year-after-attack-israeli-couple-recounts-oct-7/story?id=114518255

Concluding the event Phyllis Dorey OAM, Chair of the World Union For Progressive Judaism spoke on the little that each and everyone of us can and should do to support the future of Israel not just its security but also its character – what type of country will it be in a year, in a decade?

Phylis said that one of the greatest threats facing Israel today is its government. For some of us in the diaspora, it is hard to distinguish between the Israel imagined in the Declaration of Independence, and the present reality of Israel, where it appears that bringing home all the remaining hostages is not the primary goal of many of those in leadership if it interferes with their political aspirations or holding on to power. Israelis and diaspora Jews are together facing existential threats, in all their ugly, subversive manifestations.

For me, it is clear, that for us to move forward, here, in Israel, and indeed globally, we need to have a strong and loud voice as Progressive Zionists, where our values, how we express our faith and our belief in Am Israel – our peoplehood -are strengthened and modelled by our communities and our leaders.

So how do we do that?

We should not be silenced: we must stand up and be counted. Here are two ways you can do that.

1. The World Zionist Congress elections will be held in Israel in October this year, and we need to strengthen our presence and influence there. The Congress is the legislative body which allocates millions of US dollars to support programs in Israel and globally. The Ultra-Orthodox community has pledged to defund Progressive Jews – in Israel and worldwide – if they win a majority of mandates. We cannot let that happen. If you are not already a member of ARZA, please join, either through your synagogue or directly, register to vote, and if needed, vote, to ensure we maintain our mandates (based on our membership numbers) through our membership of the Australian Zionist Federation.

2. By saying “hineini”-here we are, with our voices, and our resources, we can again answer the call to help our families in Israel, and Ukraine, to stand by them in their struggles, to envelop them in our hearts and give them the strength to keep going so that they truly know they are not alone in this fight

WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Our opponents in the WZC campaign are highly motivated religious fundamentalists whose vision for the future of Israel is diametrically opposed to ours. They are organizing to destroy what we value, including:

Chipping away at Israel’s democracy
Stripping our Israeli Reform clergy – especially our women rabbis – and our Reform communities of their rights, funding, and infrastructure
Making sure that our converts and our children are not welcome in the Jewish state
Their vision writes Reform Jews out of the next chapter of Jewish history and will make Jews in Israel and around the world less safe.
Our campaign will help ensure that Israel reflects our Reform Jewish values and is a place where our children and grandchildren will always be safe and welcome. The Reform Jewish representatives in the WZC help promote our values on issues that affect all of us.
Join ARZA today or learn more at https://arza-australia.square.site/

In order to be able to have your say and vote in the coming election to the WZO – please register and join here:

https://arza-australia.square.site/

Please also share this link with your Jewish friends and family and encourage them to join

World Zionist Congress elections begin amid crisis – The Jerusalem Post

More about the WZC election can be found here: 

https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-845059
https://m.jpost.com/diaspora/article-845059?utm_source=jpost.app.apple&utm_medium=share

Wishing you all happy Purim

Kind Regards,

Ayal Marek,

ARZA Australia

President

Union for Progressive Judaism

Vice president