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Get Ready To Vote

 

On July 1, you can help shape the future for all Jews worldwide
This article is based on a recent conversation with Lesley Sachs, incoming Chair of the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism. (IMPJ)

What happens in Israel doesn’t stay in Israel…
…it influences global Jewish policy, funding and leadership.

In recent years, Israel has found itself at a crossroads. The country’s democratic foundations, once considered unshakable, are now under increasing strain. For many Australians, especially those who care deeply about Jewish values, this may feel distant. But what’s happening in Israel today has profound implications for the future of Judaism, both there and here.

The Reform movement in Israel, a beacon of liberal, egalitarian Judaism, is facing unprecedented challenges:

  • Legal battles over land rights for synagogues and schools
  • Online harassment of young girls celebrating their Bat Mitzvahs
  • Physical attacks on congregations and community spaces

These are not isolated incidents. They are part of a broader campaign to marginalise a movement that stands for inclusion, equality, and democracy. At the same time, the Israeli government has resumed efforts to weaken judicial oversight:

  • Bypassing Supreme Court rulings
  • Delaying key judicial appointments
  • Undermining the institutions that protect civil rights and religious freedom

The Reform movement has been one of the few religious voices consistently standing up for democracy, organising protests, submitting legal opinions, and advocating for justice in the Knesset. But this isn’t just about politics. It’s about people.

Reform rabbis and congregants across Israel continue to serve with resilience and compassion:

  • Many are still displaced from their homes in the north and south, yet remain deeply committed to their communities
  • Weekly Havdalah services are held in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, calling for the return of hostages still in captivity
  • Victims of racism receive legal support through the movement’s Racism Crisis Center
  • Shared society initiatives bring together Jews and Arabs in acts of solidarity and cooperation

These are not just programs, they are expressions of Jewish values in action.

Looking ahead, the Reform movement has a bold and inclusive five-year vision: to broaden its influence by developing lay, rabbinical, and young leadership; to strengthen congregations; and to serve as a spiritual and educational anchor for Israeli society. This vision is not just for Israel, it’s a partnership with Jews around the world, including here in Australia.

That’s why the upcoming elections for the World Zionist Congress matter so much:

  • They determine who controls the leadership and budgets of major Zionist institutions
  • The outcome will shape how millions in funding are allocated with a significant impact on Jewish progressive life in Australia across education and shlichim.
  • A growing campaign is working to reverse the progress made by liberal Jewish movements
  • These efforts challenge:
    • Gender equality
    • Inclusive education
    • Access to essential services
  • If successful, they could divert critical funding away from communities that promote a pluralistic and democratic vision for Israel

Progressive Judaism Needs YOU to VOTE.

If we want to see a Jewish future that reflects our values, pluralism, equality, and compassion, we must act. Every progressive Jew in Australia over the age of 18 can vote. Every synagogue member, every parent in a progressive Jewish school, every person who believes in a Judaism that welcomes all – your voice matters.

This is not just about Israel. It’s about the soul of Judaism. And it’s about standing together, across oceans, to ensure that our shared values endure.
TO REGISTER & VOTE BETWEEN 1-27 JULY 2025, VISIT: https://arza.org.au/wzc-elections/

2025-06-09T12:29:25+10:00June 9th, 2025|News|

Stop the Extremism

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.

2025-05-27T10:49:56+10:00May 27th, 2025|News|

A Moving Story From October 7

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.
  1. 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

2025-03-10T14:31:40+11:00March 10th, 2025|News|
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