Make Your Voice Heard in Israel’s Future!

As an Australian progressive Jew, your vote in the World Zionist Congress election is crucial to securing liberal values in Israel. Learn more about how to vote in Australia below.

A Vote For ARZA-Masorti is a vote for:
Religious Tolerance
Gender Equality
Cultural Pluralism
Empowering Youth
Civil and Human Rights
Climate Action

We need your help to protect Israel’s future! Help ARZA-Masorti stand up for Pluralism, Equality and Progressive Judaism.

Meet The Candidates

Noa is passionate about pursuing justice and safety for all who call Israel home. Following Netzer Shnat in 2019, she held the positions of head of education, Melbourne director, and federal director over 2020-2022, and today she leads Tamar Melbourne, a young-adult Progressive Jewish community.

Professor Ghil‘ad Zuckermann (DPhil Oxford; PhD Cambridge, titular) is listed among Australia’s top 30 ‘living legends of research’ by The Australian newspaper (2024). He received the Rubinlicht Prize for his outstanding contribution to Yiddish scholarship in 2023. He is the Chair of the Jury for the Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Professor Ghil‘ad Zuckermann is the author of Revivalistics: From the Genesis of Israeli to Language Reclamation in Australia and Beyond (Oxford University Press, 2020), the seminal bestseller Israelit Safa Yafa (Israeli – A Beautiful Language; Am Oved, 2008), Language Contact and Lexical Enrichment in Israeli Hebrew (Palgrave Macmillan, 2003), 多源造词研究 (A Study of Multisourced Neologization; East China Normal University Press, 2021), three chapters of the Israeli Tingo (Keren, 2011) and Engaging – A Guide to Interacting Respectfully and Reciprocally with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, and their Arts Practices and Intellectual Property (2015).

Professor Ghil‘ad Zuckermann is a co-author of the first online Dictionary of the Barngarla Aboriginal Language (2018), and the Barngarla trilogy: (1) Barngarlidhi Manoo (‘Speaking Barngarla Together’): Barngarla Alphabet & Picture Book, 2019; (2) Mangiri Yarda (‘Healthy Country’): Barngarla Wellbeing and Nature, 2021; and (3) Wardlada Mardinidhi (‘Bush Healing’): Barngarla Plant Medicines, 2023. He is the editor of Burning Issues in Afro-Asiatic Linguistics (2012), Jewish Language Contact (2014), a special issue of the International Journal of the Sociology of Language, and the co-editor of Endangered Words, Signs of Revival (2014).

Currently finishing her studies in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at UNSW, Aimee is an active leader in and member of the Jewish community in Sydney. Passionate about education and social justice, she has been a madrichah at Netzer for 3 years, previously holding the role of Federal Director. Aimee works in the social enterprise sector, and strives to drive real positive change in her community.

Michael is Vice President of ARZA Australia. He is the grandchild of Holocaust Survivors who settled in Sydney. Growing up in a progressive Jewish home, he has been a member of Emanuel Synagogue since birth.

Michael was a member of the Netzer Youth Movement, where he developed strong friendships which have endured until this day. He studied Political Science at Macquarie University, was a member of the Student Council and a representative of the National Union of Students.

Michael runs a digital agency called Splash Agency and a co-owner of Australia’s major luxury fashion business. Living in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, Michael has strong Jewish connections. He is married with two daughters, aged 12 and 16.

Liora was the 2024 Mazkira (Director) of Netzer Sydney and is currently Netzer Australia’s Shnat Rakezet (Israel gap year coordinator). Having grown up within Netzer and the Reform Jewish communities of both Melbourne and Sydney, and having participated in the Shnat program in 2022, she has developed a strong, personal commitment to Reform Zionism.

In an increasingly complex global landscape, Liora believes it is more important than ever to actively advocate for progressive Jewish values in Israel. She is proud to bring this dedication to the ARZA-Masorti delegation at the upcoming World Zionist Congress.

Avishai Conyer is the Head of Youth and Young Adult Engagement at Emanuel Synagogue, and as an active Progressive Jewish young adult himself, is a passionate advocate for youth empowerment and Jewish pluralism. He serves on the Executive of the Union for Progressive Judaism of Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, and sits on the International Leadership Council of the World Union for Progressive Judaism.

Avishai co-founded the Kol Nefesh minyan and previously served as both Federal and NSW Chair of Netzer Australia. An educator, writer, and musician, he regularly leads creative and traditional t’filla, speaks at conferences in Australia and abroad on engaging young Jews, and is deeply involved in Jewish–Palestinian dialogue initiatives. With a degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics, he is committed to building a Zionism rooted in justice, equality, coexistence, and democracy. When not running between Jewish community events, you’ll find him hiking, experimenting with vegan recipes, or playing his guitar.

Lily Berger is Netzer Sydney’s head of education and an active leader in the Netzer youth movement. The Jerusalem born psychology student has been engaged in Netzer for over 10 years and completed the Netzer Israel shnat gap year program in 2023.

Lily is an individual who cares deeply about social justice and values the plurality of voices and ideas that she believes a democratic Israel should hold. Lily hopes to represent ARZA in the World Zionist Congress to ensure the voices of young people who hold hope for an inclusive Israel are represented.

Hi. I’m Zach Baynash. I am running as one of the candidates for the ARZA-Masorti slate in the World Zionist Congress Elections. I am a leader at Netzer (a reform Zionist youth movement) in Melbourne and a Reform Zionist Jew. I think this is an amazing opportunity to expose me and my fellow candidates to this rare experience to see how the World Zionist Congress can affect the diaspora communities that we are a part of through democracy and religion.

Rabbi Kim Ettlinger, born in Johannesburg and raised in Perth, Australia, was ordained at Hebrew Union College in 2005, earning master’s degrees in Jewish Education and Hebrew Letters. She also studied at Leo Baeck College in London and completed rabbinic internships in Las Vegas and as a chaplain at UCLA Medical Center.

After serving at Peninsula Temple Sholom in the U.S. and Temple Beth Israel in Melbourne, Kim returned to Perth in 2022 to lead Temple David, the congregation where she was once an active member.

Rabbi George Mordecai is an Australian-born Progressive Jew of Iraqi and Indian heritage, dedicated to Jewish pluralism, intercultural dialogue, and sacred music. Raised in Sydney, he was deeply involved in Sephardic liturgical traditions and performed globally, blending Jewish and Gregorian musical styles to promote spiritual interconnectedness.

George earned his Cantorial investiture and a Master’s in Sacred Music from the Jewish Theological Seminary and was later ordained as a rabbi through ALEPH. George has served Jewish communities in the U.S. and Australia, returning to Emanuel Synagogue in 2019 as Rabbi and Cantor. He is a passionate advocate for justice, Jewish–Muslim dialogue, and Zionism rooted in peace, dignity, and inclusivity.

Jacky is President of Temple Beit Israel.

Brandon Srot is a therapist, facilitator, and leadership consultant with over 20 years of senior professional and volunteer experience in the Jewish for-purpose sector. Through his Australia-based consultancy, he offers psychotherapy — focusing on trauma, couples, and grief therapy — alongside leadership development and transformational facilitation for individuals, teams, and communities worldwide.

Brandon serves as Chief Design and Facilitation Officer of LaunchPad Leadership for Australian Jewish Funders and has worked with global organisations including ROI Community and Masa Leadership. He has held numerous leadership roles in Jewish community organisations and is a Schusterman and Nachum Goldmann Fellow, as well as the recipient of Bnai Brith Australia’s inaugural Changemaker Award. He holds degrees in counselling and Gestalt therapy and has trained extensively in leadership and group dynamics.

David Opat is Vice-Principal (Student Wellbeing) and Head of Junior School at The King David School in Melbourne. He is a former board member of Zionism Victoria and a graduate of Netzer Australia.

He has been to Israel 13 times, including leadership training programs and Kibbutz Ulpan. David is passionate about Israel and its centrality for the Jewish people. He would love to make a contribution to the WZO on behalf of the Progressive movement and the wider Australian Jewish community.