Your Opportunity To Vote For Israel’s Future

As Jews living in the diaspora, we spend a lot of time thinking about and supporting Israel from afar. But every five years, we have a chance to make an actual difference, and to assert our influence in our Jewish homeland through participation in the elections for the World Zionist Congress.

At this pivotal moment in Israel’s history, it’s critical that our voices as American Jews who care about Israel’s future are heard. The World Zionist Congress (WZC), founded by Theodore Herzl in 1897, is the only democratic body with representatives from all of world Jewry. In these elections, Diaspora Jews like us not only have a voice, but a vote!

The World Zionist Congress (WZC) is an international body made up of Jews and Jewish organizations from Israel and throughout the world.  It determines the priorities and policies of the four so-called “National Institutions” under its auspices: the World Zionist Organization (WZO), The Jewish National Fund, The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) and Keren Hayesod and its American counterpart, the Jewish Federations of North America.

Between March 10 and May 4, 2025, American Jews will vote for their delegates to the 39th World Zionist Congress, which will convene in Jerusalem in October 2025. Voting in this election is the most powerful opportunity to have your voice heard in Israel, make an impact in Jewish communities worldwide, and stand up for Zionism. The representatives who are elected — with one-third of them coming from the United States — will make key decisions on allocating over $1 billion annually to support the most pressing needs across Israeli society and the Diaspora.  Every Jew above the age of 18 is eligible to vote. I want to encourage every member of our congregation to learn more about this process and participate, and to vote.  Do you want the decisions of the WZC to reflect your values or someone else's ?

I will write to the congregation about this issue several times in the coming weeks to make the case for voting. Sadly recent WZC elections have not garnered the interest of the bulk of synagogue affiliated Jews.  That needs to change.  It starts with us, right now.

I would like to share several resources with you to help you learn more and participate.

  • You can sign up for a reminder to vote once the elections begin at the following link 
  • A short video (less than 2 minutes) about the election and how to vote
  • Information about the 21 different slates running in the 2025 US Election for the 39th World Zionist Congress.

There are many worthy slates to choose from, representing different religious and political views and ideologies. I would like you to strongly consider MERCAZ, the slate that represents the Conservative/Masorti Movements both in the United States and in Israel. The MERCAZ slate is made up of individuals (many who I know well) who will work for religious pluralism, democratic principles, and the funding of all Jewish institutions and educational systems in Israel on an equal basis. MERCAZ has had my support in the past, and continues to be the best protector of the values of the JCCP/CBT in the World Zionist Congress.

We often ask if our votes, whether for elections in our own great nation or for this type of election, really make a difference. I believe with all my heart that they do. That is why I write to the congregation every five years about the World Zionist Congress. Participating in this election is a small but important way to guarantee that our values influence policies that potentially affect all of world Jewry. The time to vote is coming soon. So let’s get ready, familiarize ourselves with the process, and learn more about these elections now.

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