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Successes at the World Zionist Congress

Monday, 19 July 2010

The international Reform and Progressive movements made a strong showing at the 36th World Zionist Congress in Jerusalem. Pro Zion, the British Reform and Progressive Zionist organisation sent six people to the Congress: Rabbi Danny Burkeman, Kathryn Michaels, Ben Jacobs, Robin Moss, Shira Conradi and Deborah Blausten together with two WUPJ (World Union for Progressive Judaism) delegates from Britain: Mike Grabiner and Lea Muehlstein.

Pro Zion is the British affiliate of Arzenu, the World Reform Zionist Organisation, which represents the interests of the international Reform and Liberal Jewish community within the World Zionist Organisation. Together with the WUPJ, Arzenu brought about 120 representatives to the Congress, from fourteen countries, ensuring that the voice of Reform and Liberal Judaism was well represented amongst the 750 delegates from around the world.

The Congress, which takes place every four years, elects officers and sets the policies for the World Zionist Organisation, which is especially important in influencing the work of the Jewish Agency and the JNF. Among our successes at this Congress we were able to block proposals which called for change to Israel’s conversion law, aimed at weakening the rights of non-Orthodox Jews. And we were able to gain the immediate implementation of equal funding by the WZO for its work with all Jewish streams in the Diaspora.

One of the key successes of this year’s Congress was the alliance which Arzenu entered into with the Israeli Labour and Meretz parties. Together with our partners we were the largest single faction at the Congress. This alliance has already been translated into support in the Knesset for Progressive Judaism’s position regarding the conversion bill, and with the promise of continued assistance and cooperation in strengthening the position of Progressive Judaism in Israel.

The British delegation to the Congress was notable within the Arzenu-WUPJ group due to the commitment which Pro Zion has shown towards nurturing future leaders, including subsidising their participation. Four of the six representatives came from RSY-Netzer and LJY-Netzer, and received much praise from the older Arzenu delegates for their passion, commitment and dedication to our Reform Zionist ideals.

There was also a vacancy on the Arzenu Board for a new vice chair, and we are very pleased that this position has been filled by our own Rabbi Danny Burkeman. Danny’s position on the Board ensures that the interests of Pro Zion and the British Reform and Liberal movements will be well represented in Arzenu.

He said of his new position: “I am very proud to have been elected to the Board of Arzenu, in many ways this is the next step after my involvement with RSY-Netzer and Tamar. It is clear that Pro Zion, through Arzenu, is helping to strengthen the position of Reform Jews in Israel, and through this, influencing the direction taken by the State of Israel. I also hope to be able to continue the growth and development of the youth and young adults within Pro Zion and Arzenu, and to engage more rabbis with our important work.”

Following the World Zionist Congress, the World Union hosted two-days of closed meetings for the top professionals of some of its regions and affiliates.

Present for this "think tank" were Rabbi Dan Freelander, Senior Vice President of the Union for Reform Judaism; Rabbi Shoshana Boyd Gelfand, Executive Director of the Movement for Reform Judaism; Steve Denenberg, Executive Director of the Union for Progressive Judaism (UPJ) in Australia, New Zealand and Asia; Rabbi Gilad Kariv, Executive Director of the Israel Movement for Progressive Judaism; and Shai Pinto, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the World Union. The group was joined for part of the time by Mike Grabiner, the World Union’s Senior Vice Chairman and a former Chair of the Movement for Reform Judaism.

Find out more at the World Union for Progressive Judaism's website.