Voting Underway for 39th World Zionist Congress with Emphasis on Turnout
The 39th World Zionist Congress election has begun, aiming to boost voter turnout among American Jews. With voting running from March 10 to May 4, 2023, Yizhar Hess seeks to elevate participation following previous low engagement. This election will allocate $5 billion over five years to global Jewish organizations, with significant implications for diverse Jewish practices and community funding. Fifteen candidates from Houston are also participating, further emphasizing local representation.
Voting has commenced for the 39th World Zionist Congress (WZC) election, with key efforts directed towards increasing turnout in American Jewish communities. Yizhar Hess, vice chairman of the World Zionist Organization, emphasizes the need for heightened participation in response to the previous election’s low voter turnout of 124,000 ballots in 2020, which represented less than 3% of eligible Jewish adults in the United States, according to Pew Research data.
The current voting process is accessible online at zionistelection.org, where a comprehensive video guide assists voters with registration. A nominal fee of $5 is required from each participant to help cover election expenses. With approximately 176,000 adult Jewish Texans noted in the 2020 Pew report, the American Zionist Movement reported merely 2,054 votes cast by this demographic during the last WZO election, underscoring a significant opportunity for enhanced engagement.
Hess will be visiting Houston from March 21-23 to galvanize support for the election. His engagements include attending services at Congregation Or Ami and Congregation Beth Yeshurun. He underlines the significance of increased voter participation, stating, “I hope that [with more robust turnout], we’ll be able to double or even triple the amount of money that goes from [the WZO] to Jewish activities.”
The WZC, often referred to as “The Parliament of the Jewish People,” will allocate approximately $5 billion over a five-year period to global Jewish organizations. Out of the total of 525 delegates, 152 will be elected from the United States, emphasizing the importance of U.S. Jewish community voices in international discourse. The election process follows democratic principles, with candidates representing diverse ideologies across 21 slates, a record number.
The AZM outlines specific voter qualifications, which include being a Jewish adult of at least 18 years old by June 30, 2025, a U.S. citizen or legal resident, and adherence to the Jerusalem Platform, which affirms key tenets such as support for the State of Israel and combating antisemitism. The diverse slates encompass a wide spectrum of Jewish thought and tradition, including Ultra-Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, and various other movements.
A central theme in this election pertains to the desire for equal recognition of diverse religious practices in Israel. The Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist movements are advocating for a coalition to ensure their rites gain acceptance alongside Orthodox traditions, which currently dominate in Israel. Rabbi David Lyon of Congregation Beth Israel articulates the significance of this vote for American Jews, who, although unable to participate in Israeli elections, can influence how funds are allocated to support their communities in Israel.
Those interested in casting their vote may do so at zionistelection.org. Additionally, fifteen candidates from the Houston area are among the contenders in this historical election, highlighting local representation and a chance for community involvement.
Overall, the WZC election presents a crucial opportunity for Jewish Americans to engage in global Jewish leadership, thus shaping the policies and allocations that affect Jewish communities both domestically and internationally.
The 39th World Zionist Congress election represents a pivotal moment for American Jews to increase engagement within their communities, particularly following previous low voter participation rates. With the election process now underway and diverse slates of candidates presented, this event signifies a chance to influence significant funding decisions affecting Jewish organizations globally. Community leaders, notably Yizhar Hess, are advocating for increased turnout, emphasizing the role of American Jewry in shaping the future of Jewish life domestically and abroad.
Original Source: jhvonline.com
