Every five years the Jewish world conducts elections to the World Zionist Organization (WZO). The WZO is the parliament of the Jewish people and a representative body in Israel to determine the allocation of funds by the Jewish Agency for Israel. Strength in this parliament translates into influence – and funding — on issues affecting Jews in Israel and worldwide. This is a critical time for our Reform Movement and an opportunity for you to have a significant role in strengthening the future of Reform Judaism in Israel. Your vote gives you a voice on issues like religious pluralism, peace, and democracy in Israel and strengthens our Reform Movement in Israel.
This election is an opportunity for Reform Jews in North America to stand with our Movement in Israel. In the 2015 World Zionist Congress elections, a significant turnout for the Reform slate translated into financial and political resources for the Reform Movement in Israel, allowing it to grow and flourish. We need your vote, and thousands of others, to secure this progress. Join us to move our agenda forward. Make your voice heard. Vote for the Reform slate in the World Zionist Congress elections.
What does this mean for the Reform Movement? Victory in the election will help support Reform Judaism in Israel to: Give Reform Jews a strong voice in critical decisions in Israel; Support the Israel Movement for Progressive and Reform Judaism with close to $5 million dollars in annual funding; Train Israel’s next generation of Reform rabbis; Support the important social justice and religious pluralism work of the Israel Religious Action Center. It is crucial that each and every adult member (18 or over by June 30, 2020) in our congregation participates. You can register online at www.ARZA.org. At this site, you can both register to vote and learn more about the election process and what is at stake. The voting will take place from January 21 – March 11, 2020, and we will need to engage every single Reform Jew to vote for the Reform slate! Please join with me on this important and crucial endeavor.
Philip N. Bazeley
