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Down to the wire
American Jews who are registered to vote for the American Zionist elections to the 33rd World Zionist Congress but have not sent in their ballots, should consider using an express mail service. Ballots must be at the American Arbitration Association by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 30. At press time Tuesday, approximately 91,000 of the 149,371 people who are registered to vote had sent in their ballots, according to Karen Rubenstein, executive director of the American Zionist Movement, which is coordinating the election. The final tally will take place on Oct. 6. Certified results are expected to be made public a day or two later. American delegates make up 29 percent of the Zionist congress, or 145 out of 500 seats. Israeli delegates make up 38 percent and Jews from other areas make up 33 percent of the Zionist body. The congress, which is supposed to meet every five years but did not meet in 1992, selects the leadership of the World Zionist Organization (WZO) and will help set its policies and priorities. The WZO has joint authority over the Jewish Agency and its $400 million budget. That is largely spent on immigrant absorption and resettlement and, to a lesser extent, Zionist education. Here is a quick look at the organizations hoping to send their delegates to Jerusalem in December when the congress convenes: American Friends of Meretz Slate 1 This slate and the delegates on it largely represent the views of the left-leaning Israeli political party Meretz, according to administrative coordinator Aaron Liebman. Liebman stressed the organization's strong support for the Middle East peace process and civil rights, such as religious pluralism. One of the hot-button issues in this election is the proposed Israeli conversion bill, which would codify the Orthodox monopoly over Jewish conversion in Israel. Liebman said American Friends of Meretz is opposed to the bill. In a pamphlet mailed to voters, American Friends of Meretz claims it is "committed to securing full religious freedom and equality for Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist Jews." When asked to make a statement about Israeli-Diaspora relations, Liebman deferred to Gavri Bargal, an Israeli representative for Meretz. "We have to reshape the whole relationship to open a real dialogue about the future of the Jewish people," Bargal said. Revisionist Zionists of America Slate 2 In past elections, this group was referred to as Likud U.S.A. But since it is not considered the Israeli party's official representative in the United States, the organization was asked to change its name for the purposes of this election. The group promises to "discourage any development toward Palestinian Arab statehood west of the Jordan River line." And it pledges "encouragement and support for the development and expansion of existing and new Jewish communities in all the Land of Israel." That includes land in the territories captured by Israel during the 1967 War, according to the group's president, Joel Abramson. Abramson is critical of the campaign for greater religious pluralism in Israel. "It has no place in this election," said Abramson. "I think Israeli-Diaspora relations should be predicated upon mutual respect for the other and for recognition of the right of each side, meaning Israel and the Diaspora, to have different views and practices, but I don't think if there are different positions they should be aired in public," said Abramson. ARZA Slate 3 This slate bills itself as the "authentic voice of Reform and Progressive Judaism" and urges voters to "fight back for your rights as a Jew." Religious pluralism is at the top of the slate's agenda. ARZA delegates are opposed to the Israeli conversion bill and are upset about attacks by ultra-Orthodox Jews against Reform and Conservative Jews at the Western Wall, according to Executive Director Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch. Hirsch said it is important for organizations that represent pluralistic values to get a majority vote at the Zionist Congress because of the message it would send to Israeli leaders and because of the WZO's funding authority. He described Israel-Diaspora relations as being in a state of crisis in part because of legislative efforts in Israel that "disenfranchise and render second-class the majority of world Jewry." Religious Zionist Movement Slate 4 This slate represents the Orthodox movement, according to Executive Vice Chair Israel Friedman. In a statement, the organization urges voters to "stand up for Jewish tradition." "Our priority is religious education," Friedman said, emphasizing the importance of Torah study around the world. On religious pluralism in Israel, Friedman said, "We are against it. We will always fight pluralism." On Israeli-Diaspora relations, Friedman said, "The Torah unites World Jewry together. We have a common bond by observing the same laws, the same customs and the same prayers." Religious Zionists for Unity and Tolerance and the Baltimore Zionist District Slate 5 This slate calls its delegates "The Voices of Reason." In a mission statement, it claims to support the rights of all religious streams to be recognized in Israel and promises to promote funding for educational programs of the Reform, Conservative, Orthodox and other Jewish movements. The Baltimore Zionist District (BZD) is a spin-off of the Zionist Organization of America, having left that organization in 1994. It has not appeared on a World Zionist Congress ballot before but got on this year by collecting more than 500 signatures in a petition drive. The majority of delegates representing this slate are from Baltimore. BZD Executive Director Josh Mauer said one of the biggest appeals of the organization is its Israel investment clubs. These are set up to help members find investments in Israel. "They reflect a new reality," Mauer said, in which Israelis and Diaspora Jews both profit from shared financial relations. Israel is not looking for tzedakah anymore, according to Mauer. Labor Zionist Movement Slate 6 This slate is aligned with the Labor Party in Israel but independent of it, according to the third delegate on the slate, Daniel Mann a Bethesda, Md., resident. Advancing the Oslo peace process, Jewish continuity and religious pluralism are all listed as goals of the organization. Mann acknowledged there is concern about a widening gap between Israel and Diaspora Jews, but he said there also is evidence of growing ties. "Israel is still the focus of federation campaigns," he said. But he said, "To the extent there might be a growing gap, the surest way to bridge that and ensure Jewish continuity is to expose young people to meaningful Israeli experiences."< MERCAZ, U.S.A. Slate 7 This is the Zionist arm of the Conservative movement. In a statement, MERCAZ claims to lobby Israel's leadership for civil rights and funding for Conservative institutions in Israel. Like ARZA, MERCAZ members appear deeply concerned about violence at the Wall and the proposed conversion bill. Despite that friction, Mercaz Executive Director Rabbi Robert Golub says, "We still remain mishpacha [family] .... Only together can we obtain the promise of a brighter future for our people." Zionist Organization of America Slate 8 This organization urges voters to choose the Zionist Organiation of America (ZOA) "to defend Israel and Jerusalem." The slate is not addressing religious pluralism because ZOA does not take positions on issues dealing with religion, according to its president, Mort Klein. "We are not a religious organization. We are an educational, political organization," he explained. But Klein said there are issues ZOA will speak out on loudly. "We dare not be silent on the welfare of fellow Jews or the state of Israel," he said. ZOA's statement accompanying the ballot points to its efforts combating an anti-Israel bias on college campuses and elsewhere. It also bills itself as the only organization that monitors and exposes PLO violations of the Oslo Accords. American Friends of Likud Slate 9 This is the official Likud representative in the United States. The organization ran a sophisticated campaign, even sending voters videocassettes explaining why they should vote for Slate 9. A statement accompanying the ballot says this is the only slate that can strengthen Jerusalem and continue developing Har Homa, ensure a secure and real peace, enhance Jewish continuity and continue to preserve Jewish tradition. On Israeli-Diaspora relations, the organization's director, Sharon Elbaum, says that American Friends of Likud will work to "increase the understanding of its cousins abroad .... We regard the Jewish world as a partnership." World Confederation of United Zionists Slate 10 This slate bills itself as a "uniquely American Zionist voice." "We are not taking orders from Israeli parties like so many other groups," said Mel Parness, executive director of the organization B'nai Zion, which is represented by the World Confederation of Zionists. Parness says the slate is for religious pluralism and opposes the conversion bill and represents a "middle of the road position vis-a-vis Israel." "I believe there is plenty of room for improvement," Parness said about Israeli-Diaspora relations. "Where we give money and they say `thank you very much' is not going to work,"' Parness said. "We have to create a real partnership.
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