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Dear Colleagues,
We must act quickly to preserve the power of Conservative/Masorti and Reform Jews at the World Zionist Congress (WZO). Tomorrow, the WZO will be asked to approve an agreement that would "effectively hand over control of key positions at the World Zionist Organization and its affiliate organizations" to the Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox in Israel. If approved, this agreement will have massive budget and leadership implications.
There is still time to block this proposed agreement, but we must reach out to influencers at international organizations – Hadassah, B’nai Brith International, Maccabi World Union, WIZO and NAAMAT USA – and encourage them to vote against it. Please contact any leaders you know in these influential groups as soon as possible.
These organizations typically do not cast votes, but we must urge them to break with past practices and exercise this right.
As one leader stated, "Jews from around the world have always known that the WZO and its affiliate organizations welcomed a diversity of voices...If this agreement is passed, the message would be that Israel is only the homeland for Jews who think a certain way, and that is nothing less than a catastrophe."
Additional details can be found in this Ha'aretz article. Please do not wait another moment to take action!
Sincerely,
Jacob Blumenthal, CEO, Rabbinical Assembly
Stewart Vogel, President, Rabbinical Assembly
Maurcio Balter, Executive Director, Masorti Olami & Mercaz Olami
Phil Schiem, President, Masorti Olami
Yizhar Hess, Executive Director, Masorti Movement in Israel
Alan Silverstein, President, MERCAZ Olami
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