from J-Wire: A Post-Zionist World Zionist Organisation - It just ain’t so by David Breakstone Isi Leibler’s recent piece asserting that it was time for the World Zionist Organization to disband (A Post-Zionist World Zionist Organisation, Oct. 10) was completely off the mark ... He based his contentions not on the facts, but on second-hand and totally erroneous “information” gleaned from a JTA feature on a journey in Herzl’s footsteps organized by the Habonim-Dror and Hechalutz LeMerchav youth movements, which itself was a classic example of not being able to believe everything you read in the newspaper. To begin with, let me state in the most explicit way possible that I was as mortified by the JTA piece as was Mr. Leibler. It totally distorted the educational concept behind … Continue Reading
Time for a New World Jewish Organization
by Yossi Beilin The 23rd Zionist Congress was the first to be held in Israel. This historic gathering convened 60 years ago, on Aug. 14, 1951, in Jerusalem. After nearly two dozen congresses, five waves of aliyah, the Holocaust that destroyed European Jewry, the U.N. partition decision and the War of Independence, the Zionist Movement had finally achieved its goal: The establishment of the Jewish State. On the face of it, the Zionist Movement could have declared victory and said this would be the final Zionist Congress. Indeed, many on hand would have agreed with the move. At the Congress, there were fiery speeches by the second president of Israel, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi, and by prime minister David Ben Gurion, expressing hope for the continued huge wave of immigration during the first three … Continue Reading
Bnei Akiva’s Financial Troubles
from YNetnews.com Bnei Akiva in financial trouble The World Bnei Akiva movement appears to be on the brink of collapse: Religious Zionism's huge enterprise is operating at a deficit of tens of millions of shekels, half of the movement's staff in Jerusalem has been fired, and educational activity departments have been shut down. The movement is facing a cash flow problem due to cutbacks in the Jewish Agency, World Zionist Organization and Education Ministry. It did not receive NIS 700,000 (about $200,000) which should have been transferred from the Education Ministry and more than $1 million from the Jewish Agency, and was forced to find an alternative for the money from communal funding. ... "Our situation has worsened, threatening the performance of the enterprise which has been … Continue Reading
Heard Around Jerusalem
By most accounts it's been a quiet summer in Israel. While the social justice protests capture the headlines, not much has been happening in the local Jewish world. An unscientific poll indicates there have been fewer Diaspora leaders around than the past two summers; whether June's Israeli Presidential Conference, or the continued state of the economy, is more responsible is open to speculation. In the organizational world, the possible reuniting of the Jewish Agency and the World Zionist Organization (WZO) appears to be sidelined. However, as we mentioned back in June, the WZO is bent on causing mischief. WZO chair Avraham (Duvdev) Duvdevani has appointed the organization's first ever emissary to the US and Canada in order to promote aliyah among the almost 700,000 Russian-speaking Jews in … Continue Reading
New Mount Herzl Education Center Dedicated
In a formal state ceremony yesterday evening, Israel remembered its founding father, Theodor Herzl, on the anniversary of his death in the presence of the President, Prime Minister and Speaker of the Knesset. The real story, however, is in the concurrent dedication of a new educational center a few hundred meters from Herzl’s grave, alongside the Herzl Museum. That building celebrates Herzl’s life rather than remembering his death. The Stella and Alexander Margulies Education Center complements the Herzl Museum, established by the World Zionist Organization six years ago with the support of the Jerusalem Foundation and the Government of Israel. It has drawn over half a million visitors since its opening. “The purpose of the complex is to promote Herzl's legacy and to inspire visitors to … Continue Reading
Aliya is a Fig Tree, Not Coca-Cola
by David Breakstone One of my favorite things about living in Israel is the huge fig tree I have growing in my tiny backyard, right next to the wild grapes. Together they create an aura of endless possibilities, evoking an era of prophetic fulfillment when, having hammered our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks, we will be able to recline absentmindedly on hot summer afternoons under the shade of our vines and our fig trees, enjoying the gifts of prosperity and peace. Throw in the pomegranates thriving nearby and you have the three fruits harvested just last week by those whom Moshe sent to scout out the land, attesting to its bounty. So my fig tree, with its biblical associations, keeps me dreaming. It’s also taught me a thing or two about encouraging others, living … Continue Reading
Heard Around Jerusalem, continued
The Week That Was Friday morning in Jerusalem; a time to complete Shabbat preparations, and reflect on the past week. And as senior leaders - both lay and professional - continue to stream into Israel, a day of rest sounds pretty good. With the upcoming Jewish Agency board meetings next week, the tension is so thick a plastic knife could cut through. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. After the high of multi-young leadership events the past few weeks, including the ROI Summit, the Nahum Goldmann Fellowship and the launch of the latest cohort of the PresenTense Global Fellowship, the Israeli Presidential Conference opened on Tuesday. And what began with such high hopes and expectations in 2008, at least as far as Jewish world programing, has become a disappointment for many. The most … Continue Reading
Heard Around Jerusalem
Here in Jerusalem, the annual summer pilgrimage of both the up and coming and the establishment leadership is in full swing with the opening tonight of the Israel President's Conference. Last week saw both the 6th annual rocking ROI Community Summit and the Nachum Goldman Fellowship convening. The World Jewish Congress, Hebrew University and University of Haifa governing boards recently wound up, and on tap - besides the President's Conference - are the Zionist General Council meetings, the Jewish Agency Assembly and board meetings, and a host of other events. Multiple missions and Birthright buses abound. In short, a typical June in Israel. Last night saw two great events. Hillel Israel held their first Annual Hilleluya Gala in Tel Aviv celebrating the work of their nine campus program (reaching … Continue Reading
Battle for JNF/KKL Leadership Goes Back to Court
from The Jerusalem Post: Battle over JNF leadership going back to court Attorneys for Jewish National Fund/Keren Kaymet Leyisrael chairman Effi Stenzler will file a lawsuit in Petah Tikva District Court on Monday against the parties that signed a deal that would replace Stenzler with former religious affairs minister Shimon Sheetrit. ... The Jerusalem Post obtained an agreement signed on June 2 by representatives of the Artzeinu Reform faction in the World Zionist Organization, Kadima and its allies from the Conservative Movement’s Merkaz Olami, and Mizrachi/Israel Beiteinu, which together comprise a majority in the WZO. Kadima supports the deal because it includes vast powers and financial benefits for its candidate to be co-chairman of JNF, MK Eli Aflalo. Sheetrit agreed to give Aflalo many … Continue Reading
Herzl Day Website Launched
Just in time to mark Herzl Day celebrations (May 15th), the World Zionist Organization has launched a dedicated "Yom Herzl - Herzl Day" website. The site contains downloadable educational and trivia resources in English, Hebrew and Spanish, for the day's celebration. … Continue Reading
English