Elections – Zionist Elections (2014)

BACKGROUND

The worldwide Conservative/Masorti movement is represented in the World Zionist Organization (WZO) and Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) by MERCAZ Olami. Since 1987, this participation has resulted in an annual allocation to the programs and institutions of Conservative/Masorti Judaism in Israel (more than $1 million today in direct funding) and a similar amount in program grants for the Conservative/Masorti movement throughout the Diaspora including Europe, South America and the former Soviet Union. Policies and allocations in the WZO and JAFI are determined by the size of elected delegations to the World Zionist Congress. The 37th World Zionist Congress with its 500 elected delegates will be taking place in October 2015, preceded in every Diaspora country by special Zionist elections to determine the composition of the national delegation.

WHEREAS the Zionist elections in the United States will determine the composition of the American delegation of 145 mandates, the largest group at the Zionist Congress after that from Israel;
And WHEREAS Canada membership in MERCAZ Canada will determine the ability to vote for delegates and thus determine the allocation of the 19 mandates from Canada;

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Women’s League for Conservative Judaism calls on their U.S. sisterhoods to actively encourage all members of their congregation to join MERCAZ USA and to work within their congregations to encourage all members of the congregation to vote for the MERCAZ USA slate in the election which will take place between January 15, 2015 and April 30, 2015; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Women’s League for Conservative Judaism calls on their Canadian sisterhoods to actively encourage all members of their congregation to join MERCAZ Canada and to vote in the election for MERCAZ Canada when they receive their ballots; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in countries like the United States, where a special registration will be a prerequisite to voting in the Zionist elections, Women’s League strongly encourages voter registration drives in every Conservative institution and pledges to work with the other arms of the Conservative Movement to insure maximum voter participation.