In anticipation of the convening of the 38th World Zionist Congress, which will convene for the first time virtually from October 20 to 22, 2020, with the participation of Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and the President, Reuven Rivlin, a cooperation agreement has recently been signed between representatives of the "World Confederation of General Zionists" and the "Hanoar Hazioni - Zionist Youth Liberal Center Movement"
Representatives of the "Confederation of General Zionists" faction at the World Zionist Congress have recently signed a cooperation agreement with Hanoar Hazioni "Liberal Center for Zionist Youth" movement. The agreement helps strengthen the two centrist and general Zionist blocs by creating a total of 35 delegates ahead of the convening of the World Zionist Congress in October in Jerusalem. The Congress will be held this year virtually for the first time since its inception in 1897 by Theodor Herzl.
The World Zionist Congress is the only elected democratic body that represents Jews around the world and serves as the supreme institution for legislation and decision-making of the World Zionist Organization. The Congress outlines the policies and platforms of the World Zionist Organization and elects the leadership of Israel’s major national institutions, including Keren Kayemet, Keren Hayesod, the Jewish Agency, etc. The Zionist political parties in Israel and global Jewish organizations, which include the religious streams in the world, meet once every 5 years to elect the leadership of the world Zionist movement and set an agenda for the movement.
Several of the key figures in the "Confederation of General Zionists" include: Chairman Jesse Sultanik, whose grandfather Kalman Sultanik z”l previously served as Vice President of the World Jewish Congress; Entrepreneur and Philanthropist, David Yaari, Vice Chairman of the Confederation of General Zionists and former MK Dov Lipman.
Yaari, stated that "one of the great challenges of our generation that must be on the Congress’s agenda is how to strengthen the connection between Israel and Diaspora Jewry. As we witness a growing gap within our people, we must ensure Zionism becomes relevant to Jews both in Israel and in the Diaspora and determine how to involve our natural partners in federations around the world in a significantly more meaningful way. I see the cooperation with Hanoar Hazioni (the "Zionist Youth Liberal Center") as natural as we share common values and believe in the critical importance of investing in future generations and empowering today’s youth to become tomorrow’s leaders.”
Sergio Edelstein, a leading member of the Liberal center movement noted that the importance of the cooperation agreement is that the two factions share a common ideological basis and a common value base. According to Edelstein, "the two organizations have common ideological roots born of a desire to create a bridge between Israel and Diaspora Jewry. This current period requires strengthening and extending this bridge".
The "Confederation of General Zionists" is a faction in the World Zionist Congress that deals with Zionism on a macro scale with an emphasis on strengthening the connections and ties between the State of Israel and Diaspora Jewry. The Confederation faction has set its focus and goals to expand the connections between Israel and Diaspora Jewry, and is not affiliated with any party or any religious sect. It puts Zionism at the center and connects with Zionist bodies in the Diaspora who believe in Israel as a the home for the Jewish people. In the run-up to the upcoming congress, the Confederation faction submitted several proposals to the Congress to establish a special committee to combat anti-Semitism, strengthen ties with Diaspora Jewry and more.
The "Zionist Youth Liberal Center" movement is a Zionist alliance in the Zionist arena. The movement has been operating in the Zionist world for 96 years in the field of Jewish education based on the values of Judaism and Zionism. All its members are graduates of Zionist youth. The movement operates among 52 Jewish communities in the Diaspora in 22 countries: from Australia to Canada, the United States, Europe, the continent of South America and Asia. The movement was founded by Zionist youth and focuses on Jewish education. In a platform of liberal humanism, the movement has about 10,000 members throughout the Diaspora, it runs camps and training and brings hundreds of young people to Israel in a variety of programs.
Photo credit Confederation of General Zionists
