MERCAZ FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Common Questions and Answers To Them
1. WHAT IS MERCAZ USA?
MERCAZ USA is the American Zionist Organization of the Conservative
Movement. It promotes and supports Zionist education and programs within
our Movement, and it represents the interest of Conservative/ Masorti
Judaism in the World Zionist Organization and in the Jewish Agency for
Israel, the international bodies which serve as the parliament of the
Jewish people.
2. WHAT DOES "MERCAZ" MEAN?
MERCAZ is the Hebrew word for "center". It is a particularly
appropriate name for two reasons:
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Conservative/Masorti Judaism
can play a central role in enhancing the quality of religious life in
Israel, which is currently resented and rejected by a large part of
Israeli society. Masorti Judaism offers meaningful religious alternatives
which, until recently, were missing from the landscape of Israeli life.
3. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MERCAZ, MASORTI, AND
THE FOUNDATION FOR MASORTI JUDAISM?
MERCAZ is the Zionist Organization
that serves the interests of the Conservative/Masorti Movement around
the world. It is the Zionist conscience of our Movement and the guarantor
for proper recognition and funding for Conservative/Masorti programs
and institutions around the world. Among other things, MERCAZ
is the advocate and the force which guarantees religious stream funding
that is so vital to our Movement.
MASORTI is the name of the Conservative Movement in Israel.
It is derived from a Hebrew word that means "tradition", and represents
a modern and non-coercive approach to traditional Jewish life.
The Foundation For Masorti Judaism In Israel is the organization
responsible for raising funds to help support the Masorti Movement,
its congregations, youth and camping programs, absorption projects,
Kibbutz Hannaton and other social, legal, and religious efforts.
4. WHY DO WE NEED A CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT ORGANIZATION?
Our Movement needs a Zionist
organization for two reasons: For what we must do for Israel and for
what we must do in the United States.
In Israel: Unlike other religious movements, the Conservative
Movement, from its inception, embraced Zionism and the centrality of
Israel in Jewish life. Perhaps that is why we did not originally feel
the need for a separate Zionist organization. However, as the Modern
State of Israel developed, the very powerful Religious Affairs Ministry
did not sanction Conservative/Masorti Judaism, and disqualified its
institutions from recognition, authority, and funding. In order to help
these institutions enrich the lives of those Israelis who have been
disenfranchised and alienated by the "religion of the state", it became
necessary to create a new entity that would represent the interests
of Conservative/Masorti Judaism and allow it to make its unique contribution
to the quality of religious life in Israel.
In the United States: MERCAZ must serve as the Zionist conscience
and Zionist resource for all arms of our Movement. Since the Conservative
Movement believes that Israel and Zionism are essential components in
Jewish life, we maintain an organization whose mission is the promotion
of Zionist education and activities, Israel programs for youth and adults,
and aliyah.
5. WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF MERCAZ?
MERCAZ is committed to bringing Conservative Jews closer to
Zionism and to Israel, helping to promote Conservative/Masorti Judaism
in Israel, and working with the constituent arms of our Movement to
achieve the following goals:
6. WHY DO WE NEED A VOICE AND A PRESENCE IN THE WORLD ZIONIST ORGANIZATION?
The only religious institutions
which use to be recognized and funded in Israel were those Orthodox
institutions sanctioned by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. And so, the
only alternate source for recognition, funding, and support for our
Conservative/Masorti synagogues, schools, youth programs, rabbis, teachers,
and mohalim, was and is, the World Zionist Organization. Since representation
in the World Zionist Organization is based upon the number of members
in each organization, it is critical that MERCAZ continue to increase
its membership to assure itself a significant representation in the
World Zionist Organization, and significant allocations and funding
from that body.
The World Zionist Congress
is akin to the Convention for the Parliament of World Jewry. Every 4-5
years, the World Zionist Organization holds its international Congress
at which elections are held and Department appointments are made. Based
on the strength of its membership, MERCAZ is allocated its number of
voting delegates and positions of authority within the World Zionist
Organization. From one Congress to the next, those Delegates and Department
Heads determine the status, funding, and programs granted to our Conservative/Masorti
Movement in Israel, and around the world.
7. HOW DOES A STRONG MERCAZ BENEFIT ISRAEL?
Only with more programs and resources can the Conservative/Masorti
Movement touch and inspire the lives of so many Israelis who are indifferent
to or alienated from their Jewish heritage. Masorti Judaism can play
a meaningful role in bringing Israelis closer to their tradition and
their sources. MERCAZ is an advocate for Masorti institutions
and individuals in all of their efforts, projects, and campaigns. It
is the voice and force that promotes proper funding for Teacher training
and innovative religious programming in Israel, as well as teacher and
counselor training for programs and camps in the former Soviet Union.
MERCAZ utilizes its position to promote the rights of Conservative/Masorti
individuals and institutions, among them: Rabbis, mohalim, synagogues,
youth programs, schools, camps, candidates for conversion, none of whom
are currently recognized or funded by the government.
8. HOW DOES A STRONG MERCAZ BENEFIT OUR MOVEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES?
MERCAZ USA works closely with the other arms of the Conservative
Movement to bring Zionist education and Israel programs to Congregations,
Sisterhoods, Men’s Clubs, Rabbinical groups, Seminary students, Day
School and Hebrew School students, Camping and Youth groups. MERCAZ encourages and promotes programs such as USY Pilgrimage, Ramah Seminar,
Nativ, Summer Semester in Israel, Tnuat Aliyah Masortit, and various
leadership missions to Israel. MERCAZ USA represents our Movement
in the American Zionist Movement, the federation of Zionist organizations
in the United States.
9. IS MERCAZ A POLITICAL ORGANIZATION?
If you mean: Do we tell the government how much to spend on
defense, where to build settlements or how to balance its economy —
NO, we are not political.
If you mean: Do we encourage the government to recognize all
Jewish religious streams, do we pressure the World Zionist Organization
to give our programs and institutions a fair share of funding and opportunity
— then YES, we have a political as well as ideological mission.
10. IF I ALREADY BELONG TO A ZIONIST ORGANIZATION, SHOULD I STILL JOIN MERCAZ?
Absolutely! There are many worthy Zionist organizations that
do fine work. But only MERCAZ has as its dual purpose the promotion
of religious pluralism in Israel and the protection of Conservative/
Masorti Judaism in Israel and throughout the world. If these are important
issues for you, you must join MERCAZ annually, and you
should identify as a proud MERCAZ member.
11. I ALREADY CONTRIBUTE TO MASORTI INSTITUTIONS IN ISRAEL. DO I NEED TO JOIN MERCAZ ALSO?
Yes! Continue to contribute to those institutions. But join MERCAZ, as well. Only by joining MERCAZ do you work for the recognition
and welfare of the entire Movement, and only as a MERCAZ member
can you make a difference in the deliberations and decisions of the
World Zionist Organization, and World Zionist Congress.
12. CAN YOU TELL ME BRIEFLY WHY I SHOULD JOIN?
Membership in MERCAZ USA is the only way you can:
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