ZIONIST CONGRESS ELECTIONS ARE HERE!

The Conservative Movement’s electoral campaign for representation in the 35th World Zionist Congress has begun, with the opening last month of voter registration. Now is the opportunity for Conservative Jews to show pride in their synagogue and help the Conservative Movement by registering for the 2006 World Zionist Congress elections and backing MERCAZ USA.

Any American Jew who will have turned 18 by the end of June 2006 and who affirms the basic principles of Zionism, as described in the Jerusalem Program, can vote to elect the 145 delegates who will represent U.S. Jewry at the 2006 Congress.

Additionally, American citizens living in Israel, temporarily or permanently, and who did not vote in the 2003 Knesset elections are entitled to register, providing they have a mailing address in the United States and a credit card that can be charged in dollars.

The voting process will be in two stages as it was in 1997 and 2002: voter registration and balloting. Thereis a registration fee of $7 per adult and $5 per full-time student. These fees go to the American Zionist Movement to cover the costs of the election. Ballots will be distributed to registered voters starting in mid-November, 2005, and voting will end on February 28, 2006.

ONLINE REGISTRATION: Go to http://www.mercazusa.org to access the voter registration via the MERCAZ USA website. Click on “Register” to begin the application process. Click on “Learn” to access background information about the WZO elections and why MERCAZ deserves your support. Online registration ends on February 15th, 2006.

MAIL-IN REGISTRATION: A registration form has been included with this newsletter. Since every person qualified to vote must complete his/her own voter application, additional forms may be secured by copying this form (front and back). Households with two or more registrants may place all forms in one envelope and cover with one form of payment. Mail-in registration concludes January 15th, 2006.

NOTE: Even if you are a current MERCAZ member and/or voted in the 2002 WZO Elections, you still have to register to vote this year.

Once you are registered and receive your ballot, vote for MERCAZ, Conservative Judaism’s Zionist affiliate. Put your belief in the Conservative/Masorti Movement in North America and Israel to work.

Your vote will make a difference. Voting results determine how much funding the Jewish Agency for Israel will provide the Conservative/Masorti Movement. With your vote, you’ll help strengthen the Masorti Movement and religious pluralism in Israel. Your vote also will support Conservative youth programs in Israel, which include USY Pilgrimage, the Ramah Seminar, the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem and the NATIV Year Course.

For more information, call the MERCAZ office at 1-888-99 MERCAZ (1-888-996-3722) or email info@mercazusa.org.

If You care about strengthening an open tolerant Judaism in Israel –
If You care about strengthening USY and Ramah programs in Israel –
If You care about getting our fair share of community funds –
Then Register Now to Vote in the 2006 Zionist Congress Elections!