MERCAZ Newsletter —Summer 2006

MERCAZ: STRONG SHOWING IN WZO ELECTIONS

After two years of work, MERCAZ received the news that showed its investment of time and resources had not been in vain: MERCAZ won 22% of the American votes cast in the World Zionist Congress elections, electing 32 delegates to the June ‘06 international Jewish parliament and maintaining the same level of support as in 2002. Click here for the official results and for other important information about the Zionist Congress elections.

The 32 MERCAZ USA delegates, plus up to 64 alternate delegates, will be joined in Jerusalem by the two mandates elected by our allies, the Green Zionist Alliance, enabling the MERCAZ USA faction to enter the Congress, which will meet to consider issues facing the WZO and Jewish Agency for Israel, including questions of pluralism in Israel and how the Agency’s funds should be distributed, with one more mandate than it did in 2002.

In addition, Zionist elections in other countries are expected to produce another 12-18 delegates for MERCAZ Olami, the worldwide Conservative Zionist organization, while World Council/Masorti Olami will have its own 15 delegates, representing Conservative/Masorti congregations from around the world.

“We have stabilized our position and held our own after having lost about 15% of our vote in 2002”, said Executive Director Rabbi Robert Golub. “This accomplishment should not be minimized or overlooked. Despite severe financial constraints placed on us in these elections, the difficult two-stage election process and the lack of a major Israeli issue around which to rally our congregants, we succeeded in maintaining our share of the electorate from four years ago.”

“This point is particularly important given the rash of stories over the last couple of years describing the decline of the Conservative Movement, including the results of the latest National Jewish Population Survey, the upheavals last year at the Schechter Rabbinical School and the Masorti Movement, the announcement of Dr. Schorsch’s retirement in June as Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary and the current debate within the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards over homosexuality.”

“In fact,” as Rabbi Golub pointed out, “since a large percentage of Conservative Jews have multiple Zionist affiliations, we probably could have gained an additional half-dozen mandates had all registered Conservative Jews voted MERCAZ.”

Rabbi Vernon Kurtz, MERCAZ USA President, added: “On behalf of our Officers and Directors and particularly our Election Committee Co-Chairs Dr. Marilyn Wind and Rabbi Richard Hammerman, I extend a hearty Yeshar Koach to all. We succeeded in uniting all arms of the Conservative Movement, both here in the United States and in Israel, behind this campaign and we all rightly deserve to feel proud of our accomplishments. Now, onward to Jerusalem and the Zionist Congress!”