MERCAZ USA Newsletter — Summer 2010

Mercaz Takes Its Place At Zionist Congress

After nearly eighteen months of planning and preparation, the members of the MERCAZ delegation have departed the United States to take up their places at the 36th World Zionist Congress, June 15-17, in Jerusalem.

Led by MERCAZ President Dr. Stephen Wolnek, the Conservative delegation includes 33 full and nearly 30 alternate delegates, including the elected MERCAZ officers and the top leadership of all of the other constituent arms of the Conservative Movement: Cantors Assembly, JTS, Masorti Foundation, Men's Clubs, NAASE, Rabbinical Assembly, Ramah, Schechter Schools, United Synagogue and Women's League.

In addition, the MERCAZ has fulfilled the requirement of the World Zionist Organization by allocating 25% of its delegate positions to young Jewish leadership, ages 18-30 who were nominated by JTS, USY, Ramah and the Conservative Yeshiva, with additional slots being reserved for representatives of "Dor Hemshech", the 30-45 year olds.

In Jerusalem, the MERCAZ USA contingent has joined with other Conservative-Masorti leaders from other parts of the world to form the largest MERCAZ Olami delegation in its history, with 57 mandates (up from 55 in 2006), including two from its American allies, the Green Zionist Alliance. The MERCAZ delegation is part of the 126-member "HaSia HaMe'uchedet" (The United Faction) which also includes the Israeli Kadima Party and HaNoar Hazioni.

The theme of the Zionist Congress is "Zionism: Herzl's Vision – Perpetual Renewal" and it comes 113 years after Theodore Herzl, the founder of the modern Zionist movement, gathered about 200 Jewish leaders from around the world in Basel, Switzerland, to discuss the condition of the Jewish People and to organize towards the creation of the Jewish state.

Members of the MERCAZ USA delegation include: Dr. Stephen S. Wolnek (Port Washington, NY), Rabbi Vernon Kurtz (Highland Park, IL), Richard Skolnik (Bellmore, NY), Laurie Turnof (Holmdel, NJ – youth), Rabbi Jeffrey Wohlberg (Washington, DC), Cory Schneider (Harrisburg, PA), Mark Berlin (Potomac, MD), Simeon Cohen (Hillsdale, NJ – youth), Rabbi Robert Golub (New York, NY), Rabbi Jerome Epstein (Boca Raton, FL), Rabbi Matthew Earne (San Diego, CA – Dor Hemshech), Steven Abraham (New York, NY - youth), Miriam Benson (New Haven, CT), Cantor David Propis (Houston, TX), Gloria Cohen (Smithtown, NY) and Rabbi Daniel Dorsch (Livingston, NJ – youth).

Also joining the delegation are: Dr. Marilyn Wind (Bethesda, MD), Stephen Steckler (Brookeville, MD), Sandy Starkman (Highland Park, IL), Sarah Chopnick (Wynnewood, PA – youth), Rabbi Gerald Skolnik (Forest Hills, NY), Rabbi Gilah Dror (Hampton, VA), David Lissy (White Plains, NY), Amy Greenfield Dorsch (Livingston, NJ – youth), Rita Wertlieb (Potomac, MD), Rabbi Charles Simon (New York, NY), Rabbi Leor Sinai (New York, NY – Dor Hemshech), Avi Siegel (Beverly Hills, CA – youth), Gary Rosenthal (Somerset, NJ), Irma Megiddo (Forest Hills, NY), Robert Levine (Teaneck, NJ), Aryeh Canter (San Francisco, CA – youth), and Julian Brook (Birmingham, AL).

Among the alternate delegates are: Ami Greener (Washington, D.C.), Morton Steinberg (Highland Park, IL), Gloria Landy (Rumson, NJ), Gil Kleiner (Baltimore, MD), Rabbi Alan Silverstein (West Caldwell, NJ), Larry Pachter (Highland Park, IL), Michael Mills (Cincinnati, OH), Sandy Blumenthal (Langhorne, PA), Carol Simon (Tampa, FL), Kenneth Elfand (Woodland Hills, CA), Rabbi Joseph Brodie (Riverdale, NY), Barbara Ezring (Charlotte, NC), Myles Simpson (Agoura Hills, CA) and Ira Bartfield (Arlington, VA).

Also with the delegation are: Elysia Wolnek (Port Washington, NY), Cantor Jack Chomsky (Columbus, OH), Judith Horowitz (N. Massapequa, NY), Rabbi Mitchell Malkus (Los Angeles, CA), Rabbi Joel Rembaum (Los Angeles, CA), Naomi Yadin Mendick (Sandy Spring, MD), Evelyn Seelig (Jericho, NY) and Elihu Leifer (Chevy Chase, MD).

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