Thirteen slates representing the diversity of the American Jewish community will compete in an election to join the 38th World Zionist Congress (WZC), set to convene in October 2020 in Jerusalem, announced the American Zionist Movement.
The slates, comprised of more than 1,800 candidates, will fight for 152 American seats for the 38th World Zionist Congress in an election organized and facilitated by the American Zionist Movement.
Jewish American residents who are 18 or older will be eligible to vote from Jan. 21 through March 11, 2020. Voting will take place primarily online, with an option for mail-in ballots.
Those elected from the United States will join delegates from Israel and around the world at the 38th World Zionist Congress to help determine the allocation of nearly $1 billion in funding for and the priorities of the World Zionist Organization, Jewish National Fund and the Jewish Agency for Israel.
Theodor Herzl, considered the father of modern-day Zionism, convened the first Zionist Congress in 1897. To date, WZC is the sole democratically elected global Jewish forum.
The 13 slates running in the 2020 World Zionist Congress elections are:
Americans4Israel: Unity, Peace & Security
American Forum for Israel
Dorshei Torah V’Tziyon: Torah and Israel for All
Eretz Hakodesh: Protecting the Kedusha and Mesorah of Eretz Yisrael
Hatikvah: Progressive Israel Slate
Herut Zionists: The Jabotinsky Movement
Israel Shelanu (“Our Israel”)
Mercaz: The Voice of Conservative/Masorti Judaism
Ohavei Zion: World Sephardic Zionist Organization
Orthodox Israel Coalition‒Mizrachi: Vote Torah
Vision: Empowering the Next Generation
Vote Reform: ARZA Representing the Reform Movement and Reconstructing Judaism
ZOA Coalition: Zionist Organization of America, Torah from Sinai, MIG (Make Israel Great) & National Pro-Israel Partners–Courageously Defending Israel, Sovereignty & the Jewish People.
With more slates than ever before, Herbert Block, executive director of the American Zionist Movement, told JNS that he is expecting a large turnout of voters as well.
“The 2015 election had nearly 60,000 voters. We are on track to achieve an even higher turnout this time around, partially because American Jews are in a voting mindset with a likely third election coming up in Israel and the 2020 U.S. election cycle well underway,” he told JNS.
“We’re excited for so many people representing the diversity of the American Jewish community to affirm their connection to Israel and Zionism by voting in this election,” continued Block. “The World Zionist Congress is the ‘parliament of the people,’ and this is the best way for American Jews to vote for their voice in Israel.”
He added, “American Jews are increasingly engaged with Israel and want to be involved in the political process. With so much attention focused on Israeli elections, this is an opportunity for American Jews to declare their Zionism and participate in an election that will impact not only Israel, but all world Jewry.”
Information on how to vote/eligibility is available at: AZM.org/elections.