Israeli President Isaac Herzog announced on Wednesday the launch of a global survey to help determine the focus of a worldwide Jewish advisory council set to address the most pressing challenges facing Jewish communities in Israel and the Diaspora as part of his Voice of the People initiative.
“We are currently engaged in safeguarding the State of Israel and reinforcing the strength of the Jewish people amid a challenging war and rising antisemitism. Simultaneously, we face critical issues that demand our attention,” the president explained.
“In response, we are establishing the Voice of the People council, which will focus on ensuring the Jewish people’s ability to thrive in a changing world. The survey we are launching today will shape the council, and therefore shape the discussions impacting the future of the Jewish people. I encourage everyone to participate and contribute to help build our collective future,” he added.
Herzog launched Voice of the People, also known as “Kol Ha’am,” in April 2023 with the aim of it becoming an incubator for innovative and practical solutions to the pressing challenges facing the Jewish people worldwide, while also fostering international Jewish leadership.
The initiative will include the establishment of an international Jewish council composed of 150 leaders from communities around the world—50 representatives from Israel, 50 from the United States and Canada, and 50 from other countries.
To help select council members, an algorithm has been developed to ensure a diverse and fairly-represented body for the global Jewish community, considering factors such as gender, religious affiliation, ethnicity and community ties, with a particular emphasis on including members under the age of 50. Registration for the council will begin in September.
In the meantime, the survey is being circulated to select topics for discussion in the first council meeting. The survey is open for responses for the next 45 days, after which the results will guide the council’s priorities and strategic actions.
Topics may include the dramatic rise in antisemitism, the sense of insecurity within Jewish communities, Jewish culture and heritage, Israel-Diaspora relations, and economic discrimination against Jews and Israelis.
Twenty of the survey’s respondents will be selected to participate in a private conversation with Herzog during the virtual launch event on Sept. 15.
“Imagine in 20 years looking back and seeing how each cohort of our council has shaped the Jewish people’s trajectory. Through their recommendations and our collective efforts, we will be able to trace the development of our communities and understand the impact we have made. This is our chance to create a legacy that will guide and inspire future generations,” said Voice of the People CEO Shirel Dagan-Levy.
Voice of the People is a joint project of the President’s Office, the World Zionist Organization and the Jewish Agency, in cooperation with philanthropic foundations including the Azrieli Foundation, the Patrick and Lina Drahi Foundation and the Wilf Family Foundations.
