Voice of the People, a global initiative tackling key challenges facing the Jewish people spearheaded by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, announced on Wednesday the formation of its inaugural 150-member global council. This cohort will lead a two-year mission to address the most pressing challenges facing the global Jewish community.
The council is composed of 50 members from Israel, 50 from North America and 50 from other regions across the world.
The selection process employed a custom-built algorithm evaluating factors such as age, gender, geographic location and religious affiliation. This approach was complemented by interviews, referrals and in-depth background checks, with an emphasis on inclusion of leaders from the younger generation.
The council includes communal professionals, academics, students, rabbis, high-tech professionals, social media influencers and entrepreneurs, and its members hail from every corner of the Jewish world, including Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, France, Italy, South Africa, Turkey, Ukraine, the U.K. and the U.S.
The council will convene for a virtual kickoff in February, followed by an in-person five-day conference in Israel in March. Members will work in dedicated “Mission Groups” over two years, addressing key challenges identified through the Voice of the People global survey.
The survey, a pivotal initiative launched in August to source opinions and insights on the future of the Jewish people from Jews worldwide, has so far garnered close to 10,000 responses. By inviting participation from communities worldwide, it ensures that the council’s priorities reflect the collective concerns and aspirations of Jewish people everywhere.
“The selected council members represent not only an extraordinary range of skills and strengths but also a wealth of diversity, of complementary differences that I am confident will make the Kol Ha’am [‘Voice of the People’] Council much greater than the sum of its parts,” said Herzog.
“The new reality that we face since Oct. 7, 2023, leaves no doubt—we are obligated to mobilize our best collective resources to arrive at practical and genuine solutions to the needs and challenges of the Jewish people around the world. I am convinced that through joint efforts, in the spirit of Jewish solidarity and with a strong belief in the power of listening, true dialogue and a commitment to the community and to one another, we can lay the foundations for real, significant and lasting change that will leave a mark on our future,” he said.
