William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, which consists of about 50 Jewish groups, plans to spend Tuesday working the phones and following results that come out in the Israeli elections.
“With Israel facing one of its most consequential elections in recent memory, I expect to spend much of the day on calls and Zoom meetings with colleagues in Israel and the United States, following the exit polls and assessing the political landscape,” he told JNS.
“Israeli elections are always consequential, but this one carries particular significance not only for Israel’s future but for its relationship with the United States, American Jewry and the broader Middle East,” Daroff said. “I will be watching closely, not just to see who wins the most seats but who can assemble a governing coalition and what that government might mean for Israel’s future.”
Daroff intends to watch election results at a watch party in downtown Washington—site unnamed publicly for security reasons—hosted by the American Zionist Movement and the Jewish Federations of North America.
Organizers of the event told JNS that some 65 people are slated to attend, including congressional staffers and representatives from the Reform Action Center, Hadassah, Young Jewish Conservatives, Anti-Defamation League, Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, Jewish Agency for Israel, Zionist Organization of America and Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington.
The American Zionist Movement, Federation and Conference of Presidents will also be represented.
“The gathering will be casual, informal and collegial, providing an opportunity for attendees to watch the election results together, socialize and exchange perspectives on Israeli politics and Israel’s relationship with the Jewish diaspora,” a spokesman for the organizers told JNS.
“There will be no formal presentations or speeches,” the spokesman said.
JNS asked Daroff and more than a dozen of other Jewish leaders if they have any particular “rituals” or menu items for when they watch Israeli elections. One American Jewish leader told JNS that he has the flu and as such, won’t be doing anything special.
Evan Bernstein, CEO of B’nai Brith International, told JNS the nonprofit held “a special pre-election analysis call last week with our international leadership,” led by the director of B’nai B’rith World Center-Jerusalem, Alan Schneider.
“We will convene a post-election strategy call with international leadership once the results are known,” Bernstein told JNS.
Roz Rothstein, co-founder and CEO of StandWithUs, told JNS that “while American Jews don’t live in Israel, the Jewish state is an important part of the identity of most American Jews, and they care deeply about its future.”
“American Jews hold a wide range of political views and are likely as divided over Israeli political candidates as Israelis themselves,” she said.
Mayan Lazarovich, director of international communications at the Anti-Defamation League, told JNS that the organization is following the election while maintaining its nonpartisan position.
“Events in Israel often resonate in and affect Jewish communities here in the United States and around the world,” Lazarovich told JNS.
