Resolution in Support of Mercaz Olami Electoral Campaigns

WHEREAS the worldwide Conservative/Masorti movement is represented in the World Zionist Organization and Jewish Agency for Israel by MERCAZ Olami; and

WHEREAS the participation in the World Zionist Organization and Jewish Agency has produced since 1987 an annual allocation to the programs and institutions of Conservative/Masorti Judaism in Israel which today reaches nearly $2 million in direct funding and a similar amount in program grants for the Conservative/Masorti movement throughout the Diaspora; and

WHEREAS policies and allocations in the World Zionist Organization, Jewish Agency and Keren Kayemet Le’Yisrael are determined by the size of elected delegations to the quadrennial World Zionist Congress; and

WHEREAS the 35th World Zionist Congress will be taking place in June 2006, preceded in every Diaspora country by special Zionist elections to determine the composition of the national delegation; and

WHEREAS there are MERCAZ branches throughout the world, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, England, France, Hungary, Israel, Mexico, Uruguay and the United States, which will be competing in local Zionist Congress elections taking place over the next 12 months.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Rabbinical Assembly call upon its members to support actively the MERCAZ electoral campaign in their respective countries by joining MERCAZ themselves, encouraging others to join MERCAZ and voting for the MERCAZ slate in order to increase the power and influence of the Conservative Movement in the World Zionist Organization and Jewish Agency; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in countries like the United States, where a special registration will be a prerequisite to voting in the Zionist elections, the Rabbinical Assembly strongly encourages voter registration drives in every Conservative institution and pledges to work with the other arms of the Conservative Movement to insure maximum voter participation.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be sent to the other institutions and organizations of the Conservative/Masorti Movement encouraging them to join us in this endeavor.

Passed by the Rabbinical Assembly Plenum, March, 2005