Resolution In Support of the MERCAZ Olami Electoral Campaign

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

Whereas 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 amounting today to more than $1 million in direct funding and a similar amount in program grants for the Conservative/Masorti movement throughout the Diaspora including Europe, South America and the former Soviet Union and

Whereas policies and allocations in the World Zionist Organization, Jewish Agency and Keren Kayemet Leisrael are determined by the size of elected delegations to the World Zionist Congress and

Whereas the 37th World Zionist Congress with its 500 elected delegates will take place in October 2015, preceded throughout the diaspora by special Zionist elections to determine the composition of the national delegation and

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

Whereas the Zionist elections in the United States will determine the composition of the American delegation of 145 members, the largest group at the Zionist Congress after that from Israel.

Therefore be it resolved that the Rabbinical Assembly calls upon its members to actively support the MERCAZ electoral campaign in their respective countries by joining MERCAZ as members, by encouraging others to join MERCAZ and by 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 and

Be it further resolved that this resolution be sent to the other institutions of the Conservative/Masorti Movement encouraging them to join us in this endeavor.