Vote Reform in Israel with the Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA)
Equality. Democracy. Pluralism. Israel.
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WHAT IS ARZA?
The Association of Reform Zionists of America is the Israel arm of the Reform Movement, representing our community to the Zionist National Institutions.
ARZA’s Mission is two-fold: to center a connection to Israel in the American Reform community and to strengthen our Movement on the ground in Israel.
WHAT IS THE WORLD ZIONIST CONGRESS (WZC)?
The World Zionist Congress (WZC) is a representative body of the world's Jewish people. Established by Theodor Herzl in 1897, the Zionist Congress (as it was originally known) was the legislative body of the World Zionist Organization (WZO), a non-governmental entity that promotes Zionism. Today, the two bodies are known respectively as the World Zionist Congress (WZC) and the World Zionist Organization (WZO).
Watch a video, featuring our own Hannalee Isaacs, with more information.
The WZC, also known as the Parliament of the Jewish People, comprises 500 delegates and meets in Jerusalem every five years. It enables delegates to exert ideological influence on both Israeli society and the global Jewish agenda, as well as allocate financial and other resources to various organizations – including the Reform Movement – in Israel.
Currently, the United States has 145 delegates in the WZC, the largest single delegation outside Israel. Thanks to a robust turnout in the 2015 elections, 56 of the 145 delegates (39 percent) represent the Reform Movement and, as a result, have been able to ensure that more than $4 million a year ($20 million over five years) is being directed to the Israeli Reform Movement.
A strong election turnout among North America’s Reform Jews and our supporters and allies will ensure that financial resources will continue to flow to our Israeli movement – including Reform congregations and institutions. It also will allow us to fill leadership positions in some of Israel’s national institutions, including the World Zionist Organization (WZO), the Jewish Agency for Israel, and Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael – Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF).
See our sidebar for links to more information: Learn more about this important election, how to participate, and how the Reform Movement's Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA) works to make the state of Israel a place where we can pray, connect with the land, and live Jewish lives according to Reform Judaism's ideals.
