World Zionist Congress Day 2 (Photo Essay)

By BJLIfe/Sharon Altshul
Posted on 04/21/23

Jerusalem, Israel - Apr. 21, 2023 - The World Zionist Congress gathering of representatives from 40 countries opened the program for the second day at the Jerusalem International Convention Center on April 20, 2023. The Congress is the supreme body in terms of legislation and outlining the policies of the World Zionist Organization (WZO) a kind of universal Jewish parliament. The congress delegates are elected representatives from the Zionist Federations all over the world who are members of the WZO.

In late January 2023, the expanded Zionist Executive voted Tova Dorfman as WZO president and she began her role on February 1, 2023. Previously, she had served as Deputy Chairwoman of the WZO, and Chairwoman of the Department for Israel and Holocaust Commemoration Worldwide, as well as the chair of the Herzl Center and Museum of WZO. 

Among her other many accomplishments in the philanthropic world, Tova played a leading role in establishing and steering Birthright Excel and TALMA, the National Program on Excellence in English. 

Raised in Oak Park, MI, Tova pursued her undergraduate and graduate studies in Los Angeles, and upon completion, made Aliyah in 1984. From Israel, she directed the Israel and Overseas Department of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and represented the Detroit Jewish community in Israel. She lives with her husband, Dr. Raviv Schwartz, and their two sons, Matan and Yaniv, outside of Tel Aviv.

BJL had the pleasure of an exclusive interview with Tova on Thursday morning. Asked about her aims in the position, she stressed how she wants to get people "engaged" - to know what the World Zionist Organization is and make the various departments work more smoothly together.

WZO is political and the groupings had faction meetings in the afternoon, after options for tours in the morning. One group marched with Israeli flags to protest against judicial reform.

However, also, on the second day, a youth conference for informal education and young leadership was held in the convention center. Among the participants were 1000 young Israelis who had the opportunity to meet with young people from around the world. The enthusiastic delegates aged 18-23 represented 14 global Zionist youth movements from an impressive variety of countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Russia, Ukraine, Netherlands, Mexico, Belgium, Bulgaria, Ecuador, Great Britain, South Africa, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Italy, Spain, New Zealand, Venezuela, Sweden, Denmark, and Israel.

Sergio Edelstein, member of the executive of the WZO in charge of the youth conference said: "The connection between the young people who are members of Zionist youth movements who will lead Diaspora Jewry and the State of Israel in the future are a strategic asset for the State of Israel. As educators, it is our duty to educate to build a bridge between the Diaspora and the State of Israel."

For the youth congress plenary sessions, translations were available. The youth conference included roundtable meetings to discuss issues related to Zionism, the State of Israel, and the relationship between Israel and the Diaspora. Those sessions were divided into smaller groups, and by observing the ones in Spanish and English, appeared extremely successful.

The WZO first plenary in the afternoon was a tribute to Avraham Duvdevani. Duvdev as he is well known, was one of the soldiers who liberated Jerusalem in 1967.  As an Israeli politician and activist, he has served as the chairman of the WZO and as the chairman of the Jewish National Fund. Yaakov Hagoel, WZO Chairman made the presentation. 

WZO executive member Gusti Yehoshua Braverman, stated: "The Zionist Congress is gathering in Jerusalem after a delay of two and a half years caused by the coronavirus and in the shadow of a difficult dispute in Israel that threatens the internal cohesion that is so essential to deal with the external threat. I believe that the leaders of the Zionist movement who come from all over the world and who provide all the political views and current trends, know as they also knew controversies in the past, to call on the government of Israel to unite around the Jewish world and promise that the 'Third Temple'(The State of Israel) will continue to be founded on the principles of a Jewish and democratic state. The home of the Jewish people wherever they are." 

The factions meetings in the afternoon included, Likud, Shas, Eretz Hakodesh, Mizrachi, Herut, Derech Ertez, Yesh Atid, Bue & White,  and Labor.  The closing plenary session to adopt resolutions gathered in the large conference hall after the faction meetings and the Duvdenvai tribute. 

The electronic voting devices were carefully distributed to only the delegates present and had their names on lists. The disruption of the voting included shouts of 'busha' as Israeli flags were waved. The voting was delayed as presidiums regrouped in the previous meeting rooms. One was reminded not to take photographs. However, multiple delegates used their cell phones to record the balagan.

In contrast, the youth plenary ended with loudly singing Am Yisrael Chai.

The future looked much brighter than the present today in Jerusalem, Israel. 

Tova Dorfman has a major challenge ahead, in working to bring the factions of the World Zionist Organization together for the good of the Jewish people.