ALIYAH COMMITTEE
AMTON Newsletter
June 2001

ELECTIONS ARE COMING!

The campaign is getting underway for elections to the 2002 World Zionist Congress in Jerusalem. These elections offer every Jewish individual, age 18 and over, the opportunity to be heard in matters affecting Israel and world Jewry. MERCAZ USA, the Zionist arm of Conservative Judaism and the largest branch of MERCAZ OLAMI ("MERCAZ International"), emerged in the last elections (1997) as the second largest Zionist group in the U.S. The number of people voting for MERCAZ USA directly affects the amounts of allocations from the Jewish Agency to the Conservative/Masorti Movement, including money for schools, synagogues and teacher training in Israel, leadership missions to Israel, USY and Camp Ramah Israel programs. Therefore, it is critical that we dramatically increase participation in the election process.

In the absence of any significant funding from the Israeli government, these allocations represent the largest part of the Masorti Movement’s budget.

If you are concerned about freedom, democracy, and pluralism in Israel and the right of Conservative/Masorti Judaism to flourish in Israel, watch for more news about the elections and how you can register to vote for MERCAZ USA.

Salute to Israel Parade, Fifth Avenue, New York, May 20, 2001. Dan Biron, Director of the Israel Aliyah Center & Karni Goldshmid-Lahav (Right Side)

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