It's not every day that we get to share the news about launching an exciting new partnership, but it is today! Ameinu is thrilled to be playing a leading role in the HATIKVAH: Progressive Israel Slate. The HATIKVAH slate is running in the upcoming World Zionist Congress elections. For the first time, 11 groups have come together with an amazing list of activists, rabbis and other leaders, to form the HATIKVAH slate. Ameinu is excited to have 11 of our board members, activists and staff on this incredible list of Jewish leaders, led by Kenneth Bob, our president, at the top of the ticket!
Making your voice heard in the Israeli political sphere is often challenging from here in the United States. But since 1897, every single Jew worldwide has had the opportunity to affect Israeli political and economic policy by voting in the World Zionist Congress elections (WZC). In fact, Ameinu and its organizational predecessors have been involved since the beginning. Why are we still involved? Because these elections have real, meaningful impact on the ground.
The results of the WZC elections directly affect the distribution of $1,000,000,000 in annual funding. This money, which flows through the National Institutions (the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish Agency for Israel, the World Jewish National Fund and the United Israel Appeal) has a huge impact on the lives of Israelis of all religions and backgrounds as well as Palestinians in the occupied territories.
And beyond questions of occupation, these institutions and the funding they disperse impact questions of religious pluralism, education, gender, LGBTQ equality, refugees, asylum seekers and foreign workers, the environment, and more.
By coming together and raising the voice of the American Jewish community in this democratic process, we can and will help make Israel reflect our shared progressive values.
Voting for HATIKVAH: Progressive Israel Slate, supports:
∙ A two-state solution and ending the occupation
∙ Social justice and protection of democratic rights for all Israeli citizens
∙ Religious and cultural pluralism
∙ Gender equity
∙ Full legal and social equality for the LGBTQ community
∙ Dignity for refugees, asylum seekers and foreign workers
∙ Environmental sustainability and regional cooperation
You can see the full platform here.
The WZC elections run from January 21 to March 11. Sign up now and, when the elections starts, you will receive an email from HATIKVAH with a link to vote.
Together, we are HATIKVAH and together we can make change.
Thank you,
Nomi Colton-Max
Chair, Ameinu Executive Committee
Member, World Zionist Organization Area Election Committee
