(Courtesy of Mizrachi) Over the past 15 months of Israel’s ongoing war, significant attention has been paid to the multi-front battlefields from which Israel must defend herself. Not only has Israel been physically attacked from all directions, but Jewish communities all across the globe have been fighting their own battles in support of the Jewish nation and the legitimacy of the Jewish people.
Over 180 shlichim of the World Zionist Organization, all of whom work as teachers in Jewish schools, gathered recently in New Jersey for a historic summit to support the work of emissaries worldwide and highlight the sacrifice many have made since October 7, shuttling back and forth between reserve duty on the battlefront and their work in Diaspora communities.
Among the 180 are numerous emissaries who have done multiple tours of reserve duty, even while their wives continue to work in the schools and communities back home. One emissary, Rotem, arrived directly to the New Jersey summit where he saw his wife for the first time in several months. He was still in his army fatigues after being released from his fourth round of reserve duty. Just prior to his leaving Lebanon and heading to the U.S., an explosion had killed four fellow reservists from his brigade.
“These young men and women are perhaps the ultimate examples of the strength of Zionism today,” explained Roi Abecassis, head of the department of education within the World Zionist Organization. “They prove, time and again, their commitment to fighting in the battle for Israel’s survival, and its future, in these two very different but equally important ways.”
The three-day gathering provided the opportunity for the emissaries to gain strength from one another in light of the ongoing challenges surrounding the war, as well as share practical tools they are using in schools and communities around the world. The gathering was jointly organized by the WZO, together with the Jewish National Fund, KKL and Israel’s Ministry for Immigrant Absorption.
Abecassis, representative of the World Mizrachi movement to Israel’s national institutions, said that the presence of emissaries in communities is an increasingly powerful tool for promoting pro-Zionist and pro-Jewish messages on the international front. Founded in 1902, Mizrachi is the global Religious Zionist movement, spreading Torat Eretz Yisrael across the world and strengthening the bond between the international Jewish community and the State of Israel.
“The work of these emissaries is vital for ensuring that students and families all over the Jewish world are being guided, inspired and educated on the ideals of shared values, heroism and service of the Jewish people,” Abecassis said. “In many ways, their roles as emissaries on the global front are no less vital than their service in Gaza, Lebanon or wherever they have been serving.”
The conference is part of a series of events highlighting the role of Zionist activities around the world that come in advance of the next round of elections for the World Zionist Congress that will take place in May of 2025.
Stephen Flatow, president of the Religious Zionists of America-Mizrachi, commented that events such as these provide a critical glimpse into why support for the Religious Zionist slate is so important.
“These shlichim, through their personal stories, so many of which have involved loss and sacrifice over the past 15 months, are the ultimate examples of dedication to how army service, combined with Torah ideals and love of the land, will forge a better future for our country and people.
“They are also helping carry the critical message that Religious Zionism is not just a message for Israelis. In the United States our way of life is being challenged by the American Jewish experience of the past 50 years where intermarriage and indifference to religion have taken hold, but a strong Religious Zionist presence in the World Zionist Congress will give us the tools to counteract that challenge. It’s a battle that we must win.”
