Over the past few weeks we have been seeing a lot of coverage about the World Zionist Organization Congress election taking place right now through May 4.
One of the most prominent slates seeking support from members of the Orthodox community is the Orthodox Israel Coalition/Mizrachi (Slate #5). This slate is supported by eight national organizations familiar to our community—the Orthodox Union, Yeshiva University, Touro University, the Rabbinical Council of America,
Amit, the National Council of Young Israel, B’nei Akiva, and Religious Zionists of America-Mizrachi.
The Orthodox Israel Coalition/Mizrachi (Slate #5) embraces seven values:
- Supporting chayalim and miluim families
- Rebuilding devastated Israeli communities
- Bringing volunteer missions to Israel
- Providing shlichim to American day schools
- Supporting yeshivot and midrashot financially and educationally
- Providing Torah-based Zionist curricula in Israel and abroad
- Fighting antisemitism on campuses worldwide
The Jewish Link spoke to several individuals who are delegates on this slate, and prominent communal leaders who voted for the slate, about why they feel that it best represents the interests of the Orthodox Jewish community.
Speaking to The Jewish Link, Rebbetzin Emma Katz of Congregation Anshe Chesed in Linden, discussed why she agreed to be a member of the “Young Ambassadors” of the slate and which value in its platform is most imperative to her.
“I decided to get involved in the OIC Mizrachi slate because I believe strongly in the shared mission of the organizations represented by this slate—Religious Zionism and that it matters to the Modern Orthodox Community in America. As a proud Religious Zionist who currently lives in the United States, I can often discuss policies in Israel, but it’s not often that I can actually effect change, and this is one of those unique opportunities to do so. I also think it is so important that this slate is modeling achdus by bringing together the major organizations within the American Modern Orthodox community for one shared goal and mission.
“I believe that all of the issues that this slate is focused on are important and essential,” Katz continued. “However, one that I feel is particularly important is supporting our chayalim and their families. Our chayalim are unparalleled in their devotion to Am Yisrael—no one else on earth today is sacrificing the way that they are on our behalf. They need every ounce of our support—physically, spiritually and emotionally. And the next most important is their families, because without them, our chayalim could not serve this role for Am Yisrael. I have friends whose husbands have been in miluim for months, with young children at home, and they have been absolute superwomen. To support them is the very least we can do for all that they have done for us.”
Rabbi Yossi Katz, the rav of Congregation Anshe Chesed (and Emma’s husband), shared: “I strongly believe in the notion of unity, which does not mean uniformity, but rather that we see each other as brothers, assuming the best of intentions even when we radically differ in our visions for the future of a state we all love. I am proud to be a Religious Zionist Jew committed to this ideal.
“The OU, Yeshiva University and Mizrachi are not saying, ‘We are entitled to this.’ They are not claiming that because we live here, pay taxes, send our kids to yeshivas and seminaries, or prop up the economy through our tourism, we have a seat at the table because we deserve it or that it is owed to us. Rather, they are saying, ‘We share a destiny and a future with every member of Am Yisrael.’ We have a place at the table not because it is owed to us, but because we deeply believe in and are committed to our shared destiny. This election is an opportunity to advance our agenda for the entirety of Am Yisrael in a way that is respectful, filled with love, and rooted in ahavat Yisrael.”
CB Neugroschl, the head of school of Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls in Teaneck and a member of the Women Leaders of the Orthodox Israel Coalition slate, stated: “The Orthodox Israel Coalition represents organizations that I feel personally aligned with because of their commitment to forging a global impact on Jewish education and the unique position that serve as being an authentic voice of Torah values that includes three key values of integration: 1) between Torah Judaism and Zionism, including a full commitment to supporting our religious chayalim and chayalot in their service of Am Yisrael, 2) recognizing the important role of unity and collaboration between Jews living in Israel and Jews living in the Diaspora, and 3) a world view that understands our Jewish mission to be one that integrates between Torah and Madda—impacting the Jewish world and the broader world. Each of these value points are distinctive, and together they represent the values I am personally and professionally devoted to. I believe our community is most aligned with these goals and understand the importance of bringing out the vote so that our united voice is heard and represented at the World Zionist Congress.
“On a practical level, supporting Slate #5 means we have the opportunity to impact Jewish education globally and in ways that are very important to our Religious Zionist community. This slate supports the seminary and yeshiva gap year programs that have become a cornerstone of our graduates’ growth in Torah and Judaism and the presence of Religious Zionist Shlichim in our schools around the world.
“This slate also supports the lone soldiers who go from our communities to serve in the IDF or to serve as Bnot Sheirut,” Neugroschl continued. “Not only are three of my children serving in the IDF but Ma’ayanot has numerous graduates in the teh IDF and serving as Bnot Sherut—our hearts are with them, our tefillot have them in mind, and this slate is an opportunity to show them our support with very real budgetary implications.”
Dr. Erica Brown, the vice provost for values and leadership at YU, the director of the Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks-Herenstein Center for Values and Leadership, and a member of the Women Leaders of the Orthodox Israel Coalition slate, told The Jewish Link: “I got on the slate because my friend Rabbi Doron Perez asked me to join this very powerful and impressive group of representatives who are Religious Zionists. It is a privilege to be counted among them and important that we as a Diaspora community feel and act like stakeholders in the most defining project of the Jewish people: the State of Israel.”
Rabbi Yosef Blau, a rosh yeshiva at YU and a member of the Rabbinic Leaders of the Orthodox Israel Coalition slate, stated: “I have been active in Religious Zionism for much of my life and have been on this slate for 30 years. Supporting the OIC/Mizrachi slate is a statement about the role of Zionism and Israel in maintaining Jewish identity both in the Diaspora and in Israel.”
Rabbi Binyamin Blau, the senior rabbi of the Green Road Synagogue in Beachwood, Ohio, the rosh yeshiva of the Fuchs Mizrachi School and a member of the Rabbinic Leaders of the Orthodox Israel Coalition slate, said: “The importance of this World Zionist Organization election is self-evident. In my role as past president of the RCA, I worked a lot with Mizrachi and cooperated closely with Rabbi Doron Perez. His life over the past year and a half has really exemplified the struggles that the State of Israel has faced. He asked me to get involved in the OIC slate, and I felt strongly that he represents the interests I believe in very strongly, so I was happy to say yes. Ultimately, you have to have someone at the table who represents the issues you care about and is someone you trust. Rabbi Perez and the Mizrachi organization represent my mindset and hashkafa so I’m proud to support them.”
For more information on the Orthodox Israel Coalition/Mizrachi slate, see: https://voteoic.org/
Harry Glazer is the Middlesex County editor of The Jewish Link. He can be reached at harryglazer615@gmail.com and he welcomes reader feedback.
