How the Woke Left Is Energizing Their Base

“Their goal is to silence our power. They do not want men and women to pray together at the Kotel; they want the education system in Israel to recognize only Orthodox Judaism, and they do not want synagogues to allow women to serve as prayer leaders.” This was the rallying cry at the Conservative movement’s conference held in advance of the upcoming World Zionist elections.

The leaders of the non-Orthodox streams of Judaism are scared. Their hold on the World Zionist Congress and the billions at its disposal is disappearing. In the words of Dr. Yizhar Hess, head of the Conservative Mercaz party: “The only source of funding that non-Orthodox movements [receive] is from the National Institutions: the Zionist Congress and its daughter companies. These two movements, Reform Judaism and Masorti Conservative movements [are] now at risk.”

These are not empty words. These religiously bankrupt movements are on their last legs. Thriving movements don’t rely on one source of funds.

From Ignoring Israel to Exploiting It

From their inception, the non-Orthodox movements have practically ignored Eretz Yisroel. Finding the concept of a Jewish homeland to be ideologically at odds with their vision of the modern Jew, the Reform movement in particular refused to have anything to do with it. But this has changed. Beginning in the 1970s, they started talking about Israel and its importance to Judaism.

Their ideology didn’t change. What they realized was that they were rapidly becoming irrelevant, and to save their movements they piggybacked off the success of the State of Israel and its place in the hearts of the Jewish people. Suddenly, they started claiming they cared about it too. To this end, they joined the WZO and became active in Israeli politics.

Sidebar

The WZO is the umbrella term for the “National Institutions”—which include Keren Kayemeth Leisrael (KKL/JNF), the Jewish Agency (JAFI), and Keren Hayesod (United Israel Appeal), the official fundraising arm of the State of Israel. Collectively, these bodies have a $2.3 billion annual budget.

In 1978, the Reform movement established the Association of Reform Zionists in America (ARZA) as its representative body in the WZO. At the same time, the Conservative Movement redoubled its efforts to grow its party, MERCAZ Olami. These alternative forms of Judaism began to grow in influence within the WZO and demanded that large amounts of money be given to causes aligned with their values.

Unfortunately, they were largely successful. By positioning themselves as the exclusive representatives of American Jewry, they secured leadership positions that allowed them to influence the budgets of the National Institutions.

Based on an investigative review of the entire WZO budget, the total annual amount transferred to the Reform movements by the National Institutions is approximately 46,500,000 NIS. For example, a Reform summer camp received not only direct funding from KKL/JNF but also operated at an official KKL/JNF facility as part of a partnership with the Reform movement.

These activities have an unfortunate effect on thousands of unsuspecting Israelis who are just looking to add religion to their lives. This reality went unchecked for decades.

In 2020, concerned frum activists, guided by Gedolei Yisroel including Rav Chaim Kanievsky and Rav Gershon Edelstein, decided to take action. They founded Eretz HaKodesh, a party dedicated to representing Torah values in the WZO. In their very first election, they secured 25 seats in the Zionist Congress, finally giving a voice to those who oppose the agenda of the Reform and Conservative movements.

Their effect was felt immediately. As Hess describes it: “What happened to us in the last elections to the Congress was a tragedy… The Chareidim ran a slate for the first time in history… and became a very serious party in the Congress. And it changed the forces in the Zionist movement. For the first time… the pluralistic side became a minority. The ramifications are serious.”

The Coming Election

In preparation for the next election, these organizations have launched audacious campaigns. In the last election, they received about 50,000 votes combined. They know they need to do better.

Nothing gets out the vote like a good bogeyman. And apparently, we serve that purpose for them. On ARZA’s election website, the copy screams their fear of a weak vote turnout: “To let ultra-nationalist and ultra-Orthodox extremists win these elections, set the agenda, and control billions in Israel.”

In a campaign video, Josh Weinberg, vice president of the Union for Reform Judaism, warns: “If we don’t vote and we don’t show up, we know who will. Our extremist ultra-Orthodox opponents stand against [our] values. They have opposed us at every turn and are mobilizing to roll back any progress we’ve made. We need all of us to stop them.”

Not to be outdone, ARZA Canada’s video has Michael Dogin, rabbi at the Reform Temple Sinai in Toronto saying: “There is a new organization called Eretz HaKodesh that is working hard to transfer funds and people to jeopardize all of our achievements in Israel. The changes led by this dangerous movement are trying to silence us. We must act now so that our movement will strengthen and we will be able to fight them. Now, more than ever, we need your voice!”

In a recent Times of Israel article titled “Billions at stake: WZO vote sees Orthodox-liberal struggle, opportunity for N. American Jews (Feb. 11, 2025), Hess doubled down: “Generally speaking, the Haredi parties in Knesset do not send delegates to the Zionist Congress, but this new [American] party, Eretz Hakodesh, is associated with the United Torah Judaism party, and they managed to win 25 out of 152 seats. A very strong showing for a new party. All of a sudden, the liberal movements became a minority for the first time, while Haredi Jews, who make up only about 5% of American Jewry, have more than 16% of the vote.”

While his statistics may be questioned, his message is clear. It is only as a result of Eretz Hakodesh that the liberal movements he champions are now a minority in the Congress.

Billions of dollars hang in the balance. Be’ezras Hashem, those of us who care about the future of Am Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel will raise our collective voice March 10-May 4, and take action to ensure that Torah values remain at the heart of our nation.

The final word goes once more to our friend Dr. Hess: “When you don’t vote, all these billions and all this influence go to those who do. Not voting is voting.”

The time to make your voice heard is now!

Vote at EretzHaKodesh.org.