Read more about our achievements and activities

Achievements & Publications

Read more about our achievements and activities 

Leaders' voice

Op-eds, information and update on the The World Zionist Congress

The World Zionist Congress

Educational materials that MERCAZ Olami has produced, articles and op-eds by MERCAZ Olami leadership

Educational materials

MERCAZ Olami is planning leadership missions to Israel and seminars, all aimed at explaining the importance of MERCAZ’s work in the National Institutions

In the aftermath of a controversial Knesset vote amending the Israeli judiciary’s “reasonableness clause,” commentator Dan Senor said:
“Thirty weeks of massive protests. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis turning out every Saturday night since January…. Israel’s 150 largest companies staging a strike…. Threats from army reservists that they would not any longer volunteer to serve…. Is Israel falling apart?”
An alternative perspective has been offered by Haviv Rettig Gur of the “Times of Israel”: Israel, a young nation, is not “falling apart,” he says, but rather “maturing.” In the absence of a constitution, after decades of a tug-of-war power struggle between the courts and the Knesset, Israel is struggling to seek resolution.
As lovers of Israel in the Diaspora what should we do?

How should American-Jewish supporters of Israel respond to the judicial overhaul controversy?

By Rabbi Alan Silverstein, Ph.D. MERCAZ Olami, President

But things feel different today. Same same - but different. The beauty of the fields, forests, grazing cows along the way; the pleasure of seeing our young grandchildren playing together and our kids building their lives was the same as they have been for years. But the recent vote of 64 to 0 which begins the transformation of the Supreme Court –a basic institution in a democracy—to a tool of increasing the power and control of the government, shades everything in a new, dark light.

Same Same –But Different

By Emily Levy-Shochat, MERCAZ Olami, President

Over the past few months, our team was able to achieve many of our goals at the National Institutions. However, there is still much work to be done and achieved In order to strengthen our movement and our presence at the National Institutions.

MERCAZ OLAMI JUNE BULLETIN

Israeli society is divided between proponents of and opponents to a proposed judicial reform program. Demonstrations and counter-demonstrations are taking place with unprecedented frequency and magnitude.

This is not a conflict between the Right and the Left; it is, rather, a competition between the party in power and the parties leading the opposition. A similar pattern was evident during the 29 years of Menachem Begin’s term as head of the Herut party, when he led the opposition to the dominant Labor Party of David Ben-Gurion in the Knesset.

Diaspora Jewry joins Israeli voices seeking judicial compromise

The Israeli conflict over “Who is a Jew?” is resurfacing in 2023.
A prominent Jewish identity controversy was the 1963 “Brother Daniel Case.” Shmuel Oswald Rufeisen was born a Jew in Poland in 1922, but converted to Catholicism during the war, assumed the name Daniel, and eventually became a priest. Daniel claimed he was still a Jew and sought to attain automatic citizenship under the Law of Return when he moved to Israel. The Israeli government ruled against him due to his Christian conversion; the decision was upheld by the Supreme Court.

The return of “Who is a Jew?”

The Legal Significance of Israel’s Declaration of Independence

Israel’s Declaration of Independence

When I became President of MERCAZ Olami in February 2016, a comprehensive vision governed the National Institutions of the Jewish People [Worldwide] -- the World Zionist Organization, The Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemet LeYisrael, and Keren Hayesod. Many substantive disagreements existed among the more than a dozen Zionist "Britot" and Irgunim." Yet following the outcome of each once-in-5-years election for a World Zionist Congress, a "wall-to-wall" Zionist coalition emerged. Everyone understood the benefit of being inclusive of every type of Jew and Zionist. All of us affirmed the criteria elaborated within the 1953 [updated in 1968] Jerusalem Program: notably "fostering the unity of the Jewish people"

Jewish Peoplehood is an Essential Component of World Jewry's National Institutions

There are days when one can feel that they have been part of great things and other days where one is overwhelmed by the futility of our actions to stop those bent on destroying our way of life.
Yes, it sounds dramatic, but over the course of the last three weeks we have seen both ends of these emotions.

The largest MERCAZ-Canada delegation ever attended the WZO’s Extraordinary Zionist Congress to mark the 75th anniversary of the independence of the State of Israel in Jerusalem

By Stanley Greenspan, President, MERCAZ Canada

The largest MERCAZ-Canada delegation ever attended the WZO’s Extraordinary Zionist Congress to mark the 75th anniversary of the independence of the State of Israel in Jerusalem 

In clear message to the Government of Israel, World Zionist Congress passes unprecedented set of resolutions promoting liberalism and pluralism, opposing “judicial overhaul” and harming Law of Return

While an exuberant Minneapolis delegation celebrated together Israel’s 75th anniversary, I had a parallel journey in Jerusalem as a delegate to the World Zionist Congress on April 19-21. As a delegate, I followed in the legendary footsteps of Theodor Herzl who convened the first World Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland in 1897. One hundred and twenty-six years later, the World Zionist Organization continues to be an important institution, a voice for Jews around the world. Crucially, the World Zionist Organization also governs how money is allocated by the Jewish Agency for Israel.

A Minneapolis View On The World Zionist Congress

By Heidi Schneider, former president of Masorti Foundation

Celebrating 125 Years of Masorti Zionism – Zurich, August 2022

Cantors Assembly mission to Israel – Summer 2022

The WZO Va'ad Hapoel (General Council) voted to broaden and deepen its activities in the areas of Jewish Peoplehood.

Jewish Peoplehood

Success at the World Zionist Congress - Your Votes Mattered!

Your Votes Mattered!

The real drama these days: The Zionist movement almost split

The Zionist movement

In this presentation, we focus on the declaration of Independence, explore it, its resources, and see how it reflects in Israeli society today. You will find the materials in five languages: English, French, German, Spanish and Russian. 

Israel's Declaration of Independence

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Stay updated on the latest news and projects that Masorti Olami is spearheading.

What We Do

Stay updated on the latest news and projects that Masorti Olami is spearheading.

How should American-Jewish supporters of Israel respond to the judicial overhaul controversy?

September 3rd, 2023

Same Same – But Different

July 31st, 2023

MERCAZ OLAMI JUNE BULLETIN

June 15th, 2023

Diaspora Jewry joins Israeli voices seeking judicial compromise

June 15th, 2023

The return of “Who is a Jew?”

June 6th, 2023

The Legal Significance of Israel’s Declaration of Independence

June 1st, 2023

Jewish Peoplehood is an Essential Component of World Jewry's National Institutions

May 28th, 2023

The largest MERCAZ-Canada delegation ever attended the WZO’s Extraordinary Zionist Congress to mark the 75th anniversary of the independence of the State of Israel in Jerusalem

May 23rd, 2023

In clear message to the Government of Israel, World Zionist Congress passes unprecedented set of resolutions promoting liberalism and pluralism, opposing “judicial overhaul” and harming Law of Return

May 23rd, 2023

A Minneapolis View On The World Zionist Congress

April 23rd, 2023

Celebrating 125 Years of Masorti Zionism – Zurich, August 2022

August 26th, 2022

Cantors Assembly mission to Israel – Summer 2022

June 13th, 2022

Jewish Peoplehood

January 2nd, 2022

Leadership Seminar – Summer 2021

July 13th, 2021

Success at the World Zionist Congress - Your Votes Mattered!

November 11th, 2020

The real drama these days: The Zionist movement almost split

November 10th, 2020

Israel's Declaration of Independence

April 29th, 2020

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