Rabbi Cooper's Letters

Dear Friends,

One might surmise that the current political climate in this country and the nationally televised debates might lure us into thinking that the only election matters in which we should be interested will take place in November.  Not so!  There is another election taking place soon about which we should also be interested and concerned.   On March 11, registration and voting in the upcoming elections in the World Zionist Organization will be closed.  I am writing to encourage you to register and vote in the upcoming elections of the WZO.

As I have written before, the WZO, the World Zionist Organization, is  the organization which represents the views, in Israel, of Zionist groups throughout the world.  Every five years, each group, with supporters throughout the world,  encourages its members to vote in the WZO elections, supporting the party which represents their needs and concerns with respect to life in Israel.  Within the Conservative Movement, our party is called MERCAZ.  Following the vote, money allocated by the Israeli government for the WZO, is divided between the constituent organizations, based on the number of people who have voted for that party.  The more members that vote for MERCAZ, the more funding MERCAZ will receive for the many wonderful programs they have initiated and run in Israel. 

The over-arching concern of MERCAZ, however, is the lack of support by the Government for our Movement, and the de-legitimization of our Rabbis in Israel.  Voting for MERCAZ enables us to receive the support and the encouragement of the WZO, while expanding our programs and services in Israel. 

To register and vote requires that you go to the election website:  www.mercaz2020.org.  There is a modest registration fee of $7.50.  They will guide you through the voting procedure.  There you will also find listed all of the parties running in the voting.  Some parties listed will not meet the threshold of votes to be represented.  We are hopeful and confident, however, that, with your support, MERCAZ will enjoy a large number of our members voting and the strong funding that accompanies those votes.

I thank you in advance for your support of Israel and your support of MERCAZ.

B’Shalom,

Neil S. Cooper, Rabbi