From building – to shaping Israeli society

PROF ANTONY ARKIN

ARZENU SOUTH AFRICA 

While the work of nation building continues, much of the focus has shifted from building Israel the state to shaping Israel the society.

The Congress, made up of 500 delegates from Israel, North America and all around the Jewish world, (six from South Africa) met in Jerusalem in the midst of the current wave of violence and incitement

Delegates voted on resolutions that ranged from constitutional and budgeting procedures to passionate statements of values that reflect the diversity of Jewish community, practice and beliefs.

The Congress serves as the vehicle whereby the budgets and positions of influence in Israel’s national institutions are determined. These resolutions impact future priorities, programming and practices. 

This matters as the Congress presents Arzenu with the platform to express its ideals of democracy, religious equality, religious pluralism, human rights, peace and social justice and for these to be reflected in the policies of Israel’s government and its national institutions. (Jewish Agency, World Zionist Organisation, the Jewish National Fund and the Israel United Appeal).

The keynote address was delivered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who described the “10 lies that the Palestinians are telling”. Included in his remarks was a statement about the Second World War, claiming that the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem convinced Hitler to annihilate the Jews rather than simply expel them.

Opposition leader Yitzhak Herzog, offered a more conciliatory message, and Minister of Defence Moshe Yaalon’s speech on the situation facing Israel, was a highlight.

The most important messages were those delivered by the delegates themselves. Their votes indicated that Zionism has entered the 21st century with increasing focus on the character of Israeli society.

By passing resolutions that called for the combating of racism and hate crimes, fostering democracy and equality, promoting religious pluralism and supporting protections for the LGBT community, the delegates gave a clear message that the work of Zionism has entered a new phase. A modern Israel must be defined by the values enshrined in Israel’s Declaration of Independence.

A historic statement, passed with a vote of 359 – 190, supported the LGBT community. It called on the WZO and Israel’s education minister to support and develop educational programming for the LGBT community and to “enforce complete equality of their admission to Zionist entities and within national institutions”.

Congress insisted by a vote of 382-163 that the government recommit its efforts to building an egalitarian prayer space at the Western Wall.

Congress overwhelmingly (525-24) passed a resolution against hate crimes committed in our name. “After a summer that saw the rise of ‘Price Tag’ retributive violence committed by small groups of Jewish terrorists, this resolution was profoundly important.”

Several resolutions were passed,” sometimes by disturbingly narrow votes”, reaffirming the vision of the Declaration of Independence of an Israel committed to the values of democracy and freedom for all its inhabitants.

It affirmed classic Zionist mandates of promoting aliyah, supporting the best practices of absorbing immigrants into Israel and promoting education and outreach to the communities of the Diaspora, especially in the face of growing worldwide anti-Semitism.

Congress passed critical resolutions for transparency and clean government within the Zionist organisations and under its umbrella.

“With our coalition partners, we also beat back some resolutions that proposed an alternative, and deeply troubling, vision of Zionism. While we all oppose BDS, attempts to combat the BDS movement can be twisted to suppress real democratic debate. 

“Thus, there were resolutions that would sanction legitimate leftwing organisations within the Zionist tent, or would stifle the right to dissent and debate within our own community. I am proud to say that we stopped those resolutions in their tracks.”

Resolutions do not immediately establish realities on the ground, but they do give an indication of the direction in which Zionist thought and Israeli society, is trending.

“I came out of the Congress aware that our vision of a strong, proud, pluralistic and inclusive State of Israel is alive and well.”