The 36th World Zionist Congress runs from June 15 to June 17, 2010. Rabbi Danny Allen, Executive Director of the Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA), is in Jerusalem attending the Congress. This is the 4th and final blog of his series of dispatches.

It may well be true that 90% of life is showing up. ARZA has been showing up at the World Zionist Congresses every four years for three decades. This congress was led by the incoming President of the Israel Progressive Movement (IMPJ) Yaron Shavit, a first for our movement.

Our accomplishments through the resolutions process partially include:

1. Overwhelming support to oppose the currently proposed changes in Israeli conversion law that will both negate the Law of Return and prejudice the rights of Jewish communities to act, each in its own way, regarding the conversion process.
2. Equal funding for all Jewish religious streams within the WZO budget. This could mean an additional $500,000 for the IMPJ.
3. 80% positive support stating that the Government of Israel should recognize all streams of Judaism and their right to perform marriages and conversion in Israel.
4. Approved a new requirement that 30% of the membership in all WZO committees, boards, etc. must be women.

While these accomplishments, and more, ring true for our movement there is a bigger context. Some folks say that the WZO is no longer a relevant institution. While it is true that it, in cooperation with the Jewish Agency for Israel, long ago fulfilled its basic mandate to establish a sovereign Jewish democratic state in our homeland, there remain benefits to us and our people derived from the WZO. One benefit is that the WZO is a real point of entry for our movement to influence some of the Israeli leadership. The other major benefit is the opportunity to discuss, dialogue and collective opine through resolutions on the thinking of the Jews world wide. Some have called it the parliament of the Jewish people.

This was the first time that a charedi (ultra orthodox) group joined the WZO. In this case it was the Shas party that represents mostly the Sephardic community and more specifically Moroccan Jews. One of their agenda items at the Congress was to have the concept of Jewish pluralism deleted from the WZO body politic. They proposed resolutions to set up pre conversion institutions in the Diaspora to avoid our congregations and rabbis as well as those of the Conservative movement and modern Orthodox. They proposed that the WZO expend its limited funds on substantial projects in the West Bank to protect ancient Jewish religious sites. They opposed the serious inclusion of women.

Led by our delegation, all of the Shas efforts were soundly defeated. Will this affect Israeli Government policies that we would like to see changed? Perhaps. Our collective actions do, however, put the majority of affiliated Jews on record as being for pluralism, tolerance and the rule of law in a Jewish, civil, democratic state.

As we observed the Shas delegation composed mainly of Rabbis, I could not help but feel proud that among our leadership present and voting were many of our own Rabbis. When Steven Fox, the CEO of the CCAR repeatedly raised his voting card to vote for progress in the Israeli society, I could imagine the hundreds strong members of the Conference he represented cheering us all on in our work.

My first WZO Congress was in the spring of 1972. Then we, as a movement, were not present. At this 36th Congress, ARZA was the clear leader, the largest group present, and able to use the WZO to advance our progressive agenda. Our overall delegation owes a big thanks to the leadership of Joan Garson, the Chairman of ARZENU (all the ARZA's from around the world) for her incredible efforts. Our own board member Didi Gilbert was also a key member and voice of ARZA in the inner ARZENU circle.

Our movement, which was once an American Jewish implant in foreign soil, is now a Sabra. The lay and professional leadership and the vast majority of members of IMPJ congregations are native born Israelis. Many were part of our overall delegation.

Today our Reform Leadership mission composed of senior lay and professional leaders of URJ, ARZA and WUPJ will participate in the dedication of the land in Jaffa for the new IMPJ Mechinah program center. This will be the first IMPJ movement wide building of our own. It is a visible tribute to the importance of our work to support fellow progressive Jews as day by day they improve the life of our home.

The massive demonstrations against the rule of law by nearly 100,000 in Jerusalem yesterday created nightmare traffic problems and again demonstrated the strength of the Israeli democracy. The rule of law won in the Jerusalem public square today.

Inside the WZO Shas, which was at the heart of the public demonstrations, tried to disrupt the procedures as well. Two 20-something Australian Jewish delegates addressed the body together. One is a member of the very left wing Hashomer Hatzair and the other a member of the modern orthodox B'nai Akiva. Standing with arms entwined they scolded that Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism and the World Zionist Organization, would have been appalled at the lack of civility but not the lack of agreement in our discussions. The overwhelming majority of those present--Jews from all over the world in all shapes, sizes, ethnicities and religious practice could not have agreed more. It is true--90% of life is showing up....especially if you can take one more positive step to improve the world.

Yesterday, at 3:30, having started at 5:30 a.m. we sang Hatikvah, wished each other safe journeys, and at least for ARZA departed with a great sense of accomplishment.

Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem,

Danny

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