Posted on January 2, 2026 by Rabbi Arnie Gluck
When I think of the Zionist Congress, what comes to mind is the image of Theodor Herzl in a black and white photo surrounded by other men in tall black hats and long black coats. Gathered in Basel, Switzerland, they founded the Zionist Movement and began the process that would lead to the founding of a Jewish state in our ancestral homeland. It is the stuff of history books. And yet, here we were in 2025 in Jerusalem, gathering as the Zionist Congress to play a part in writing the next chapter of Jewish history. It was an exhilarating experience to feel that we are not just the inheritors of a glorious past, but shapers of its future, l’dor vador, from one generation to the next.
And you, too, were part of this dynamic process of making Jewish history. By voting 4Reform in the Zionist elections, your voice was heard when the 39th World Zionist Congress (WZC) convened in Jerusalem on October 28. Thanks to YOU and your vote, Arzenu, representing Reform Judaism worldwide, was the largest and strongest single delegation, numbering over 150.
A lot was at stake. The WZC is referred to as the Parliament of the Jewish people because it is a democratic body comprised of representatives from the entire Jewish world, both from Israel and the Diaspora. Because Diaspora Jews do not have a voice in choosing Israel’s government, this is where we can wield influence on issues of policy, the choice of leadership in the Jewish National Institutions (the Jewish National Fund/KKL, the Jewish Agency, and the World Zionist Organization), and the allocation of $5 billion over the five years from this Congress to the next. We were part of the Center-Left coalition that was just slightly in the minority. But thanks to our extraordinary level of organization, clarity of purpose, and great leadership, we had an outsized impact and notched many important successes and achievements.
Together with our coalition partners we passed resolutions to:
And we blocked proposals to:
These significant achievements were not a foregone conclusion. It took great skill and determined effort to garner a majority for each of these votes. It was a game of inches, which leads to one very clear and resounding conclusion: your vote made the difference!
Had our numbers been slightly lower, our advocacy for our vision of Israel as a pluralistic democracy that guarantees religious freedom, equality, justice and inclusion would have failed. The election campaign was no mere exercise. Each vote was essential and has already made an impact on shaping the face of Israel and the Jewish world for the next five years. With Reform Jews holding important professional and lay roles in the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish Agency, the Jewish National Fund/KKL, you and I will have a voice and a seat at the table. This really matters because when it comes to Jewish politics the old saying is true. “If you are not at the table, you are on the menu!”
Looking back on this effort leads to an important question and another conclusion. What if every Reform congregation had gotten just 10 or 20 more people to vote? If we had, our achievements would have been dramatically greater and more significant. This thought should inspire and motivate us to be thinking ahead to the next election for the WZC five years from now. Every time we hear news about Israel and the Jewish world that distresses us, we should say: ‘I can and will do something about that. Next time, I will vote and get others to vote so our Reform Jewish values will have even greater impact in shaping the course of Jewish history.’ I have no doubt that we can and will succeed. For as Theodore Herzl famously said of the founding of a Jewish state: “If you will it, it is no dream.”
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Arnie Gluck, Rabbi Emeritus