Twenty-Ninth Congress
Jerusalem, 1978

Six years had elapsed since the previous Congress, during which time significant developments had taken place that affected the Jewish world. Among these were:

• the rise of international terrorism;
• the Yom Kippur war;
• the increased isolation of Israel, highlighted by the United Nations resolution equating Zionism with Racism;
• the exodus of Jews from the Soviet Union and the struggle for Jewish rights in that country;
• the election victory of the Likud in Israel's 1977 Knesset elections -- thus ending Labor domination;
• and the visit of Anwar Sadat to Jerusalem in the same year.

Whilst these events had an impact on the atmosphere of the Congress, they were not a central part of its proceedings. Instead, the major topic of debate focused on the question of religious pluralism within the Zionist movement. Following heated discussion, the Congress accepted the principle of religious equality for each of the religious streams affiliated with the WZO. This meant that the recently affiliated Reform and Conservative synagogue movements were to be granted equal status.

Arye Dulzin was elected Chairman of the Zionist Executive.

For specific references to people and places mentionned in this file, please follow the relevant pointer
[Jabotinsky] [Ahad Ha'am] [Weizmann] [Ze'ev Jabotinsky] [Ruppin] [Sokolow]
[Henrietta Szold] [Chaim Arlosoroff] [David Ben Gurion]
[Berl Katznelson] [Yitshak Tabenkin] [Menachem Ussishkin]

[Top] [Next] [Concepts] [The Zionist Century] [Homepage]