Thirty-First Congress
Jerusalem, 1987

The Congress once again discussed the relationship between Israel and the Jewish communities towards the Zionist organization. It had been hoped that the gathering would conclude the Herzliya process which expressed the growing influence of the Jewish agency fund-raisers in restructuring, democratizing and reassessing the organization's ideological goals. However, no major decisions were effected in this field.

Proposals were made for the election of a President to the WZO, a position which had been left vacant since the resignation of Nahum Goldmann in 1968. The attempt of the "Magshimim," (those who promised to immigrate to Israel within a specified time) to be accorded special status in the movement was discussed but not adopted. This was understood as a rejection of the principle that Zionists should make a personal commitment to aliya within a limited period.

Simha Dinitz, former Israeli ambassador to the USA and Labor Knesset member, was elected Chairperson of the 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]

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